Slicing the elephant is a pre-ideation technique used to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts. It involves taking a large problem and breaking it down into more specific components that can be more easily addressed.

The first step is visualizing the problem as an elephant and then slicing it into smaller pieces. Each slice represents a specific aspect or component of the problem. The team then focuses on one slice at a time, generating ideas and solutions for that particular component. For example, consider that the goal is improving customer satisfaction with a particular product.

The team might break this down into smaller components: product features, user experience, customer service, and pricing. They would then focus on each component separately, generating ideas and solutions for enhancing each one.