Creativity beats compromise when you invent options before deciding

A product squad kept arguing over which feature to build next. Every planning session turned into a debate about the one right answer, and the coffee always went cold. The manager tried something new: “We’re not deciding today. We’re inventing.” For twenty minutes, everyone tossed ideas on sticky notes. A few were silly on purpose—“ship a cardboard prototype”—which made it safer to go bold. No one had to defend anything. The wall filled with options.

Then they shifted gears. Using a Circle Chart, they jumped up a level: what’s the real problem? Customers were overwhelmed at setup. Diagnosis done, they listed general approaches—reduce choices, guided setup, later customization—then returned to concrete actions. Three ideas stood out: a starter template, a 10‑minute ‘first win’ tour, and a follow‑up call in week two. They starred those and scheduled a separate decision slot with the data team.

A micro‑anecdote sealed it. One designer shared how her dad refused to use a new TV because the remote had too many buttons. Everyone laughed, then nodded. The ‘first win’ tour became the team favorite. At the later decision meeting, they combined it with the starter template and piloted on a small cohort.

This pattern is deliberate. Judgment kills imagination early, so split inventing from deciding. Multiple options beat single answers because they widen bargaining space and lower defensiveness. The Circle Chart forces you to diagnose, theorize, and return to practical moves, which multiplies good ideas. When you star and improve, you preserve momentum without committing under pressure. It’s not compromise, it’s design.

Call a brief session and make it clear you’re inventing, not deciding, so people can toss bold ideas without fear. Climb the Circle Chart from specifics to diagnosis to approaches, then back to concrete options, and make sure you list at least two or three viable paths. When the time’s up, star the top ideas and polish them, and book a separate decision slot so you don’t grab the first half‑fit solution. Run this play with your next team choice and see how much better your options get.