Brainstorming- You’re Probably Doing it Wrong And 8 Tips for Brainstorming Better
A hundred years ago, brainstorm meant “a violent, transient mental derangement manifested in a maniacal outburst; popularly, any transitory agitation or confusion of mind.” It wasn’t until the 1940s that it began to take on the meaning we have for it today—generating ideas as a group to solve a problem.
It seems we love to tell ourselves and each other to be creative. To think outside of the box. To come up with the unusual, perfect solution. Our go-to method for that is brainstorming.
Brainstorming is a simple process. You think up ideas and then pick the best one. It’s pretty easy, right? The reality is many groups do things wrong when they brainstorm. There’s plenty of research that has shown us the most effective ways to go about this. But it is common to skip or ignore some of these parts.
Let’s start with the worst experience. You’re in a brainstorming session. It doesn’t take long to figure out that the leader is just waiting for someone to say the idea he already has in mind and wants. I was in one of these. It made me consider having a brainstorm of the earlier definition.
Most brainstorming sessions aren't as bad as that. But they don’t hit ideal either. Careful consideration of how real practices don’t reflect the recommendations show why brainstorming sessions can end up uninspiring.
The Usual Checklist for Brainstorming
It is easy to find guidelines or checklists for running an effective brainstorming session. Actually following through and providing for each of those elements is the challenge. Most guides have similar characteristics or elements for a brainstorming session. They tend to include some version of the following:
Define or target the problem to be solved.
Set a time limit.
Have a facilitator and/or recorder who takes notes.
Refrain from judgment or withhold criticism.
Welcome or encourage weird and unusual ideas.
Go for quantity.
How These Often Go Wrong
Each situation is unique and there may be legitimate reasons for omitting an element. But often brainstorming sessions are not as effective or creative as they could be because one or more of these characteristics are neglected.
Define or target the problem to be solved.
This one is pretty hard to get wrong, and it isn’t the way most brainstorms don’t meet expectations. But if the problem isn’t communicated clearly and in several ways, the ideas may branch off too far. No real solutions may be generated.
Set a time limit.
Some brainstorming sessions can drag on too long. The opposite can also be a problem, though: One early idea gets deemed “a good one,” and then the ideas stop flowing. Another difficulty comes up when there isn’t a clear difference between the time for generating ideas and the time for evaluating the ideas and picking a solution.
Have a facilitator and/or recorder who takes notes.
Most brainstorming situations have this taken care of in some way. The wall of sticky notes. The chart paper and markers. The whiteboard (physical or digital). The trap can lie in a facilitator who herds the group to a pre-determined idea. Or if lots of ideas are coming from lots of people, it might be hard to record them all.
Refrain from judgment or withhold criticism.
This one gets tricky. Most groups and participants have enough etiquette to not say things like “that’s a terrible idea” (at least not out loud). But a response like “that’s a good idea” is also a judgment and shuts down the generation of more ideas just as much as something negative.
Welcome or encourage weird and unusual ideas.
This is where most people go wrong. This element simply gets ignored most of the time. In my experience in brainstorming sessions as part of work, I can’t think of a single situation when the wacky was encouraged. I could even think of a time or two when the facilitator cut off lines of ideas that were close to being out of the box.
Go for quantity.
We often don’t push ourselves to come up with a large number of ideas. The obvious ones come out quickly. But once the idea flow is down to a trickle, it often stops. This connects to the previous characteristic. It’s hard to come up with lots and lots of ideas if you aren’t open to what seems silly. Groups often aren’t patient and persistent enough to keep churning out ideas.
8 Tips for Better Brainstorming
Plan and Communicate the Parameters of the Session
While idea generation during brainstorming could be spontaneous and flexible, a good plan is important for an effective session.
Clearly communicate the problem to be solved. Say it. Put it in writing.
Set a time frame for generating ideas. Communicate it to the group. Have a minimum amount of time to allow for additional ideas beyond the easy and obvious.
Make it clear when you are transitioning from idea generation to sifting, sorting, and evaluating those ideas. Don’t judge the ideas during the generation phase. But make it clear when you change to the process of deciding which ideas will be considered further.
Consider each idea listed. Allow for discussion in support of and possible objections to each idea. Some ideas will require more discussion than others. They don’t all need equal consideration but do think about each one.
Get ALL the ideas from ALL the people
Some strategies for this are built into the planning for time minimums. Know your group—personalities, ways of thinking, and areas of expertise.
Keep group dynamics in mind. Some people are naturally more inclined to speak out and contribute ideas. Some people are quieter. Studies have shown that more ideas are generated when people are asked to come up with lists of ideas individually before going to a group session.
Make a specific plan for how you will get ideas from all people. Don’t assume or hope it will happen naturally. Provide opportunities for and encourage all participants to share ideas.
Thank people for contributing their ideas, especially when the frequency of ideas has dropped off. It’s harder to speak up and give an idea after 40 seconds of silence. But beware of making judgments: don’t say “that’s good.” Instead, say “thank you for the idea.”
Actually encourage unusual ideas. Often the best ideas are hiding in or just behind the ridiculous. If an idea, though silly, solves the target problem just let it out. Even ask, “what’s the craziest thing you can come up with?”
The American culture values problem-solving and creative thinking. Brainstorming is a ubiquitous practice. But for all the research and knowledge we have about generating ideas as a group, we often go about it in ways that hinder rather than help us. Keep these tips in mind to push your creative thinking and get the most and best ideas flowing.
