Bad Idea Inspiration

I stumbled across this image searching Google images. I loved it! Bad ideas: Knitting MMORPG, Grand Theft Spreadsheet, Motion-based Sandwich Making Simulator.

It reminds me of a lost creativity exercise I used to do daily. The idea is to think of a royally bad idea, then work on finding the good in the idea. By forcing yourself to think of bad ideas, you allow yourself to think freely. Then you really exercise your creative muscles when you make that bad idea into a good one.

Here are some of mine:

Bad Idea: Flammable oven-mitts

How could this be good?

• Assuming they don’t burn your hands they could keep food hotter when you remove it from the oven.
• Would be a cool way to serve food at a swanky restaurant.
• Could be a good stunt prop for movies where people’s hands need to catch on fire.

Bad Idea:Speed limit signs that change the speed limit randomly.

How could this be good?

• Could adjust themselves to driving patterns. Raise the limit for slow drivers. Lower the limit for fast drivers. And make everyone drive the same.
• Could change depending on time of day.
• People would notice the signs more.

Bad Idea:A transparent flag for a country.

How could this be good?

• If you’re about to attack another country they won’t know it’s you.
• You won’t litter your skyline with ugly flags waving in the wind…
• You could add a cool hologram only visible at night with a light shining on it.
• You could recycle plastic and make it inexpensive and green to manufacture in mass.
• Designers and other creative folks would move to your country to be inspired.

I know I’ll be revisiting this exercise. You should too! Be sure to share some of your bad ideas in the comment below.

[Image Source]