Product 2012
Creative Matrix
A grid that forces one idea at every category-by-segment intersection instead of free brainstorming.
What it is
Categories such as channels, value propositions or technologies run down the left column and customer segments or contexts run across the top row; every intersecting cell needs at least one idea, one per sticky note. A Wildcard row or column catches anything genuinely off-axis, capped at a 5x5 grid so the round stays finishable.
Reach for it when
- An ideation session whose ideas keep clustering around the same two or three concepts
- A team that needs segment-specific ideas instead of one generic list
- A workshop stuck between free brainstorming and a properly structured shortlist
Running it
- Agree the categories for the left column and the segments for the top row before starting the clock.
- Set a strict per-cell or per-round timer and fill cells rapidly, prioritising volume over quality.
- Add a wildcard row or column for ideas that genuinely don't fit the grid.
- After the timed round — cap it around 15 minutes — cluster and dot-vote the strongest ideas to carry forward.
Watch out: A grid bigger than 5x5 runs out of time before it's covered, and categories that overlap with the segments just produce the same idea twice.
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Comments & Discussion
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Recent Comments (3)
This workshop was incredibly effective for our remote team! We adapted it slightly for a virtual setting and it worked wonderfully. The key was breaking into smaller breakout rooms.
Great resource! One tip: prepare all materials the day before to avoid any last-minute rushes.
Used this for our quarterly planning session. The structured approach really helped us stay on track!