{"id":16396,"date":"2019-05-07T10:00:28","date_gmt":"2019-05-07T08:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hatrabbits.com\/?p=16396"},"modified":"2019-05-08T11:42:08","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T09:42:08","slug":"concept-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hatrabbits.com\/en\/concept-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Concept development 101 – What are concepts and how do you develop a strong concept?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Concept development 101<\/h3>\n

At HatRabbits, an important part of what we do is concept development. Over the years, we\u2019ve noticed that few people know the difference between a \u2018normal\u2019 idea and a concept, let alone how powerful concepts can be. In this article, I’ll try to answer the question \u2018What are concepts and how do you develop a strong concept?\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

What is a concept? <\/strong><\/p>\n

To be able to develop a strong concept, it\u2019s important to know the difference between a goal, a concept and an idea.<\/p>\n

A goal<\/u> = what<\/strong>\u00a0you want to achieve
\nA concept<\/u>\u00a0=\u00a0what<\/strong>\u00a0you want to do<\/strong>\u00a0(to achieve your goal)
\nAn idea<\/u>\u00a0=\u00a0how<\/strong>\u00a0you want to do<\/strong>\u00a0that (the way of implementing the concept)<\/p>\n

Goal<\/strong>
\nYour goal is the desired situation. The end result you\u2019re striving for. Once this situation is realised, you\u2019ve reached your goal.<\/p>\n

Concept<\/strong>
\nA concept is\u00a0a general approach to achieving something<\/strong>. Concepts are broad and not concrete. A concept describes WHAT to do, but not exactly HOW. That\u2019s where ideas come in.<\/p>\n

Idea<\/strong>
\nAn idea is a way to carry out a concept<\/strong>. A way to put the somewhat vague concept into practice.<\/p>\n

A concept is like an umbrella under which many ideas can be lined up. Many different ideas can be generated to give life to it. This is what makes concepts so powerful; there are many ways to act upon a concept.<\/p>\n

At the same time, you can use the concept to assess each and every idea. A concept is a compass. It gives direction. How should we decorate this space?<\/em> How should we communicate with our target audience? How should we market this project?<\/em> All questions you can easily answer by looking at your concept.<\/p>\n

A powerful concept is inspiring and has the potential to stay relevant for a very long time. Individual ideas often have a short lifespan. After a while, something simply isn\u2019t surprising anymore. A concept, on the other hand, can be reinterpreted time and time again. New ways to carry out the same concept make sure the concept stays fresh.<\/p>\n

Guard your concept<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is very important to keep the underlying concept in mind while concrete ideas are being implemented. Make sure that each action is in line with the concept. Actions that don\u2019t fit can easily weaken a concept. Imagine Coolblue<\/a><\/span> for instance. The company is famous for its tagline \u2018Anything for a smile<\/em>\u2019. What if the webshop would set up a complicated procedure for filing a complaint? Or if it would start packaging its products in boring plain boxes? How long would people keep associating the company with its inspiring tagline?<\/p>\n

Make sure your concept doesn\u2019t water down. Check for each action if it \u2018fits\u2019 the concept.<\/p>\n

How do you develop a concept?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Usually, you generate a bunch of good ideas and use these to develop a concept.<\/p>\n

If you have a clear goal<\/a><\/span>, it\u2019s easy to quickly generate many ideas. But how do you turn these ideas into one overarching concept?<\/p>\n

Step 1. <\/u><\/strong>Find the concept behind your idea<\/u><\/strong>
\nSelect the most inspiring idea you\u2019ve generated and ask yourself: \u201cWhat am I trying to do with this idea?<\/em>\u201d The answer to this question is the concept behind your idea.<\/p>\n

Watch out!<\/strong> Be aware that a single idea can harbour many concepts. Write down the different answers to your question and pick the most inspiring concept. Which of the concepts immediately sparks creative ideas?<\/p>\n

Example<\/u>:
\nImagine you work for a municipality and you\u2019d like to know the concept behind the idea \u201cWe make the mayor drive through the city in a small recognisable car, picking up random citizens along the way. These citizens can share their ideas during the ride<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are you trying to do with this idea?<\/p>\n

In this case, multiple concepts can be identified. Concepts like:<\/p>\n