How do you get a great idea?

There are lot of ways to get a good idea. I will explain some of them. It is something personal and of course there a lot of other things you can do.

-Brainstorming

I think everyone knows it. You have to think of a problem for example “How do you make public transport more attractive” and you search for some very creative solutions. Everything is possible. Especially in small groups, this is really productive. After you have written a lot of ideas, you should select the best ideas.

-discussion

Some people really like to discuss on several issues. Sometimes they will find an innovative solution for an issue. These solutions will come spontaneous. 

-find a valuable missing feature in an existing app

In that case, you can develop an app that has the same idea but with the feature you miss in the other app. Don’t make your app look like the other app but use a different lay-out in order that you won’t have problems with the developers from the original app. 

-get inspiration from an update

Some people get their inspiration from an update. For example, a lot of people have developed a public transport app. Since the release of iOs 6, Apple has rewritten the maps app and they allow the integration of public transport apps from third party developers.

-an idea that comes spontaneously

It is fantastic and undescribable to have that feeling. Maybe some of you have had that experience, others may have not. You just have to think of a problem and then think and think and think and may be it will come spontaneously, may be not. Some people have it when they awake. In that case, you have to write down the idea because you will forget it, if you fall back asleep.