It is generally known that Archimedes of Syracuse (287–212 BC) was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer. Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity. Among his advances in physics are the foundations of hydrostatics, statics and an explanation of the principle of the lever. Perhaps his greatest claim to fame is his exclamation “Eureka!” (“I’ve found it!”) when making an important discovery.

What few people know (until now) is that he and Marty Neumeier were classmates at a school for talented and gifted students in Athens. Archimedes has passed on but, fortunately, Marty continues to make significant contributions to our understanding of the creative process. He is Transformation Director at the Liquid Agency whose philosophy is expressed as follows:

“We believe that brands need to strive for ‘amazing.’ Brands must embrace and promote a culture of innovation that will attract and retain amazing employees, will create amazing products and services, and will yield amazing results. In order to succeed brands must develop better tools, new processes and a culture of innovation. And here’s where we can help. Our approach to solving branding challenges is based on Silicon Valley Thinking — a methodology that we have developed over years of working side by side with some of the most innovative people in the world. Silicon Valley Thinking allows us (and you) to move faster, explore new ideas, and deliver better results.” It has offices in San Jose, San Francisco, Portland (OR), and New York as well as in England and Chile.

Here are Marty’s thoughts on “The Aha Moment.”

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How do you know when you have a great idea? More important, how do you find a great idea in the first place? Since the mental processes involved in creative thinking are complex and dynamic, it may be helpful to use a simple model from my book Metaskills. I call it the “answer-shaped hole.” It’s the sweet spot where all the criteria can be connected by a single, bold idea.

The answer-shaped hole is found at the intersection of affordances and desiderata. Affordances are the creative possibilities inherent in the subject, the method, the tools, or the challenge. Desiderata are the key objectives that support your goals. A great idea is one that knocks off as many objectives as possible with a single stone by using the possibilities native to the opportunity. For example, a movie about the early days of movies contains the possibility of being a silent film (The Artist). A car designed for the poor population of India contains the possibility of being extremely minimal (Tata). A company with a breadth experience but a commoditized product line has the possibility becoming a consulting firm (IBM).

The principle of desiderata can be applied to any number of problems. It’s really as simple as compiling a wish list. Ask yourself this question and fill in the blank: Wouldn’t it be great if ______? When you finish your list, call out the wishes that would create the most compelling outcome. These will form a sort of matrix, a convergence of vectors that define the shape of the answer. Imagine a handful of pick-up sticks that fall in a certain pattern. Each stick is a line item on your problem-solver’s wish list. Your job is to find the place where most of the pick-up sticks overlap. If they don’t create a convergence, drop the sticks again by looking at the problem in a new way. Eventually the sticks will fall in a way that suggests the shape of a surprising idea. When a great idea pops into place, the emotional brain sends a signal to the rest of your body—sometimes described as a tingle, a flash, or a jolt—that tells you something remarkable has happened. You’ve just found the Aha! spot.

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To check out Marty’s other articles amidst the wealth of resources at the Liquid Agency website, please click here.

Marty Neumeier is a designer, writer, and business adviser whose mission is to bring the principles and processes of creativity to industry. His latest book, Metaskills: Five Skills for the Robotic Age, explores the five essential talents that will drive innovation in the 21st century. His other bestselling books: The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design, Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands, and The Designful Company: How to build a culture of nonstop innovation.