By Rod Howells, Executive Director
I have recently read a great article in Forbes by David Henkin. In it he states that “If innovation is the engine of business growth, then questions are the spark plugs.”
He goes on to highlight that we often celebrate innovation in terms of end results such as successful product launches, the ‘billion-pound idea’, or the latest disruptive technology while we should look much earlier and explore how these ideas came about in the first place. Essentially, he argues that the most transformative innovations don’t begin with answers, they begin with better questions.
For me, this insight is particularly important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) where resources are finite and competitive pressures are high. The ability to reframe problems quickly and explore possibilities is critical. The capability to use AI-powered tools to explore challenges and rapidly evaluate opportunities is becoming a key differentiator in terms of successful growth and resilience.
Reframing Drives Results
Albert Einstein remarked:
“If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.”
This principle is at the heart of successful innovation. Rather than rushing to solutions, SMEs must focus on asking better, richer questions. You need questions that challenge assumptions, reframe problems, and unlock new ways of thinking.
David Henkin’s article goes on to suggest Marilee Adams’ Question Thinking framework as a useful guide here.
She distinguishes between two types of questions:
Judger Questions, focused on blame and limitations, e.g. “Why do we keep falling behind competitors?”
and
Learner Questions, open, curious, and opportunity-driven, e.g. “What can we do differently to stand out?”
When businesses shift from a judging mindset to a learning mindset, they unlock the creativity and adaptability needed to compete.
Opportunities to Harness AI in Ideation
For SMEs, the challenge is often time, resources, and capacity. Traditional brainstorming sessions can be limited by the perspectives and knowledge present in the room and the speed at which ideas can be generated and researched. This is where we see AI transform the ideation process.
Used correctly, AI tools, like ChatGPT and other large language models, can supercharge innovation by:
- Generating better questions: AI can produce a broad set of “what if” and “how might we” prompts in seconds.
- Scenario planning: By modelling “what if” questions against real-time market and customer data, you can test assumptions before committing time and resources.
- Enhancing collaboration: Combining human creativity with AI’s ability to analyse large datasets opens new, more robust solutions.
- Diversifying perspectives: AI-driven ideation tools can pull from global insights, enabling SMEs to explore ideas beyond their usual frame of reference.
I believe that AI doesn’t replace curiosity, it amplifies it. It accelerates exploration and gives teams more confidence when evaluating opportunities and risks.
How BIC Innovation Supports SMEs
At BIC Innovation, we work with SMEs to embed AI-powered ideation into their innovation processes. Our approach combines proven facilitation techniques with cutting-edge tools to deliver smarter, faster, and more effective outcomes.
Here’s how we help:
- AI-Augmented Ideation Workshops: We facilitate structured brainstorming sessions that generate, refine, and stress-test ideas rapidly.
- “What If” and “How” Question Frameworks: We guide teams to frame challenges differently and uncover new opportunities.
- Scenario Planning and Market Modelling: Using AI, we simulate business decisions against real-world data for evidence-based innovation.
- Building Question-Driven Cultures: We equip teams with tools and techniques to make curiosity a habit ensuring we embed ways of working well beyond a single workshop.
The innovators who thrive in the next decade will be the ones who ask the boldest questions. By combining a questioning mindset with the power of AI, SMEs can accelerate problem-solving, develop novel solutions, and build strategies that are both resilient and future focused.
At BIC Innovation, we help businesses unlock their innovation potential. Whether you’re looking to develop new products, rethink your business model, or improve your problem-solving capabilities, we can help you design AI-powered ideation sessions that deliver real results.
Let’s talk to explore how we can help your team move from better questions to breakthrough solutions.
