Use Brainstorming Techniques to ensure that you never get stuck or run out of ideas, options and solutions.

A brainstorming guide

This page explains the best brainstorming techniques; what is brainstorming; and how to do brainstorming activities, as key problem solving tools.

This is a well known problem solving technique that is intended to get a lot of ideas about, for example, causes or solutions, usually from a group of people (preferably with different thinking styles)

You can do brainstorming on your own (see how to do it below) but it will usually generate more and richer options with several brains being involved.

Sometimes, it is really fruitful to invite people to take part in brainstorming techniques who have no knowledge about the problem at all.

Often, when we are looking for causes of problems, or solutions, we make things difficult by generating ideas and judging those ideas immediately.

You've probably experienced this. Someone says what if we did such and such and someone else immediately says, "that will never work", and the idea is lost.

The key to success in using brainstorming techniques is....

......to separate the generation of ideas from the evaluation of ideas.

That is, criticising or judging ideas is done as a second step but not at the time that the ideas are generated.

This frees up the thinking process and ensures that the wastage of ideas described above is avoided - smart or what?

To make this work, there are five brainstorming ground rules:

1. record ideas.

That is, make a list of all ideas that are generated and number them.

It also helps people to create more ideas if they can see the list as it develops. Using large flip chart sheets is one way of doing this.

2. suspend judgement.

That is, ALL ideas are valid in the generation step of the process - there is no such thing as a daft idea at this stage of using brainstorming techniques.

You can laugh with others and with ideas, but not AT them (laughter often helps people to create novel suggestions).

3. freewheel.

That is, no limits, allow your right brain and imagination free reign and choice.

Step outside of previous thinking, especially limitations - this is why having some people involved who know nothing about the problem (and have no constraints or pet theories from the past therefore) can be very successful.

4. quantity.

In brainstorming techniques, aim for quantity as well (e.g. 50 ideas generated in 10 minutes) and keep a lively pace going with occasional pauses to refresh thinking and energy.

5. cross fertilise.

That is, use others' ideas as a stimulus to your thinking.

Make connections with and develop others' ideas or think the opposite of what someone else may have suggested.


So, how do you do it?

The classic brainstorming process usually goes through four stages:

1. state the problem to be brainstormed.

This will usually involve some statement describing the deviation from what should have happened.

It is necessary to be clear whether you are using brainstorming techniques for CAUSES or SOLUTIONS or both. If both, do them separately, and start with causes.

2. re-state the problem.

Sometimes it is very fruitful to use your (or the collective) whole brain by, for example, stating the problem to be brainstormed in a different way.

See if you can come up with four or more different ways of stating the problem. Why? Because sometimes this step alone will create great solutions.

3. generate ideas.

Use the brainstorming ground rules above, of course, which may require someone to act as scribe and capture, list and number the suggestions made in response to a question, such as:

"In how many ways can we solve this problem?" or "In how many ways might this problem have been caused?"

4. evaluate the ideas generated.

This usually involves going through the ideas (which is why it's a good idea to list and number them) looking for:

* instant winners - i.e. suggestions that can be used immediately without excessive cost or difficulty in implementing etc.

* immediate rejects (e.g. because they are illegal or unsafe)

* ideas which can be developed and will maybe create more choice or change.

One way of doing this is to use other brainstorming tools or methods such as the wildest idea (or suggestion made) and brainstorm it (e.g. in how many ways can we make this work?).

The list is worked through and ideas that can be turned into useful action for change are implemented (and this may involve right brain decision making and / or left brain decision making).

Depending on the significance of the problem, this may require goal setting and action planning to get the best results from the ideas generated in using brainstorming techniques.

Sometimes ideas get raised which can be then brainstormed to generate even more possibilities.

This means in practice that it is impossible to run out of options for change - anything can be brainstormed, any number of times, by different brains with different skills and experience etc.

Brainstorming techniques are easy to learn and fun to use. By following the brainstorming guide and ground rules described above you will improve the productivity and creativity of your problem solving.

We've explained what is brainstorming, and what are the rules of brainstorming, all you need to do now is......do it and have fun.

Using brainstorming techniques is a fun way to create choice and change in problem solving. Click here to go to our Home page.

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