[amattson]

The trouble is trying to create a new solution without thinking AT ALL about current practices. You, trying to be inventive, are then constricted by the thing they're trying not to be. The current model may have some good points, which could then be worked further through more design iterations, if you were able to see them. In our emotional competitiveness, it's got to be hard to single these out.

Also, I wonder if it would be useful to make sure that some people on the team are familiar only with the end goal and a rough outline of the problem, and not with current practice, ensuring that their brainstorming isn't tainted by the "we need to do something DIFFERENT" mindset.