How to Plan an Ideation Workshop That Delivers Results

Learn how to set the stage for creative and actionable ideas.

This post is part of a series concerning ideation. If you want to get a clear picture of what ideation is, the benefits of ideation, when to use it, what are prior steps before ideating and how to run a successful ideation session check these posts 👇🏼

• From Ideas to Impact: What Is Ideation? Unlock the Power of Creative Thinking.
• The Secret to Ideation Success: It Starts Before the Workshop

This post is part of a series on ideation. If you want to dive deeper into understanding what ideation is, its benefits, when to use it, the steps prior to ideation, and how to run a successful session, check out these related posts below 👇🏼. As we discussed in the last post, “What Happens Before an Ideation Workshop?”, effective problem exploration, refinement, and proper opportunity framing are essential for successful solution development.

Without a clear scope, well-defined problem statements, and stakeholder alignment, ideation efforts can become unfocused and ineffective.

Already done all that?
Here’s what’s next:

• Clear Scope = Define product requirements, target audience, success metrics, competitive landscape, and a clear problem to solve ✅
• Stakeholder Alignment = Ensure everyone understands and agrees on the challenge worth solving ✅

So, what comes next?

1. Finding the Right Number of Participants and Profiles

Ideally, aim for 4 to 10 participants. Fewer than four may limit diverse thinking, while more than ten requires break-out groups, adding complexity to facilitation. The group should be diverse — comprising product managers, marketers, and relevant business functions. Legal or finance teams may not need to participate in this early ideation stage, as their input is more critical during feasibility and viability assessments.

2. Organize the Teams for Balance

If you know the participants’ working styles, balance teams accordingly to ensure all voices are heard. It’s common for the loudest voices to dominate, so be sure to encourage quieter participants to contribute. If you’re facilitating a client’s workshop, ask your client for input ahead of time on how to structure the groups for balance and efficiency. Avoid letting participants self-organize during the session — it wastes valuable time.

3. Choose the Right Ideation Techniques

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel — there are excellent tools available to guide ideation sessions:

• If your scope is broad, choose techniques like “opposite thinking” or the “tech & trend matrix” to open up perspectives and overcome mental blocks.
• If the scope is more focused, opt for techniques like “analogy thinking” to explore successful patterns from other industries and apply them to your context.

Each technique should match the workshop’s specific goals, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Tailor your methods to the problem at hand.

Helpful Resources:

• Board of Innovation’s Free Innovation Tools
• The Master (Online) Ideation Toolbox — Part 1/2

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4. Set a Clear Agenda and Onboard Participants

Your participants may not have the same level of preparation or understanding, so it’s essential to guide them. Develop a well-structured agenda that outlines the goals, timeline, and ideation techniques you’ll use. Providing participants with this information ahead of time allows them to prepare and maximizes their engagement during the session.

Brief them on:

• Sprint goals
• Workshop agenda
• Tools and techniques you’ll use (provide a preview if possible)

5. Prepare Materials and the Location (or Digital Playground)

For in-person workshops, gather supplies like Post-Its, pens, dot stickers, flipchart paper, and organize breakout areas or large meeting rooms. If you’re working remotely, tools like Miro or MURAL can emulate real-life whiteboards, with ready-to-use templates to save time.

You’ll also need to ensure that participants are comfortable with these tools before the session begins, so consider hosting a quick tech setup and testing session.

More on Ideation

This post is part of our ideation series. If you’re looking to dive deeper into what ideation is, its key benefits, when to use it, and how to set up your sessions for success, be sure to check out the three previous posts where we covered the essentials of ideation, preparation steps, and planning strategies 👇🏼

• From Ideas to Impact: What Is Ideation? Unlock the Power of Creative Thinking.
• The Secret to Ideation Success: It Starts Before the Workshop
• How to Run a Successful Ideation Session.

Take Action

If this article sparked some thoughts and you’re:

• Concerned that your current business model is becoming vulnerable,
• Seeking to balance stability today with inventing the future of your business,
• Looking to adopt an agile approach to experimentation and adapt quickly to market changes,
• Ready to reorganize and future-proof your business,

I can help you navigate this journey. Let’s work together to shape the future of your business. Get in touch with me here.

Let’s talk

Curious to hear your challenges and ideas.
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About Me

Hi, my name is Fabian Roschig.

With a background that blends entrepreneurial experience and corporate innovation, I’ve had the opportunity to found and lead two startups, manage a corporate incubator, and support innovation initiatives across both SMEs and Fortune 500 companies.

I’m not a traditional consultant — I’m an entrepreneur and operator, 100% focused on execution. I bring a startup mindset to every project, ensuring that we’re not just talking about ideas but actually making them happen, often stepping in as interim project leader to guide teams directly.

My goal is to build lasting capabilities within your team, not dependencies. While I’m committed to being a long-term partner, I also aim to empower your teams to innovate independently.

I’m now focused on combining my business experience with advanced AI strategies to help businesses innovate more efficiently and stay ahead of the curve. Together, we’ll turn your ideas into practical, market-ready solutions that drive real business impact.

I’m excited to learn about your challenges and explore how I can support you — whether through workshops, consulting, interim leadership, or serving as a sounding board for your growth initiatives. I’d love to connect and get to know you better!

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Originally published at http://fabianroschig.com

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