Innovation

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is the generic name given to any sort of structured interactive process for coming up with new ideas

Where do new ideas originate? They can appear out of nowhere (the "eureka" moment), but they usually originate from group conversations. Brainstorming is the umbrella term for any structured interactive activity for generating new ideas.

When to use it

● To assist you or your team in developing new ideas.
● To address a specific business problem.
● To excite your employees so that they contribute more.

Origins

Alex Osborn, an advertising professional, invented the concept of brainstorming in 1939. He began conducting group-thinking sessions to boost the quality of ideas after becoming frustrated by his staff' inability to come up with unique solutions for marketing campaigns. His methodology was summarized in his books Your Creative Power (1948) and Applied Imagination (1953).

The concept of brainstorming has been developed in a variety of ways since Osborn. In the 1990s, for example, IDEO popularized the concept of a "deep dive," which is a brainstorming approach for producing new design concepts. IBM was the first to introduce the concept of a 'innovation jam,' which is an online process for brainstorming with thousands of participants. There are additional tools designed to assist with brainstorming. For example, creative expert Edward de Bono devised the "six thinking hats" system, in which participants take on different roles in conversations based on which "hat" they are wearing.

While brainstorming has been criticized in several ways, it is still widely regarded as the most successful method for generating a large number of ideas from members of a group or organization.

What it is

Brainstorming began as a loosely structured procedure for improving the quality and quantity of ideas generated during a group discussion. Many people in the workplace are self-conscious about speaking up in front of others, and they may be concerned about what others think of their views. The main problem, according to Alex Osborn, is that once an idea is criticized, it dies, and the person who presented it often clams up and stops offering new ideas. As a result, brainstorming is based on four essential principles:

● Focus on quantity: At least in the early stages of the brainstorming session, the goal is to generate as many different ideas as possible.
● Withhold criticism: During the brainstorm, challenging other people's ideas should be placed on hold and saved for a later stage of the process.
● Welcome unusual ideas: These can be sparked by looking at things from different angles or by giving props and stimuli that encourage individuals to think differently. Even if some ideas are entirely unrealistic, they can serve as inspiration for more practical ones.
● Combine and improve ideas: The best ideas are typically born from combining them, thus participants are encouraged to build on one other's ideas and offer new methods to combine them during a brainstorm.

How to use it

While there are other advanced techniques to brainstorming, the basic formula is simple and consists of the stages below:

● Define the purpose: The most productive brainstorming sessions address a specific problem, such as how to improve sales to a specific consumer or how to solve a technical problem with a specific product.
People tend to bring all sorts of hobby interests and unrelated issues to the discussion if the scope is too broad.

● Prepare the group: Osborn had envisioned a group of roughly 12 people, with a mix of professionals and novices. A brainstorm can be done with as few as 5–6 people. You can also utilize a much larger group, but you'll need to divide them into subgroups of 5–10 people in that case. Obviously, the number of participants depends on the brainstorm's unique goal. A room full of like-minded people, on the other hand, is unlikely to create as many creative ideas as a varied bunch.

An offsite event is usually preferable in terms of location because it avoids people from rushing out to meetings. Brainstorming sessions might last anywhere from two hours to two days. Lots of space, whiteboards, flipcharts, sticky notes, and pens are required for the brainstorm. Physical props are sometimes useful to have on hand so that people can prototype their new product ideas.

A group facilitator, who is in charge of structuring the process, tracking contributions, and so on, is also required. It doesn't have to be the team manager; you just need someone who can work well with others.

● Organize the discussion: The 'ground rules' are stated at the outset so that everyone understands, for example, that they should not criticize each other's opinions. The aim of the brainstorm is outlined, as well as the phases involved in the process.

The process will vary depending on the situation, but typically people will be asked to think about the problem or challenge on their own first, perhaps by writing their thoughts on sticky notes, and then they will be asked to work in groups (or one large group), presenting their ideas and building on the ideas of others. If you're the facilitator, you'll be responsible for encouraging everyone to participate and preventing anyone from dominating. You can also contribute your own ideas, but do so sparingly. Encourage individuals to focus on one conversation at a time and to be aware of energy drops. To help people maintain their concentration, take frequent breaks (one every 60–90 minutes).

As the facilitator, your most crucial duty is to determine when to go from a 'divergent' mode of conversation, in which every concept is recorded and expanded upon, to a 'convergent' mode, in which you begin summarizing, merging, and evaluating ideas. Finally, the brainstorming process must produce a small number of ideas that can be developed further, hence the final step is always convergent. During the brainstorm, though, it is typically beneficial to go through a few of rounds of convergent and divergent thinking.

Top practical tip

Many individuals refer to brainstorming in a very loose sense. In a formal meeting, you could hear someone say, "Let's brainstorm about this." There is nothing wrong with this in and of itself, but if this strategy fails to produce any intriguing results, it risks giving brainstorming a poor name. As a result, remember the following rules as the'minimum' components of a brainstorming session: ● produce numerous ideas rather than just one;
● don't let anyone criticize ideas too soon – else the brainstorm will come to a halt;
● be specific about transitioning from a divergent to a convergent discussion.

Top pitfall

There are two common brainstorming blunders. One approach is to phrase the problem in such broad terms that many irrelevant thoughts emerge. If you ask individuals for their opinions on how to "make a more successful workplace," for example, you'll get suggestions for canteen food and parking places. Make sure the question is narrowed enough to receive reasonable responses.

Another error is to believe that the problem is solved once the brainstorming session is completed. Unfortunately, this is where the real labor begins, because ideas must be developed and implemented. As a result, you should always inform participants that there will be work to be done after the brainstorm.

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