The role of ideation in entreprenuership can not be underestimated, however there is little written on the structure of it, nor simple ways to develop ideas.
Enter the 7 Ps of Ideation — a structured, practical, and repeatable framework designed to help you generate meaningful, viable, and innovative business ideas.
Whether you’re launching your first venture, pivoting your current business, or looking to spark creativity in your team, this framework gives you a systematic lens through which to discover opportunities.
Let’s dive into each of the seven Ps: People, Place, Process, Problems, Patterns, Passions, and Potential.
1. People: Understanding Human Needs
At the heart of every great business is a clear understanding of people. Customers are not just data points or demographics; they’re real humans with emotions, habits, frustrations, and dreams. Business ideas that matter usually start with empathy.
How to apply it:
- Observe people in everyday life — commuting, shopping, working, relaxing.
- Interview friends, colleagues, or potential users. Ask about their challenges or what wastes their time.
- Segment different user groups: working parents, remote freelancers, students, retirees — and ask, “What do they wish was easier?”
Example:
Melanie Perkins started Canva after observing how difficult it was for non-designers (especially students and teachers) to use professional design software. Her empathy for everyday users birthed a billion-dollar idea.
2. Place: Leveraging Context and Environment
“Place” refers to the environment — both physical and digital — where problems and opportunities arise. Local culture, geography, infrastructure, and even online spaces can influence needs. A business idea that works in one region may not in another, but that’s where niche opportunities thrive.
How to apply it:
- Explore how needs differ between urban vs rural, or developed vs developing locations.
- Consider online communities as “places” with shared challenges (e.g. remote workers, gamers, small Etsy sellers).
- Walk your neighborhood. Notice what’s missing or underdeveloped.
Example:
Gojek emerged in Indonesia where traffic congestion and underdeveloped transport systems were a massive issue. By understanding the place, they created a super-app that now powers logistics, payments, and rides in Southeast Asia.
3. Process: Improving How Things Are Done
The third P is all about how things get done. Every task — whether booking a holiday, onboarding a new employee, or cooking dinner — involves a process. If a process is slow, confusing, outdated, or overly manual, there’s a business opportunity in improving it.
How to apply it:
- Ask: “What takes too long or requires too many steps?”
- Watch people perform tasks: Where do they get stuck, frustrated, or make mistakes?
- Look at automation, platformization, or integration as solutions.
Example:
Zapier recognized that many non-technical professionals wanted to connect different apps (Gmail, Slack, Trello, etc.) without coding. By simplifying that process, they built a tool for “automation without developers” and tapped into a huge productivity market.
4. Problems: Solving Real Pain Points
While the first three Ps focus on observation, this P focuses on pain. At its core, every business idea is a solution to a problem. The bigger and more painful the problem, the more valuable the solution becomes.
The key is to fall in love with the problem, not the solution.
How to apply it:
- Keep a journal of annoyances or recurring frustrations in your life.
- Ask others: “What do you hate doing?” or “What do you wish someone would fix?”
- Explore “workarounds” — whenever people find hacks or tricks, it signals a problem worth solving.
Example:
Dropbox was born out of founder Drew Houston’s frustration with USB drives and emailing himself files. The problem — seamless file access and syncing — led to one of the most popular cloud storage services in the world.
5. Patterns: Spotting Trends and Emerging Behaviors
This P is about looking forward. Successful entrepreneurs are often excellent at noticing subtle shifts before the rest of the market catches up. They see patterns in behavior, technology, demographics, or economics — and then build for where the world is going, not where it is now.
How to apply it:
- Read trend reports, follow innovation blogs, or scan product launches.
- Observe Gen Z or niche online subcultures — they often point to emerging mainstream habits.
- Look at how new technology (AI, AR, crypto, biotech) is changing what’s possible.
Example:
Headspace and Calm saw the rising pattern of mental health awareness, mindfulness, and wellness long before it became mainstream. They created digital meditation tools at the perfect time — aligning with cultural shifts and mobile-first habits.
