Brainstorming

Brainstorming Skill

Overview

Brainstorming is a creative technique for generating ideas through group or individual thinking sessions. Effective brainstorming balances divergent thinking (generating many ideas) with convergent thinking (selecting the best ideas).

Core Principles

Osborn's Rules (Classic Brainstorming)

1. Defer Judgment: No criticism during idea generation 2. Go for Quantity: More ideas = more chances for good ones 3. Encourage Wild Ideas: They often contain seeds of innovation 4. Build on Ideas: Use "Yes, and..." to extend thoughts

Additional Best Practices

5. One Conversation at a Time: Focus and listen 6. Be Visual: Sketch, diagram, demonstrate 7. Stay Focused: Keep returning to the challenge 8. Time-Box: Constraints drive creativity

The Diverge-Converge Model

   DIVERGE                              CONVERGE
   Generate ideas                       Select ideas
        \                                  /
         \                                /
          \                              /
           \          GROAN             /
            \         ZONE             /
             \                        /
              ──────────────────────────

   • Quantity        • Quality
   • Expansive       • Focused
   • No judgment     • Evaluation
   • All ideas       • Best ideas

The "Groan Zone" is the challenging transition between divergence and convergence.

Divergent Techniques

1. Classic Brainstorm

Free-flowing idea generation with one person capturing.

2. Brainwriting (6-3-5)

• 6 people write 3 ideas in 5 minutes
• Pass papers and build on others' ideas
• Repeat rounds

3. Round Robin

Each person contributes one idea in turn, building momentum.

4. Mind Mapping

Visual technique branching from central concept.

5. SCAMPER

Systematic modification prompts:

• Substitute
• Combine
• Adapt
• Modify
• Put to other use
• Eliminate
• Reverse

6. Random Entry

Use random words/images as stimulus for new connections.

7. Reverse Brainstorm

"How could we cause this problem?" then flip solutions.

8. Starbursting

Generate questions (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?) rather than answers.

9. Role Storming

Brainstorm as someone else (customer, competitor, child).

10. Worst Possible Idea

Deliberately generate terrible ideas, then extract useful elements.

Convergent Techniques

1. Dot Voting

Each person gets N dots to distribute among ideas.

2. Affinity Mapping

Group related ideas into themes/clusters.

3. Four Categories

Sort ideas into: Now, Soon, Later, Never

4. Impact/Effort Matrix

Plot ideas on 2x2 grid.

5. Ranking

Force-rank top 5-10 ideas.

6. Criteria Weighting

Score ideas against predefined criteria.

7. Thumbs Up/Down

Quick consensus check.

Session Structures

Quick Burst (30 minutes)

00:00 - 00:05  Setup & Rules
00:05 - 00:15  Diverge (generate ideas)
00:15 - 00:25  Converge (group & vote)
00:25 - 00:30  Close (top 3 & next steps)

Standard Session (60 minutes)

00:00 - 00:05  Setup & Rules
00:05 - 00:10  Warm-up / Energizer
00:10 - 00:25  Round 1: Free Brainstorm
00:25 - 00:35  Round 2: Prompted/Structured
00:35 - 00:45  Group & Theme
00:45 - 00:55  Vote & Prioritize
00:55 - 00:60  Close & Actions

Extended Session (90 minutes)

00:00 - 00:10  Setup & Context
00:10 - 00:15  Warm-up
00:15 - 00:30  Round 1: Individual Silent
00:30 - 00:45  Round 2: Group Building
00:45 - 00:60  Round 3: Technique (SCAMPER, etc.)
00:60 - 00:70  Clustering & Themes
00:70 - 00:80  Voting & Discussion
00:80 - 00:90  Actions & Close

Facilitation Tips

Starting Strong

• Have a clear, well-framed challenge
• Create energy with a warm-up
• Post rules visibly
• Use a timer

Maintaining Momentum

• Call out good examples of building
• Prompt when energy dips
• Change techniques if stuck
• Use provocations: "What if...?"

