If you hate rules and just want to fire away, ignore this page and start typing your idea in here – we will look at it in any case. But reading on will increase the likelihood of your idea being picked (and, frankly, ease the task of finding the best one).

• First, give us a gripping subject line – it will be your idea’s headline.
• If possible, also label your idea: Is it about software, social networking, new content, etc.?
• Then write a summary of your idea – if possible in no more than a couple of sentences.

Answering some basic questions will also help to communicate your idea:

• What problem are you solving? (On the internet, ideas seem to spring eternal, but often they are solutions in search of a problem.)
• Why is your solution innovative? (Inventing “smell-o-vision” is certainly innovative, but so is cleverly repackaging what is already out there.)
• Does your solution use content owned by The Economist Group? (We are allowed to use all of the Group’s content.)
• Who will use your product? (Think hard about the audience you would like to reach.)
• Will this idea make money? (Not that you must: doing good may be even more valuable.)

Other than that, there is but one rule, in the words of Stendahl, the 19th century French writer: “to be clear.”