Hack your brain! — provoke your team to think more creatively during ‘brainstorming’ or ideation

Unleashing Creativity with the Sneaker Fish Deck: A Game-Changer for Ideation Sessions

Hello, creative thinkers and problem solvers!

I’m Van, a creative entrepreneur deeply immersed in the world of design thinking. From guiding teams through intricate design processes to exploring innovative problem-solving tools, my journey has been nothing short of exciting. Today, I’m thrilled to share a remarkable tool that has not only caught my attention but has also significantly enhanced how I approach creative and critical thinking challenges: the Sneaker Fish Deck.

Why Traditional Ideation Often Falls Flat

We’ve all been there—stuck in an ideation session that feels more draining than energizing. Despite the best intentions, these sessions can sometimes become monotonous and uninspiring. Why does this happen? Our brains, by default, are wired to conserve energy. This often leads us to rely on familiar thought patterns and solutions, hindering our ability to think outside the box.

Enter the Sneaker Fish Deck

The Sneaker Fish Deck is a powerhouse tool designed to disrupt conventional thinking and spark creativity. Each deck contains 48 cards categorized into six thought-provoking themes, including business models, professional roles (imagine thinking like a firefighter or a chef!), mash-ups (what if your problem-solving involved Nelson Mandela?), sensory experiences, and random challenges. These categories are crafted to push the boundaries of your usual thought processes and introduce a fresh perspective on whatever challenge you face.

How It Works

Using the Sneaker Fish Deck is straightforward yet profoundly impactful. Whether you’re facilitating an ideation session or brainstorming solo, these cards serve as prompts that compel you to approach problems from angles you might never have considered. For example, during a team session, you can divide participants into small groups and assign each group a selection of cards. Under time constraints, these groups tackle the prompts, allowing the spontaneous and often surprising emergence of new ideas.

Real-World Applications

What excites me most about this tool is its versatility. It’s not just for design thinkers. Podcasters can use it to derive fresh questions for guests, writers can overcome writer’s block, and facilitators can keep ideation sessions lively and productive. The possibilities are limitless, making it an indispensable resource in any creative toolkit.

Why You Should Try It

The Sneaker Fish Deck goes beyond being a mere collection of prompts. It’s a catalyst for innovation. It encourages us to make new cognitive connections, fostering innovations that are not only unique but often immediately actionable. Whether you’re looking to revamp a product, brainstorm content ideas, or solve complex business challenges, this deck ensures you’re not just thinking differently—you’re thinking effectively.

Get Your Hands on It

Interested in transforming your creative sessions? You can find the Sneaker Fish Deck at Sneaker Fish. And for those always on the move, check out the Pocket Provocation version— a compact iteration of the classic deck that fits right in your pocket.

Thank you for joining me in exploring how we can turn ordinary ideation into extraordinary innovation. Dive into the comments to share how you’ve used these prompts or any other tools that have changed the game for you in creative thinking.

Remember, there are no rules—only endless possibilities for inspiration and provocation.

Catch you in the comments, and let’s keep those creative juices flowing!

I tip my hat to my fellow independent design consultants as we figure out the new normal. Here’s a tool from Canada. Check out the Classic Sneakerfish Card Deck by Tamara Eberle and her partner from Traction Strategy.

In this video, I’m going to take you through and introduce you to a tool that I recently received. It’s called the classic sneaker fish card deck. And if you look at the branding of the back while I read this as inspirations and provocations for creative and critical thinking, now inside the box, you will find 48 cards.

On these cards, divided into six different categories, you’ll notice prompts to spark ideas and suggestion about how you can reframe the problem you are trying to solve.