Ideation and listening skills

A sometimes overlooked or underestimated part of the ideation process is the designer's listening skills. By listening to and understanding the client's reasoning behind the design brief and how it was arrived at designers are in a better position to make sense of the client's needs and desires and respond in a language that is both imaginative and meaningful using an appropriate range of ideation tools. In short, designers can engage their imagination by taking the time to listen.