DIRECT COMPARISON

During the evaluation phase, you need to carefully examine each idea to choose the best among them. Like others, De Bono (1998) suggests to use Direct Comparison. Make a direct comparison between ideas or alternatives which are in competition. Then, take note of their similarities and differences which can later be compared to the evaluation criteria adopted. This technique allows to take into consideration those factors that cannot be included in any personal evaluation checklist. Furthermore, this method helps you to evaluate whole ideas. Direct Comparison can give excellent outcomes if you work on the factors that usually lead people to put down an idea. Focus on risks and faults: they will give you the necessary reasons to put down some competing ideas. On the contrary, if you focus on positive aspects, you will find it hard to put down a given idea that looks like a potential solution. Like De Bono, Vicari (1998) suggests to use Direct Comparison to evaluate ideas:

“A company is always generating new ideas…These ideas are then compared, tested and evaluated, as regards their costs, revenues, market potential, etc.
Each company carries out this selection process according to its selection criteria which are parallel to the selection mechanism. We will refer to these selection criteria as a selection code.
This code is made up of the constraints that underlie a company innovation process; each company has its own code which results from the company experience and underlies the development process.” (Vicari, 1998)

The author states that the selection code includes internal and external evaluation elements. Figure 3-7 shows an example of the selection code which helps to evaluate the ideas appropriateness and consistence with the organization.

Figure 3-7: The selection code

CLASS	B
PHASE	Evaluation
DESCRIPTION	During the evaluation phase, you need to carefully examine each idea to choose the best among them. Like others, De Bono (1998) suggests to use Direct Comparison. Make a direct comparison between ideas or alternatives which are in competition. Then, take note of their similarities and differences which can later be compared to the evaluation criteria adopted. This technique allows to take into consideration those factors that cannot be included in any personal evaluation checklist. Furthermore, this method helps you to evaluate whole ideas. Direct Comparison can give excellent outcomes if you work on the factors that usually lead people to put down an idea. Focus on risks and faults: they will give you the necessary reasons to put down some competing ideas. On the contrary, if you focus on positive aspects, you will find it hard to put down a given idea that looks like a potential solution. Like De Bono, Vicari (1998) suggests to use Direct Comparison to evaluate ideas: “A company is always generating new ideas…These ideas are then compared, tested and evaluated, as regards their costs, revenues, market potential, etc. Each company carries out this selection process according to its selection criteria which are parallel to the selection mechanism. We will refer to these selection criteria as a selection code. This code is made up of the constraints that underlie a company innovation process; each company has its own code which results from the company experience and underlies the development process.” (Vicari, 1998) The author states that the selection code includes internal and external evaluation elements. Figure 3-7 shows an example of the selection code which helps to evaluate the ideas appropriateness and consistence with the organization. Figure 3-7: The selection code
REFERENCES	De Bono E., Serious Creativity Using the Power Lateral Thinking to Create New Ideas, The McQuaig Group, 1992. Vicari S., La creatività dell'impresa. Tra caso e necessità, Milano, Etas Libri, 1998. Weiss W.H., Demonstrating Creativity and Innovation, Supervision, Vol. 63, n. 3, 2002, pp. 6-10.