SolveYourProblem
Article Series: Brainstorming
Brainstorming, Where Do I Begin?
The
Basics of Brainstorming
The following are some fundamental tips to
make brainstorming work for you.
No
Judgment
A
brainstorming session is no time to judge, criticize, evaluate,
or analyze any ideas that come up. There
is plenty of time after the brainstorming session to go over
what was suggested and separate the usable ideas from the
rest. But in a brainstorming session, a ridiculous idea from
one
source could lead to a brilliant idea from another. Including judgment in a brainstorming session is counterproductive
to any objective you may have for holding a brainstorming session,
because when people feel judged, they feel insecure, they’re
creativity gets blocked, they’re reluctant to suggest ideas,
and too inhibited to be of any value to the process. By banning
judgment from your brainstorming sessions you also maximize
the creative power of the group as no one present is wasting
any time or energy thinking about whether an idea is actually
any good or not.
No
Holds Barred
As
mentioned above, it’s the silly ideas that often weave their
way into grand ideas through the course
of a brainstorming session. The whole idea of brainstorming
is to break free of familiar and conventional patterns, so
do it! Encourage all participants to be as wild with their ideas
and suggestions as they want to be; the wilder the better.
Otherwise all you’ll get is a rehash of the same old tired
ideas you’ve been trudging through already. Inviting wacky,
exaggerative, innovative, out-of-the-box thinking will give
you the best chance of discovering new and untried ideas.
Quantity
Over Quality
If
you’re starting to notice that all these tips sound somewhat
alike, then you’re getting the
idea. Brainstorming is not difficult at all. But neither
is squelching a perfectly promising brainstorming session.
Be
sure everyone present understands that you’re looking to
get as many ideas on the table as possible. That is the goal:
quantity.
Quality control comes later. Everyone present should exhaust
every idea they’ve got, with no regard for quality whatsoever.
Build
Off One Another
Like
building with blocks, a good brainstorming session is
made up of ideas built off of other
people’s ideas. Try to start a chain reaction of ideas (or
several), where each suggestion builds upon the last one.
Make sure everyone present knows not to fall into the
trap of feeling
limited to coming up with only new ideas. Some of the best
ideas in business were nothing more than minor improvements
on existing ideas. Don’t reinvent the wheel; improve it.
Or, alternatively, put a wheel onto something that’s
never had
a wheel on it before.
Equality
Among Participants
Every
participant in a brainstorming session should feel like
they’re a valued part of the group.
Every person in a brainstorming session is an equal, and
every idea suggested is also equal. Each person is different,
sure.
But every person is equal in having a unique perspective
to offer, different from anyone else’s.
Take
Breaks
A
little rest and rejuvenation can do wonders for the body
and mind, even if just 5 minutes. If you feel
the pressure building in a brainstorming session, or if the
participants seemed stressed, edgy, or anxious, help take
the pressure off having to come up with a prize-winning
solution
this very moment. Suggest a break. Let everyone rest their
minds and come back to the task refreshed. The task will
benefit from it, we assure you.
# # # # # SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
> Home > Brainstorming Articles:
Main Page
|
