Let's start with the moment of inspiration. Some ideas or innovations come from a "Eureka!" moment. Classical scholars will recall the story of the Greek philosopher Archimedes. He was pondering a problem – how to determine whether a gold crown given to his patron was real gold or a worthless substitute. He got into a full bath, the water spilled over, the level rose and he shouted "Eureka!" Let's call this first method the Eureka! moment.

2. Define the problem

The trouble with relying on Eureka! moments for innovations is that they tend to be related to a specific, well-defined problem. Frequently, we are dealing with a more ambiguous problem. We have to think of the right question to consider before we think through the best solution.

This is the concept behind disciplined methods of improving process and developing new products and services. If you can clearly define the most important problem for your customer, you are more likely to come up with innovative ideas that will help your organization satisfy your customers.

3. Think about it

Techniques used by great thinkers can help everyone be successful at idea generation. For example Albert Einstein is supposed to have come up with his great ideas by a systematic method. While walking or riding a bike, he would conduct thought experiments wherein he would imagine a set of conditions and think them through to their logical conclusion.

4. It's evolutionary

As a fourth innovative source, think of the creation of Facebook as depicted in the movie, "The Social Network." Since Facebook seemed to come out of the blue, there is a temptation to say it was created via a Eureka! moment. However, as you watch the movie you become aware the Facebook was an evolutionary innovation, not a revolutionary one.

Myspace already existed as a social networking option. Facebook evolved from combining elements of Myspace with the idea that college students want to find dating partners. So putting together something familiar into a new combination can be innovative.

5. Group source

Collective knowledge exceeds personal knowledge, so if you set up a good method of eliciting ideas from a group in context where the members can brainstorm, you'll generate ideas and innovations then improve them in the crucible of immediate peer review. This works best when the group shares a common objective and interest.

To avoid the "too many cooks …" problem, the group must have an arbiter, someone who decides the shape of the final innovation. Our Declaration of Independence came from such a group. Of course, it didn't hurt that Thomas Jefferson was the arbiter and major author.

6. We can do better

Finally, "we can top that" thinking is always a way to generate ideas or innovations. This works especially well when you are dealing with segmented products to meet specific demographics. For example, when one brand of beer puts 64 calories into a bottle, another squeezes the calorie count to 56. Is either of them better than a nice bottle of IPA? Not to me…

Marty Traynor is vice president of voluntary benefits at Mutual of Omaha. He can be reached at [email protected].