Ask Claude to find the gap, not just be creative
Asking Claude or another for “a new idea” often leads to plain, middle-of-the-road answers. The reason is simple: the model tends to choose what seems most likely, while truly unusual ideas are usually not the most likely answer. A sharper approach is to make the model map a field first, then identify the hidden standard that most things in that field are trying to satisfy.
After that, it should find the empty spot that the structure suggests should exist but does not. The final step is to name what is keeping that spot empty. This method is called , and the claim is that it gets Claude to produce sharper and less obvious answers.
The main idea is not to ask the model to invent from nowhere, but to make it search for missing pieces inside patterns it already understands.
Key points
- Asking for a “new idea” can push the model toward average answers.
- Start by having the model map the field or market.
- Ask it to find the hidden rule that most options are for.
- Ask for the missing spot that the structure implies but no one occupies.
- Ask what force keeps that opportunity empty.