Idea Engineering Agency has a open door research strategy. We are always looking into expanding our knowledge in various fields, however neurology is a particular area of interest as it helps us understand how people think and form ideas. This understanding helps Idea Engineering to provide our clients with a unique method of idea generation, one that produces strong ideas.

One of the tools we have found useful are neurobic exercises, the term was defined by authors Dr. Lawrence C. Katz and Dr. Manning Rubin, who have written a book on the subject called Keep Your Brain Alive.

We have used neurobics to teach clients how to make their brain more flexible and ready for generating strong ideas. Our brains learn new knowledge based on association. For example, if you wanted to teach a child how to read, you would start with creating an association between his new knowledge (letters) and old knowledge ( a sound he already uses). Creating clear associations makes passing on new information a lot more tangible and accessible.

With this in mind, we have devised our own neurobic exercises to highlight how the brain functions at different stages of the idea process.

We will begin by showcasing an excersise that helps the brain create new patterns.

Exercise # 1: Getting the brain to see things in a perspective

Problem
When we first engage in an activity our brain ‘turns on’ to create new neurological connections and maps. After a while of the same exposure our brains ‘turn off’ with little to no neurological connections being made. Therefore when we engage in a brief, it is a easy temptation to fall on past patterns and approaching the brief in the same way. How will innovation be created, if we keep responding to briefs by using the same patterns of implementation?

Neurobic Solution:

Below are the steps to a neurobic exercise we created to help create break patterns.

• Take an ordinary object that you have contact with on a regular basis ( shoe lace, paper clip, a piece of paper, etc.).
• Set a timer for 60 seconds
• Grab pen & Paper
• Clear your mind
• As fast as possible create new possible usages for the object, as many as possible in 60 seconds.
• Repeat exercise with a different object if desired

How it Helps
The exercise helps the brain see a mundane object in a new perspective, which is what is needed when presented with briefs we have seen time and time again. Try to then to do the same with your brief and create a new approach to the brief.