Managing Challenges

Closing Strong

• Celebrate quantity generated
• Make selection transparent
• Assign clear actions
• Thank participants

Quality of Ideas

Idea Attributes to Look For

Novel: Different from existing solutions Feasible: Possible to implement Valuable: Addresses the real need Complete: Can stand alone as concept

Characteristics of Good Sessions

• High quantity of ideas generated
• Diversity of idea types
• Some surprising/unexpected ideas
• Building on others' ideas visible
• Energy maintained throughout

Common Pitfalls

1. Production Blocking: Others can't share while one talks

• Solution: Use brainwriting or silent ideation first

2. Evaluation Apprehension: Fear of judgment

• Solution: Emphasize rules, anonymous submission

3. Social Loafing: Hiding in the group

• Solution: Individual ideation before group

4. Anchoring: Early ideas dominate

• Solution: Generate silently first, randomize sharing

5. Groupthink: Converging too quickly

• Solution: Extend divergence, assign devil's advocate

See techniques.md for detailed technique guides.

Brainstorming Techniques

Detailed guides for specific brainstorming methods.

Divergent Techniques

Technique: Brainwriting (6-3-5)

Best For: Balanced participation, introverts, avoiding anchoring

Setup:

• Paper/cards for each participant
• Timer
• Clear challenge statement visible

Process: 1. Each person writes 3 ideas (5 minutes) 2. Pass paper to the right 3. Read ideas, then add 3 more building on or new (5 minutes) 4. Repeat until papers return to original owner 5. Share highlights with group

Output: 6 people × 6 rounds × 3 ideas = 108 potential ideas

Variations:

• 6-3-5 Digital: Use shared doc, rotate sections
• Rapid 3-2-3: Faster rounds for energy

---

Technique: Mind Mapping

Best For: Exploring topic dimensions, visual thinkers

Setup:

• Large paper or whiteboard
• Central topic clearly stated
• Markers

Process: 1. Write central topic in middle 2. Draw main branches for major themes 3. Add sub-branches for ideas 4. Connect related items across branches 5. Use colors and images

Structure:

                    [Sub-topic]
                        │
                   [Sub-topic]───[Detail]
                        │
    [Theme 1]───────────┼───────────[Theme 2]
         │              │               │
         │       [CENTRAL TOPIC]        │
         │              │               │
    [Theme 4]───────────┼───────────[Theme 3]
         │              │               │
    [Sub-topic]    [Sub-topic]     [Sub-topic]

---

Technique: SCAMPER

Best For: Systematic exploration, building on existing ideas

Process: For each letter, apply the lens to your topic:

S - Substitute

• What materials, components, or people could we substitute?
• What other process could we use?
• What if we changed the rules?

C - Combine

• What ideas could we combine?
• What could we merge or integrate?
• What if we combined purposes or objectives?

A - Adapt

• What else is like this?
• What could we copy from another industry?
• What ideas from the past could we adapt?

M - Modify/Magnify/Minimize

• What could we enlarge or make smaller?
• What could we exaggerate or understate?
• What could we add or streamline?

P - Put to Other Uses

• What else could this be used for?
• Who else could use this?
• How would a child/elder/expert use this?

E - Eliminate

• What could we remove?
• What's not necessary?
• What if we did less?

R - Reverse/Rearrange

• What if we reversed the order?
• What if we swapped roles?
• What if we did the opposite?

