Developing an ideation method to be used in cross-functional inter-organizational teams by means of action design research

Using ideation methods in an optimal way has a great potential to increase the number of ideas which a team can contribute during the conceptual phase of product development in industry. Previous studies on ideation methods have been mainly statistical studies in a laboratory setting. In the present study, however, the aim was to develop tailor-made ideation methods in a specific context, among actors on a deregulated railway market, through close interaction between researchers and engineers in a real-world context. Considering previous relevant research on ideation methods, associative memory models and the findings from tests of established ideation methods performed in the same group, a number of preliminary design principles were formulated and implemented in an ideation method that combines individual phases of rotational and gallery viewing with phases of verbal group interaction. The method was tested and refined in a cross-functional inter-organizational group comprising participants from different actors in the railway sector. Besides its provision of qualitative and quantitative test results, the present study has considered the opinions of the participants in detail, which can give important insights into the factors determining whether such a method will be implemented in industry. The participants found the method to be more useful and to generate more ideas that could be used in practice compared to the established ideation methods which they had tried. The learning derived from the specific case was formalized into a number of design principles for ideation methods to be used in cross-functional inter-organizational groups.