IMAGINE IF EVERY WEB PAGE ON THE INTERNET WAS BLANK. Well, guess what? At one point each and every page was! That is, until a designer was inspired and created graphics and content to be on the page. This article will help you to generate ideas when developing a visual concept by 1) becoming more familiar with the content and 2) using synectics.

One way to help generate ideas when developing a visual concept is to become more familiar with your content. By getting to know the material better, you will be less likely to get visually stuck. Listed below are some ways to help you with the process: 

Brainstorming at its best. Put your topic or problem in the center of the page.

For any ideas that you think of related to your topic,

draw a line and circle and fill in the circle with your thought(s).

•Think through and learn everything about your topic. If there are components about your topic that you don't understand, look them up in a dictionary or reasearch it further on the Internet (Lohr, 2003). 

•Create a brainstorm mapping by putting your topic or problem in the center of the page and then linking any information or details that relate to your topic. Even if you think the detail does not belong, write it down. You may find it to be useful later on (Lohr, 2003). 

•Look everywhere and at everything around you. When looking around, consider looking at paintings, book covers, websites, toys, posters, cd covers, etc. (Lohr, 2003). 

•Give your mind a rest by stepping away from the topic and allowing your mind to work on the problem without pressure (Lohr, 2003). Sometimes the best ideas come to you when you are not even focused on thinking about the problem.

Another way to help generate ideas when developing a visual concept is to use synectics. Synectics is a set of strategies used to stimulate and enhance creative thought. Synectics can help create great ideas when developing a visual concept by thinking of analogies and metaphors for the topic or problem. Listed below are two ways to generate metaphors:

1.Make the familiar strange (Lohr, 2003)
2.Make the strange familiar (Lohr, 2003) 

This visual is an example of how you could visualize an abstract concept like success by thinking of metaphors for success.

Polly Sipper, Graduate Student
SDSU Educational Technology

Sipper, P. (2004). Ideas for developing a visual concept.In B. Hoffman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Technology.