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.

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):
  - S ubstitute: "What if we replaced [element] with [AI-suggested alternative]?"
  - C ombine: "Combine [concept A] with [concept B] in an unexpected way."
  - A dapt: "Adapt [existing story/artwork] for a new audience/medium."
  - M odify: "Modify the scale/color/tone of [idea]."
  - P ut to another use: "How else could we use [product/idea]?"
  - E liminate: "What if we removed [feature/character]?"
  - R everse: "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]?"

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.

"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."