---

Technique: Random Entry/Forced Connections

Best For: Breaking mental blocks, fresh perspectives

Setup:

• Random word list or image cards
• Timer

Process: 1. Select random word/image 2. List attributes of the random element 3. Force connections to your challenge 4. Generate ideas from connections

Example:

• Challenge: "Improve employee onboarding"
• Random word: "Garden"
• Attributes: Growth, seasons, nurturing, roots, sunlight, weeding
• Forced connections:
• Growth → Progressive skill development
• Seasons → Quarterly check-ins
• Nurturing → Mentor program
• Roots → Deep company culture immersion
• Sunlight → Transparent information access
• Weeding → Removing obstacles

---

Technique: Reverse Brainstorm

Best For: Uncovering hidden assumptions, seeing problems differently

Process: 1. State the challenge normally 2. Flip it: "How could we cause this problem?" or "How could we make this worse?" 3. Generate reverse ideas enthusiastically 4. Flip each reverse idea back 5. Evaluate the positive versions

Example:

• Challenge: "How might we improve customer service?"
• Reversed: "How could we make customer service terrible?"
• Make customers wait hours
• Use confusing phone menus
• Give inconsistent answers
• Make it hard to reach humans
• Flipped back:
• Respond within minutes
• Simple, direct contact options
• Consistent, documented answers
• Easy human access

---

Technique: Role Storming

Best For: New perspectives, overcoming blocks

Setup:

• List of personas/characters

Personas to Try:

• Your best customer
• Your harshest critic
• A 5-year-old child
• Someone from 1900 / 2100
• A competitor
• A celebrity
• An expert from another field
• The CEO
• The front-line employee

Process: 1. Select a persona 2. Get into character mentally 3. Brainstorm as that person would 4. Capture ideas without judgment 5. Repeat with different personas

---

Convergent Techniques

Technique: Dot Voting

Best For: Democratic, quick prioritization

Setup:

• All ideas visible on wall/board
• Dot stickers (or markers) - typically 3-5 per person

Process: 1. Review all ideas briefly 2. Give each person N dots 3. Vote silently (can put multiple on one idea) 4. Count dots 5. Discuss top vote-getters

Variations:

• Weighted voting: Different colored dots for different criteria
• Secret voting: Vote on paper first, then reveal
• $100 voting: Allocate "money" across ideas

---

Technique: Affinity Mapping

Best For: Making sense of many ideas, finding themes

Process: 1. Spread all ideas out 2. Silently move similar ideas together 3. Don't discuss during clustering 4. Repeat until stable 5. Name each cluster 6. Discuss relationships between clusters

Tips:

• Let outliers remain unclustered if they don't fit
• Clusters of 3-7 items work well
• Names should capture essence, not just list

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Technique: Impact/Effort Matrix

Best For: Practical prioritization, action planning

Setup:

                    HIGH IMPACT
                         │
    ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
    │                    │                    │
    │  MAJOR PROJECTS    │    QUICK WINS      │
    │                    │                    │
    │  Worth doing but   │    DO FIRST        │
    │  plan carefully    │                    │
    │                    │                    │
HIGH├────────────────────┼────────────────────┤LOW
EFFORT                   │                    EFFORT
    │                    │                    │
    │   MONEY PITS       │    FILL-INS        │
    │                    │                    │
    │   Avoid unless     │    Do if time      │
    │   strategic        │    permits         │
    │                    │                    │
    └────────────────────┼────────────────────┘
                         │
                    LOW IMPACT

Process: 1. Draw 2x2 matrix 2. Place each idea based on:

• Impact: Effect on the goal
• Effort: Resources required

3. Focus on Quick Wins first 4. Plan Major Projects carefully 5. Consider Fill-Ins opportunistically 6. Avoid Money Pits

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Technique: Criteria Weighting

Best For: Objective evaluation, complex decisions

Setup:

• Define 3-5 criteria
• Assign weight to each (totaling 100%)

Example Criteria:

Process: 1. Score each idea 1-5 on each criterion 2. Multiply score by weight 3. Sum weighted scores 4. Rank by total score 5. Discuss surprises

Template:

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Technique: Now/Next/Later/Never

Best For: Action-oriented planning

Categories:

• Now: Start immediately (this week)
• Next: Start soon (this month)
• Later: Backlog (this quarter+)
• Never: Don't pursue (archive)

Process: 1. Present each idea briefly 2. Quick vote or discussion: which category? 3. Place in appropriate column 4. Review "Now" items for actions 5. Document "Next" items for future 6. Archive "Never" with brief rationale