--- title: "See an idea before you build it" canonical_url: https://zentrik.ai/docs/product/imagine-ideas markdown_url: https://zentrik.ai/docs/product/imagine-ideas.md category: "Product guides" learning_track: "discovery" last_reviewed: 2026-09-19 --- # See an idea before you build it Turn the customer need behind an idea into a visual your team can review. Edit the prompt, generate a concept, and keep the image with the idea. ## Overview Imagine drafts an image prompt from the idea and its linked customer evidence. You review the prompt before generation. The result is a static concept image saved in the idea’s attachments. **Imagine is in beta.** ## From customer need to visual A support agent has to open each ticket to find who should reply next. The proposed idea is to show the next reply owner and deadline in the inbox. A concept image gives the team something specific to discuss: can someone identify the owner and deadline without opening a ticket? A product manager can check the customer need, a designer can review the layout, and a builder can see the intended direction. The example below uses fictional evidence and a prepared image in the real Imagine dialog. The generation wait is shortened. It demonstrates the controls and saved-result state, not a live customer session. ## Generate an image from an idea 1. Open an idea in **Discovery** and check its linked insights. These links give the prompt relevant customer evidence. 2. Open the idea’s actions menu and choose **Imagine**. 3. Review the summary and evidence used, then edit **Generation prompt (editable)**. State what should change and what should remain. 4. Choose **Generate image**. You can close the dialog while generation runs. 5. Review the result in the dialog or the idea’s **Attachments**. For the inbox example, add this constraint before generating: > Keep the existing inbox filters. Add the next reply owner and reply deadline to each ticket row. Zentrik can also suggest a before-and-after visual, flow diagram, or schematic when a screen is not the clearest way to explain the idea. ## Start from your current product If a feature linked to the idea has an eligible screenshot, Imagine offers it as a starting image. Choose **Use current … screenshot** to request a change to that screen, or generate a new concept without one. The edit asks the image model to preserve the existing layout, navigation, typography, and branding outside the requested change. Review the result: this is an instruction to the model, not a guarantee of exact preservation. Screenshot choices come from the idea’s linked features. Supported source formats are PNG, JPEG, and WebP. ## Review the concept before building Check that the image expresses the customer need and respects your constraints. For the inbox example, inspect the owner and deadline columns and confirm that the filters are still visible. If the image exposes a misunderstanding, revise the idea or prompt. Use **Generate another** to return to the prompt, or **Redraft from evidence** to ask for a fresh draft. The image gives the team a shared reference; it does not decide which solution to build. [Open the illustrative inbox concept](https://zentrik.ai/images/product-narratives/imagine-ideas/inbox-concept.webp) to inspect it at full size. ## Continue to a prototype or Study A static image does not show how clicks, errors, loading states, or different screen sizes behave. A polished concept also does not establish that customers need the solution. Use the reviewed image alongside written behavior, constraints, and open questions when you continue in a prototyping tool. Transfer the image separately when needed; do not assume an idea attachment is automatically included in a builder handoff. Use a [Study](https://zentrik.ai/docs/product/idea-studies) to answer a focused question. A visual study can help examine what people notice or understand. Use a working [prototype](https://zentrik.ai/features/prototypes) when the question depends on interaction. ## Troubleshooting ### No linked evidence appears With no linked insights, Imagine drafts from the idea itself. Link the relevant insights and use **Redraft from evidence**. Check the evidence shown before treating a draft as grounded in customer research. ### Generation takes longer than expected Check the idea’s attachments before starting another request. The image can arrive after you close the dialog. If generation reports a failure, keep your prompt and retry when the service is available. ### No current screenshot is offered Check that the idea has a linked feature with a PNG, JPEG, or WebP screenshot. You can still generate a concept without a source screenshot. ## Related guides - [Choose an idea status](https://zentrik.ai/docs/product/idea-statuses) - [Taxonomy and themes](https://zentrik.ai/docs/product/taxonomy-and-themes) - [Discovery: from insights to opportunities](https://zentrik.ai/docs/product/insights-to-opportunities)