For many people (myself included), the most difficult part of any creative process is taking that first step.  Whether you’ve been asked to redesign a website from top to bottom or devise a logo from scratch, you have to start with an idea.  A fresh idea.

How to find it? Here are some things that might help:
1. Go 1.0 and use pen and paper. Even better, use index cards and a Sharpie. Write out all the keywords relevant to your project in big, clear print. (Your client will have probably given a list of what they’re looking for. Start with that.)  Spread them out on the floor or a large table and start arranging and rearranging with the most important words at the top or in the middle, with everything else spreading out from there. Is there a word missing? Add it. Start free-associating with your keywords, writing down anything that comes to mind. (Your client wants something that better reflects their “eco” or “green” approach to their business? “Tree,” “moss,” “recycle,” “leaf,” “grass,” “sprout,” “seed,” “vine,” etc. etc. are all words they didn’t list but that could prove useful.)

2. Stay 1.0 and sketch. Carry around a notebook–pocket-sized works–and pencil and draw. Different versions of the same thing, completely different ideas, whatever. If you’ll need to translate it into picas, you can get a notebook with gridlines to simplify the transition process.

3. Keep an inspiration folder on your desktop–a version of the traditional inspiration board that works better for a digital life. Alternatively, use a site like Pinterest that allows you to easily arrange bits and pieces of the web onto different boards for quick reference. (Pinterest has the added bonus of being easily accessed by collaborators on their own computers. Take a look at the Command C board!)

4. If you’re working on a redesign, start with what’s there (a logo, a site) and print out screenshots of everything. Then go through it with a red pen (or Sharpie), calling out what works (a circle) and what doesn’t (an X). Write down your first reactions (is it dated? Too 1997? Does the particular shade of blue they used not work? Why are they using a serif font when their product is futuristic?), and then start marking it up with your changes. (You can do this with existing sites and logos as an exercise, too–and something to add to your portfolio. Redesign Exxon, Wendy’s, Nike, whatever, as long as its a) recognizable and b) an improvement that makes sense.

5. Reach out to your friends and colleagues! Ask for their thoughts, their strategies, ask if they’re willing to bounce ideas back and forth. Working solo can turn your head into an echo chamber, and branching out can help let in a little fresh air.

What about you? Tried and true methods? Good intentions that went horribly awry? Talk amongst yourselves!