Stages of Ideas Development
The exact process of Idea development will undoubtedly differ from one idea to the next. In particular, it will depend on the complexity of the idea. It may also be supplemented by use of the ‘Idea Support’ forum to give an idea an initial airing and sound out potential support for an idea.
The stages below are provided as a checklist, they are not mandatory, indeed we would expect some stages to be combined in many instances. It is up to the author/s to decide what is appropriate but we hope these provide a useful checklist and food for thought. What is important is that the status of an Idea or Proposal is clear at each stage so that others can comment accordingly. The target is to end up ultimately with a ‘Considered Proposal’ document.
The associated ‘Idea Structure and Guidelines document’ is important when it comes to the Idea Proposal stage but should ideally be used to guide all stages of Idea publication.
An idea may go through some or all of these typical stages as appropriate:
- Inspiration
- Brainstorming
- Initial Qualification
- Output is initially qualified idea
- Embryonic Idea Definition and Refinement
- Documentation of idea – ‘Embryonic Draft’
- Author/s refinement and updating of Embryonic Draft
- Embryonic Idea endorsement
- Open to small number of others
- Ensure meets basic qualification criteria for any idea
- Output is Embryonic Draft with support
- Idea Proposal Preparation
- Developing Embryonic Draft into Proposal Draft
- Based on ‘Structure and Guidelines’
- Adding supporting and conflicting evidence
- Reviewing for balance and good analysis
- Possibly reviewing with embryonic endorsement group again before publishing
- Output is ‘Draft Proposal’
- Publishing Draft Proposal for wider comment and endorsement
- Make available for all to access and comment on
- Formal comment mechanism
- Remarks/Discussion of idea etc (Forum)
- Adding keywords and assigning to a category
- Adding any info about author/s credentials if appropriate and not already included
- Notify any target or interested parties
- Make comment period clear
- Draft Proposal Comment Cycle
- Publicly visible comments and Private
- Update Draft Proposal to take account of comments
- Possibly correspond with commenters especially if rejecting
- Re-publish as new version and re-run comment cycle if necessary
- With info on what updated
- If wish to proceed prepare as Formal Proposal
- Publish as Formal ‘Considered Proposal’
- Make available for all to access and comment on
- Formal comment
- Remarks/Discussions (Forum)
- Formal Proposal Comment Cycle
- Publicly visible comments and Private
- Update Proposal to take account of comments as necessary
- Possibly correspond with commenters especially if rejecting
- Re-publish as new version and re-run comment cycle if necessary
- Output is a formal Considered Proposal with levels of endorsement
- Author/s take action to cause implementation
- Use available Guidelines on best ways of doing this