6. Passions: Building From What You Love
Many successful lifestyle businesses start not from a market gap, but from personal passion. When you’re deeply interested in something — whether it’s coffee, gardening, art, or gaming — you’re more likely to see opportunities, endure challenges, and build with authenticity.
Passion doesn’t guarantee success, but it fuels resilience and helps create genuine value.
How to apply it:
- List hobbies or causes you’re enthusiastic about.
- Ask: “What would I do all day even if no one paid me?”
- Join forums or communities around your interests — notice what people complain about or ask for help with.
Example:
Tim Ferriss wrote The 4-Hour Workweek based on his obsession with lifestyle design and productivity hacks. That book became a business empire — podcast, supplements, tools, investments — all fueled by passion.
7. Potential: Evaluating Viability and Growth
Finally, the seventh P helps you test whether your idea can actually become a business. Passion and insight are important, but so is understanding market size, competition, feasibility, and return on effort.
Some ideas may only serve a tiny niche, while others can scale across regions or industries. Evaluating potential ensures you don’t just have a good idea — but a sustainable one.
How to apply it:
- Do a quick TAM-SAM-SOM exercise (Total Addressable Market, Serviceable Market, Obtainable Market).
- Run a Lean Canvas or use tools like SimVenture Validate or Y Combinator’s Idea Test.
- Ask: “Would people pay for this? How much? How often?”
Example:
Airbnb started with a simple idea — renting air mattresses to guests. But the potential to disrupt global travel accommodation was massive. They validated early, expanded rapidly, and turned a scrappy concept into a global platform.
Putting It All Together: The Power of the 7 Ps
Each “P” is a lens — a way of seeing the world slightly differently:
| P | Focus | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| People | Human needs, desires, behaviors | Empathetic, user-driven ideas |
| Place | Environmental context | Localised or situational opportunities |
| Process | Inefficient systems | Streamlined, innovative workflows |
| Problems | Pain points | Urgent, valuable solutions |
| Patterns | Trends & market shifts | Future-facing, high-growth opportunities |
| Passions | Personal interests | Authentic, resilient ventures |
| Potential | Viability and scalability | Strategic, long-term business models |
Using this model, you can generate a portfolio of ideas and then filter or test them based on alignment with your values, skills, time, and resources.
Let’s see how these 7 Ps work together using a hypothetical example:
Case Study: Urban Plant Kit Startup
People – Young urban professionals living in small apartments with no garden.
Place – Dense cities where access to greenery is limited and grocery stores are expensive.
Process – Growing food at home is seen as difficult, messy, or time-consuming.
Problems – People want fresh herbs/veggies but have no space or knowledge.
Patterns – Trends in sustainability, self-sufficiency, home aesthetics, and mental wellness.
Passions – Founder loves plants, cooking, and eco-living.
Potential – Large urban millennial market, possible subscription model, scalable across cities.
This could evolve into a smart indoor gardening kit with a mobile app for reminders and tutorials — blending tech, design, and sustainability into a clear value proposition.
Why Use the 7 Ps?
The 7 Ps framework turns the vague, often intimidating task of “coming up with a business idea” into a methodical exploration of the world around you. Instead of waiting for a “lightbulb moment,” you now have a toolbox of prompts and lenses through which to explore opportunities.
It also helps ensure that your idea is:
- Rooted in real needs (People, Problems)
- Context-aware (Place, Process)
- Future-focused (Patterns)
- Personally meaningful (Passions)
- Strategically sound (Potential)
🚀 Want to try it yourself?
Use this simple exercise:
- Take one hour.
- List three observations for each of the 7 Ps.
- Then combine insights from at least 3 Ps to develop one idea.
- Bonus: Run that idea through a quick validation checklist (Would people pay for it? Can you build a simple prototype?).
Let your creativity collide with structure — and watch the sparks fly.