Comments on: Brainstorming Meetings More Effective http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/07/brainstorming-meetings-more-effective.html Dealing with software projects in real life Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:46:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Pawel Brodzinski http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/07/brainstorming-meetings-more-effective.html#comment-1868 Pawel Brodzinski Fri, 06 Jul 2007 17:28:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/07/brainstorming-meetings-more-effective.html#comment-1868 Nice list of advices, indeed. I think we've used 7-8 out of 10 this time.<br/><br/>My approach is that if anything leads to improve creativity it should be used. Usually changing the way you usually do brainstorming is enough and your list brings a lot of ideas how to make it different.<br/><br/>By the way: I didn't know you can find firms which make "outsourced" brainstorming sessions (like BrainReactions). Personally, I think I wouldn't consider hiring outside brainstormers. Nice list of advices, indeed. I think we’ve used 7-8 out of 10 this time.

My approach is that if anything leads to improve creativity it should be used. Usually changing the way you usually do brainstorming is enough and your list brings a lot of ideas how to make it different.

By the way: I didn’t know you can find firms which make “outsourced” brainstorming sessions (like BrainReactions). Personally, I think I wouldn’t consider hiring outside brainstormers.

]]> By: Julia Styles http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/07/brainstorming-meetings-more-effective.html#comment-1867 Julia Styles Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:37:00 +0000 http://blog.brodzinski.com/2007/07/brainstorming-meetings-more-effective.html#comment-1867 I like your brainstorming suggestions, and I wanted to add a few other tips we use at BrainReactions.<br/><br/>1. Quantity leads to quality, so don't judge your ideas while you're saying them. Wait until after the brainstorming to do that. Judgment-free spaces lead to the best brainstorms.<br/><br/>2. Capture your ideas. Write them on paper when they come into your head, but for official capture use an MP3 recorder, and then have someone transcribe the brainstorm.<br/><br/>3. Good questions are the generators of great ideas. If you are brainstorming for one challenge, try to come up with 10 questions that will generate ideas. For example: "What are ideas for new ways to brainstorm?" and then "What are ideas for tools we can use for brainstorming?" Start with wide or easy questions and funnel down to more specific and difficult questions. If you use this approach you should be able to come up with 100s of ideas.<br/><br/>4. Go Wide. Take your ideas in different directions. What are different attributes of your question/issue? Attributes could be method, message, material, technology, design, etc. We call these different attributes buckets.<br/><br/>5. Go deep. Fill those buckets with as many ideas as possible, and get as specific as possible on certain ideas.<br/><br/>6. Use your surroundings for inspiration. Look at objects, pictures, words, or a combination of the 3 to come up with new ideas.<br/><br/>7. Use metaphors. Some of the most successful innovations came from metaphors. For example, one of the first teeth-whiteners looked like white out for teeth. "13 going on 30" was "BIG" for girls.<br/><br/>8. Think: "What would ______ say?"<br/>Put in organizations or persons, and see what ideas you come up with. For example, "What would Google do?" or "What would Madonna say?"<br/><br/>9. Think out of this world. Think the impossible and someday it might be probable. In the meantime your impossible ideas can lead to plausible ideas by inspiring you to think outside the box.<br/><br/>10. Have fun!<br/><br/>BrainReactions is an outside innovation firm in Madison, Wisconsin. We often generate over 1000 ideas in a 2-hr session for our clients, and we always have fun doing it. I like your brainstorming suggestions, and I wanted to add a few other tips we use at BrainReactions.

1. Quantity leads to quality, so don’t judge your ideas while you’re saying them. Wait until after the brainstorming to do that. Judgment-free spaces lead to the best brainstorms.

2. Capture your ideas. Write them on paper when they come into your head, but for official capture use an MP3 recorder, and then have someone transcribe the brainstorm.

3. Good questions are the generators of great ideas. If you are brainstorming for one challenge, try to come up with 10 questions that will generate ideas. For example: “What are ideas for new ways to brainstorm?” and then “What are ideas for tools we can use for brainstorming?” Start with wide or easy questions and funnel down to more specific and difficult questions. If you use this approach you should be able to come up with 100s of ideas.

4. Go Wide. Take your ideas in different directions. What are different attributes of your question/issue? Attributes could be method, message, material, technology, design, etc. We call these different attributes buckets.

5. Go deep. Fill those buckets with as many ideas as possible, and get as specific as possible on certain ideas.

6. Use your surroundings for inspiration. Look at objects, pictures, words, or a combination of the 3 to come up with new ideas.

7. Use metaphors. Some of the most successful innovations came from metaphors. For example, one of the first teeth-whiteners looked like white out for teeth. “13 going on 30″ was “BIG” for girls.

8. Think: “What would ______ say?”
Put in organizations or persons, and see what ideas you come up with. For example, “What would Google do?” or “What would Madonna say?”

9. Think out of this world. Think the impossible and someday it might be probable. In the meantime your impossible ideas can lead to plausible ideas by inspiring you to think outside the box.

10. Have fun!

BrainReactions is an outside innovation firm in Madison, Wisconsin. We often generate over 1000 ideas in a 2-hr session for our clients, and we always have fun doing it.

]]>