Many of you spent the last part of 2007 refining your organization's direction and strategic intent for the upcoming year. Your 2008 plan is done and now you are ready to roll.
Ah, if only the world were that neat and tidy. The truth is that your plan, no matter how brilliant, is based on assumptions, predictions and educated guesses about the future.
All of these need to be tested and challenged as the reality of your business unfolds. And brainstorming is a great tool to help that process.
What Is It?
Brainstorming is a group discussion in which individuals use the free flow of ideas to generate as many thoughts as possible within a defined period of time.
Edward de Bono, leading authority in the world in the field of creative thinking, talks about “brainsailing.” This helps us visualize how the ideas in a brainstorming session should flow smoothly from one another.
In brainstorming we are interested in quantity, not quality. Groups tend to self-censor their comments unless they are reminded of this goal. Tell the group that focusing on quantity will produce “jewels” and “junk” but there is no need to be concerned about the distinction at this point. It will be sorted out later.
How to Use It?
Brainstorming is a great tool to:
- Expand creative thinking
- Identify issues or opportunities
- Identify possible causes of a problem
- Identify data collection requirements
- Identify possible solutions to a problem
- See different points of view
5 Steps to Effective Brainstorming
1. Clearly define the topic to be brainstormed.
It is important to be precise. The better the question, the better the result.
Compare the following questions:
- “What are the challenges and opportunities regarding how we bring our next product to market?”
- “What are the problems with bringing out new product to market?'
Very similar questions, but the first will elicit both positive and negative responses while the later will tend to identify only the negative areas of the issue. Which will give you the results you want?
2. Aim to generate as many ideas as possible in 20-30 minutes.
Let the process continue a bit longer if the discussion is still lively. Be careful not to end prematurely. A short lull very often leads to a new wave of ideas.
Set an expectation for the volume of output. “Based on this topic, I think we should be able to generate between 40-50 ideas over the next 20 minutes.” This sets an expectation that the group will typically fulfill.
3. Don't change, criticize or evaluate any idea.
Commenting on ideas is the quickest way to derail or even shut down a dynamic brainstorming session. You should however get clarification if people don't understand what is meant by an idea.
4. Encourage each member to present as many ideas as possible.
If one or two people are dominating the discussion, it is perfectly acceptable to ask others by name if they have any thoughts or ideas. Taking some initiative to bring everyone into the discussion is part of the facilitator's role.
5. Keep going until all ideas have been presented.
Evaluate Results
At the end of a successful brainstorming session you will have a long list of ideas. Now you will need to separate the “jewels” from the “junk” and create a manageable list of feasible ideas that are worthy of further investigation. Here's how:
- Clarify: Make sure everyone understands what each idea means.
- Categorize Ideas: Combine related ideas. Re-write your list or rearrange post-it notes. TIP: If you want to group the ideas, an affinity diagramming process might be the best way to proceed.
- Rank Order Ideas: Ranking the brainstorming results helps to focus a team's efforts to find workable solutions to the issue at hand.
Sometimes it is obvious how to prioritize the ideas and this step can be done on the fly. In other cases, the complexity and scope of the issue is such that additional tools may be required to complete this phase. Two tools that we often use are: The Nominal Group Technique and the Prioritization Matrix.
The Leader's Role:
To successfully lead a brainstorming session it is often more effective to think of yourself as facilitating rather than leading. This distinction is particularly important if you happen to hold a leadership position in the company.
Here are some of the key responsibilities:
- Make sure the group is clear about the topic that is to be brainstormed.
- Stimulate ideas
- Explain the rules and make sure they are followed
- Help phrase ideas clearly
- Write ideas down
- Don't let your extroverts dominate the discussion, solicit input from of quieter members
- Keep the discussion within the established time limit.
Other Popular Brainstorming Models
The approach described above is based on the Free-Form brainstorming technique. This is the type of brainstorming where participants express their ideas as they occur. One of the key disadvantages of this type of brainstorming is that quieter, more self conscious members might not participate unless actively drawn in the process.
There are several variations on this type of brainstorming that might be more appropriate given your circumstances. Click here for an overview of other popular brainstorming models.
Brainstorming Help
If you have questions about Brainstorming or any of the other tools and techniques mentioned in this article, please contact Beth Chartier at 781-343-4008 or at bchartier@wsa-intl.com. She will set up time for you talk to one our consultants (this complimentary service is free of charge and obligation), who will help you with your specific questions and concerns regarding the tools outlined here.
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