How-Now-Wow is a prioritisation matrix / idea selection tool, which is often combined with Brainstorming, HMW, Design of Experiments.

It compares and plot ideas on a 2x2 matrix by comparing the idea’s difficulty to implement with its novelty/originality.

Creative teams can generate a lot of ideas. Too many ideas to implement. Categorising ideas according to whether or not they are easy to do, and truly new and innovative can help the team decide where best to focus their effort.

Look at each idea, one by one, asking two key questions.

1. How hard or easy would this be to implement?

   Place the idea somewhere along the vertical scale, close to zero if easy, or 5 if it would be difficult, or 3 if it is in the middle.

2. How new, or original is this idea?

   The more innovative the idea is, move it further along the horizontal scale.

Finally review the grid to choose what to do next:

• Now. Ideas in the bottom left are easy to implement, and could be done straight away.
• How? Ideas in the top right are innovative, but may require some research first.
• Wow!!! Ideas in the bottom right are both easy and innovative, so this is where best to focus time and energy first.
• Holy Cow! Ideas in the top may be hard to implement and are not really new, so it is probably best to focus effort elsewhere.