(Book Review) A Technique for Producing Ideas, 2003 Edition

Overview

Review Published: September, 2015.

First published in 1965 as a guide to help advertising copywriters generate new and exciting ideas, James Webb Young quickly realized that he had penned a guide for any creative professional to unlock their potential. Ever since, this book has been a go-to for those looking to share their best ideas with the world.

This short book contains a simple and effective process for anyone to develop their own great ideas in a user-experience, product design, or a strategic business capacity.

Rating:

5 / 5

(Exceptional Content, Presentation is Entertaining)

What does this score mean?

Difficulty:

Beginner (Content is easy to understand).

Length:

48 pages.

Where to Buy It:

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What's Good

Demystifies the general process of ideation; starting with the theory behind generating ideas, and followed by a practical step-by-step guide, this book has become a classic for those looking to create and refine their own work in any creative industry.
Surprisingly well-sourced; for such a short book, the number of resources presented to support the points being made (and for potential further reading) is a welcome surprise.
Simply written with relatable examples; this book is written in a conversational tone, avoids any confusing jargon, and is accessible to beginners and professionals alike with easy-to-follow examples.

What Can Be Improved

N/A

The Bottom Line

Easier pitching of UX research & ideation; by tying research & ideation exercises to value in a digestible way, this book serves as a great primer for both UX designers and stakeholders.
An essential resource for beginners in UX; this book is useful for understanding the broad strokes generating ideas, and provides a framework for understanding how specific UX techniques tend to work (you can check out "Validating Product Ideas", "Just Enough Research", and "UX Strategy" for more specific examinations of these techniques).
A "no-brainer" value; for less than $10 this book provides a succinct and insightful way of making the creative process relatable to virtually anyone, and should be in any UX designer's library.