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Idea

An app that provides you with random interesting problems to think about whenever you're bored

Image credit: Autoevolution

Darko Savic

Darko Savic Dec 09, 2021

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Originality

Is it original or innovative?

Feasibility

Is it feasible?

Necessity

Is it targeting an unsolved problem?

Conciseness

Is it concisely described?

Bounty for the best solution

Provide a bounty for the best solution

Bounties attract serious brainpower to the challenge.

Whenever you say "Give me something to think about," an app on your phone tells you a random problem that, if solved, would help many people. The app only gives problems that are presently unsolved or poorly solved. It never repeats the same problem or runs out of them.
Why?
Come up with useful ideas.
Develop your creative thinking skills.
Entertainment for people that like to solve problems.
How it works
A voice-activated app that reads you interesting problem summaries on demand. You activate it similarly to Google assistant, Alexa, etc.
The app should be voice-activated because 
a) During times when you are more likely to come up with good ideas (incubation period) your hands are busy, but your mind is free to come up with solutions. For example while showering, driving, etc. 
b) Looking at a phone screen is counterproductive if you're trying to be creative. There is a high likelyhood that something else on screen will distract you - shifting your mindset from creativity to content consumption. As it is easier to consume content, you may subconsciously switch to it.
Source of problems for the app
The app sources problems from the Brainstorming platform because:
only unsolved problems are active on the platform
there are tons of them and growing in numbers
they are categorized into tags
they are rated by people so the app can always serve the best ones

If the problem that was read to you wasn't interesting, you could say "next problem" and the app would read you another.
Additionally, you could specify which fields you are interested in so that more problems will be based on those. Personally, I would opt out of limiting the scope. I find diversity/serendipity extremely beneficial for creativity.
If you do come up with a good solution, you would say "take a memo" and then dictate the idea to the app. The app would transcribe your speech to text and save it for you as an idea draft. Optionally it could also email you the transcribed text or a link to the idea draft.

problem-solving creativity mobile application

2

Creative contributions

Introducing the study of philosophy into daily routines

Spook Louw

Spook Louw Dec 19, 2021

I love this idea, it could also be a very cool way to get people thinking about philosophical problems and then introduce them to some philosophers. 
Many people tend to react negatively when faced with academic philosophy, so much so that there has almost been a stigma created when you use the word philosophy, many people shut off. But an app like this could introduce philosophical questions in a more casual manner, then, based on your answers, it could introduce you to some philosophers who would agree with you and also, importantly, to some who would disagree and explain why. 
This would be a great way to exercise your critical thinking abilities while also introducing you to the history of philosophy. 

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Rewards for solving important problems

Povilas S

Povilas S Dec 12, 2021

I suppose anyone willing could use such an app? People who are not ideators, but still can come up with good ideas from time to time, would be more motivated to use the app and solve problems if rewards (monetary rewards, or other types) were offered for solving important problems or/and for actively engaging and suggesting solutions often, even if those do not happen to solve the problem completely.
By important problems I mean those that are important enough for someone to offer a reward.

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General comments

Darko Savic

Darko Savic2 years ago

this could be marketed as creativity work-out app

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Darko Savic

Darko Savic2 years ago

This app could be marketed as a way to exercise your problem solving skills

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jnikola

jnikola2 years ago

A very cool idea that would fit great with the Brainstorming platform. Sometimes, when I use the platform, I would want the problems to be delivered to me in a sort of a personal feed. I was also thinking about the text-to-speech feature, too, but what you proposed is the improved version where the app delivers problems when I ask it to. A great feature that could be implemented into the future app for a quick random brainstorm!

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Darko Savic

Darko Savic2 years ago

Juranium yes, this would solve my daily problem🙂 

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