The 7 Elements of a Good Idea

Coming up with a good idea is easy; it's justifying that idea that's the difficult part.

Walter Vandevelve is a senior lecturer and researcher in Brussels. He came up with the 7 Elements of a Good Idea, helping those with ideas flesh out their reasoning and justify their concept. A summary of his content is presented below. You can find the original article on LinkedIn here. A good idea must: Be different and better

• Brings some level of change …but also brings improvements

• Small shifts can have massive impacts

Deliver value

• Offering clear, measurable value to a target audience

• Value can be practical (i.e. time and cost saving) or subjective (convenience/enjoyment)

• Needs to be accepted by the target audience

Be realistic

• Must fit within the possibilities of the organisation

• Must consider time, budget, people, and technology

• Feasible and fit within the current boundaries of possibility

Be balanced

• Cost effective and benefit efficient

• Consider the time, energy, and resources required to implement the idea

Be simple

• Needs to be easy to use and easy to understand

• A simple idea will be adopted a lot quicker than a complex idea

• A simple idea explained complexly will not do as well as a complex idea explained simply

Be flexible

• The idea must evolve with changing circumstances, new insights, and unexpected challenges.

• A good idea can change form without losing its core value

Be sustainable

• Has the potential to make a positive impact in the long run

• Also adds value in the short term

• Should also be environmentally responsible

• Ecological and socially sustainable

• A good idea contributes to a better world, now and in the future