Walt Disney used this method to come up with new ideas and subsequently break them down and refine them to end up with something viable.
The process is split into 3 parts:
- The Dreamer: There are no bad ideas here. It can be wild or logical. With as less thought on limitations. Raw ideas that are bold, absurd or downright ridiculous.
- The Realist: In this stage the ideas are re-examined. The practical aspects are given more importance. This stage is about answering "How?" it can be done.
- The Critic: Play the devil's advocate a bit. Try to shoot down your ideas. A key part of working on the most important and awesome ideas is to kill the not so good ones early on.
Walt also incorporated a physical aspect to this method. Each of this stage would be done in different rooms. This is a really powerful move. It engages and cue's your brain to get into a particular mindset each time you enter the room.