Warren Edwardes interviewed by Carey Goldberg, The Boston Globe  on idea generation.

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"I often get great ideas whilst in the shower or when driving alone." says Warren Edwardes, ceo of London based financial product innovation and risk management consulting firm, Delphi Risk Management and author of <Key financial instruments: understanding and innovating in the world of derivatives>

"But the problem in these places is how to write down the idea as I have a poor memory. I solved the latter problem by phoning my answerphone and leaving a message, of course using a hands free system. And I have little note pads scattered around my home. It is capturing that fleeting idea that's the key before it butterflies away."

"So what's the connection between showering and driving? If I say that they are both mindless tasks that implies that I should be concentrating more on the road whilst driving - and you would be right. And how about in a Sauna or Steam Bath? These sound ideal but one would need a steam-proof telephone or a suitable writing instrument. Perhaps at the hairdresser or dentist? Well I've long stopped going to the barber, cutting my own hair whilst showering, and my dentist seems to understand my Neanderthal grunting in response to his questions. "

But I find that I get my best ideas as a delegate to a conference, sitting there in the second row listening to a tedious speaker who is reading out a speech written by an assistant and me trying to stifle a ginormous yawn and making out that my nods are in agreement. Well my mind just goes walkabout but remembers to send messages to my hand which gets to write down the ideas."

"So perhaps the secret to idea-time is to generate idle-time. These could be situations where you are not reading a book or watching a film; maybe in the bus or train looking out of the window; maybe jogging in the park or on an exercise bike; certainly not in one of these oh so contrived brainstorming sessions; and advisedly not driving a car!"