Creative Matrix template

A way to spark new ideas by thinking about how topics intersect

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Creative Matrix

Creative Matrix template FAQs

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Brainstorm

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Use this template to generate many wide-ranging ideas in a short amount of time.

In a creative matrix grid, each cell represents the intersection of two disparate categories. It’s best to use the columns as categories related to people (e.g., personas, market segments, or problem statements) and the rows as categories for enabling solutions (e.g., technologies, environments, or policies).

The creative matrix template helps you:

Generate a lot of ideas in a short amount of time
Uncover areas of overlap across personas and categories
Get a deeper understanding of the problems you’re trying to solve
Identify possible solutions and next steps

How to use the creative matrix template

To run a successful creative matrix exercise, follow the below steps.

Step 1: Define the overall topic for your brainstorm

Craft a single-sentence explanation of the topic you’re going to focus on during the brainstorming session. Make sure that everyone has context and a shared understanding of the central problem so that you can get the most out of the exercise.

Step 2: Break out and brainstorm individually

At each intersection of high-level topics and themes on the left side of the matrix grid, identify how these themes and topics relate. Using Mural’s private mode, have everyone on your team generate as many ideas as they can across the whole matrix.

Note: It’s important to think carefully about how each cell represents an intersection of two ideas or priorities — if you get stuck, move on to the next cell.

For each topic across the matrix, evaluate the people & partnerships, places & spaces, digital interactions, surprises and delights, and other considerations a user or stakeholder may consider relevant. The template also includes a wildcard space to define an extra consideration not covered by the other topics.

Step 3: Bring everyone back together and identify themes

Once everyone has had a chance to submit their feedback in the form of sticky notes inside the matrix, bring the group back together and look for common themes or ways to group ideas together.

Tips for using a creative matrix

To get the most out of your creative matrix template session, you should:

Facilitators should assign any pre-work necessary to give appropriate context, so the working session is as productive as possible
Use private mode to allow everyone to contribute their ideas individually and avoid groupthink, and use anonymous voting to determine the best next steps
Use color-coding and tags to help organize and analyze your feedback by theme, so that you can translate your work into action items

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Creative Matrix template FAQs

What is a creative matrix?

The creative matrix is a design thinking framework for generating new ideas based on the intersection of different themes or categories. The goal of the creative matrix is to encourage the cross-pollination of different ideas, break out of conventional thinking, foster better teamwork, and achieve an outcome greater than the sum of its parts.

While creative matrices are often conducted on a physical whiteboard with post-it notes, this template provides the digital tools to helps teams to unlock human-centered design frameworks from anywhere.

The creative matrix model can be applied in a variety of contexts, from product development to marketing strategy to organizational design. By using a matrix format to capture and organize ideas, teams can more easily identify promising concepts and prioritize their efforts during the divergent thinking phase.

How do you create a creative matrix?

Creating a creative matrix involves several steps, including identifying the problem or opportunity you want to explore, selecting the perspectives you want to consider, and designing a matrix format that will allow you to capture and organize your ideas effectively. Here are the steps to create a creative matrix:

Step 1: Define the problem or opportunity you want to explore ‍Identify the challenge or opportunity you want to explore, and clarify your objectives and goals for the project.

Step 2: Select the perspectives to consider ‍Identify the perspectives that are relevant to your challenge or opportunity. These might include customer segments, user roles, functional areas, or other categories that are important to your project.

Step 3: Design the matrix format ‍Create a matrix format that allows you to capture ideas inspired by each perspective. You might use a grid with the perspectives or “how might we” questions listed across the top and ideas listed down the side, or you might use a more complex format that includes additional dimensions such as time or impact.

Step 4: Generate ideas inspired by different perspectives ‍Use the matrix to brainstorm ideas inspired by each perspective. Encourage team members to contribute ideas and build on each other's suggestions.

Step 5: Evaluate and prioritize ideas ‍Review the ideas generated in the matrix, and evaluate them based on their feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with your project objectives. Prioritize the most promising ideas for further development.