INDEXTRACK: STRATEGYTRACK: CREATIVE

Subject ID

M02-LES

UNCLASSIFIED
Module 02

lesson 1

Lesson 1: Leveraging AI for Ideation and Brainstorming

Objective

  • Students will be able to apply specific AI-powered techniques to generate and expand upon creative ideas.

Key Ideas

  • AI as an Infinite Brainstorming Partner
    • Unlike a human team, AI never gets tired, never judges a bad idea, and can generate endless variations.
    • The goal is to use AI to generate a high quantity of ideas, which the creative professional then curates for quality.
  • Core Techniques for AI Ideation
    • Mind-Mapping: Start with a central concept and ask the AI to generate related ideas, sub-topics, and tangential thoughts.
    • SCAMPER Method (AI-Powered):
      • Substitute: "What if we replaced [element] with [AI-suggested alternative]?"
      • Combine: "Combine [concept A] with [concept B] in an unexpected way."
      • Adapt: "Adapt [existing story/artwork] for a new audience/medium."
      • Modify: "Modify the scale/color/tone of [idea]."
      • Put to another use: "How else could we use [product/idea]?"
      • Eliminate: "What if we removed [feature/character]?"
      • Reverse: "Reverse the perspective/workflow of [process]."
    • Concept Blending: Ask the AI to blend two unrelated concepts (e.g., "a marketing campaign for a new sneaker, but in the style of a 19th-century botanical illustration").
  • Prompting for Divergent Thinking
    • Use open-ended prompts: "Give me 20 taglines for...", "Write 10 story ideas about...", "Describe 5 visual concepts for..."
    • Encourage unexpected connections: "What is the relationship between [topic A] and [unrelated topic B]?"

In-Lesson Activities

  • Live Brainstorming Session: Choose a sample project (e.g., "design a logo for a new coffee shop"). Use the techniques above in real-time with a large language model to generate a wide range of ideas on screen.
  • SCAMPER Challenge: In small groups, have students apply the AI-powered SCAMPER method to a common object (e.g., a chair) and see which group can generate the most creative new ideas.

Talking Points

  • "Don't filter your ideas at this stage. The goal is divergence, not convergence."
  • "Treat the AI like an intern with infinite energy and a strange imagination. Your job is to give it good direction."
  • "The best ideas often come from the unexpected connections that AI can surface."

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