CHAPTER 5

BRAINSTORMING

• Brainstorming is a useful and popular tool that you can use to develop highly creative solutions to a problem.

• Particularly helpful when you need to break out of stale, established patterns of thinking so that you can develop new ways of looking at things.

• This can be when you need to develop new opportunities, where you want to improve the service that you offer /when existing approached just aren’t giving you the results you want.

• Used with team, it helps to bring the new experience of all team members into play during problem solving.

• This increases the richness of solutions explored (meaning that you can find better solutions to the problems faced, and make better decisions).

• It can also help to get buy in from team members for the solution chosen – after all, they have helped create that solution.

Definition of Brainstorming

1. Brainstorming is a conference technique by which a group attempts to find a solution for a specific problem by amassing all the ideas spontaneously by its member.

2. Brainstorming is a process designed to obtain the maximum number of ideas relating to a specific area of interest. It also a technique that maximizes the ability to generate new ideas.

3. Brainstorming is where a group of people put social inhibitions and rules aside with the aim of generating new ideas and solutions. It is the time dedicated to generating a large number of ideas regardless of their initial worth.

4. Brainstorming is a part of problem solving which involves the creation of new ideas by suspending judgment and it is the creation of an optimal state of mind for generating new ideas.

5. Brainstorming is a group creativity technique designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution to a problem.

Rules in Brainstorming:

1. Focus on quantityThis rule is a means of enhancing divergent production, aiming to facilitate problem solving through the maxim, quantity breeds quality. The assumption is that the greater the number of ideas generated, the greater the chance of producing a radical and effective solution.

2. No criticism.it is often emphasized that in group brainstorming, criticism should be put ‘on hold’. By suspending judgment, one creates a supportive atmosphere where participants feel free to generate unusual ideas.

3. Unusual ideas are welcome.To get a good and long list of ideas, unusual ideas are welcomed. They may open new ways of thinking and provide better solutions than regular ideas.

4. Combine and improve ideas.Good ideas can be combined to form a single very good idea. This approach is assumed to lead.

Composition of a brainstorming group and individual

1. INDIVIDUAL BRAINSTORMING• When you brainstorm on your own you will tend to produce a

wider range of ideas than with group brainstroming – you do not have to worry about other people’s egos / opinions, & can therefore be more freely creative.

• You may not however, develop ideas as effectively as you do not have to experience of a group to help you.

2. GROUP BRAINSTORMING• Group brainstorming can be very effective as it uses the

experience and creativity of all members of the group.

• When individual members reach their limit on an idea, another member’s creativity and experience can take the idea to the next stage.

• Group brainstorming tends to develop ideas in more depth than individual brainstorming.

• Brainstorming in a group can be risky for individuals.

• Valuable but strange suggestions may appear stupid at first sight.

• Because of such, you need to chair sessions tightly so that uncreative people do not crush these ideas and leave group members feeling humiliated.

CONDUCTING A BRAINSTORMING SESSON

1. SET THE PROBLEMThe problem must be clear, not too big and captured in a definite question such as “What service for mobile phones is not available now, but needed?.If the problem is too big, the chairman should divide it into smaller components, each with its own question.

2. CREATE A BACKGROUND MEMOThe invitation and informational letter for the participants, containing the session name, problem, time, date and place.

The problem is described in the form of question, and some example ideas are given.

The ideas are solutions to the problem, & used when the session slows down / goes off-track.

The memo is sent to the participants at least two days in advance, so that they can think about the problem beforehand.

3. SELECT PARTICIPANTSthe chairman composes the brainstorming panel, consisting of the participants and an ideas collector.

Ten of fewer group members are generally more productive than larger groups.

Many variations are possible but the following composition is suggested.

• Several core members of the project who have proved themselves

• Several guests from outside the project, with affinity to the problem

• One idea collector who records the suggested ideas.

4. CREATE A LIST OF LEAD QUESTIONSDuring the brainstorm session the creativity may decrease.

At this moment, the chairman should stimulate creativity by suggesting a lead question to answer, such as Can we combine these ideas? Or How about a look from another perspective?

It is advised to prepare a list of such leads before the session begins.

5. SESSION CONDUCT• The activities of a typical session are:1. A warm-up session, to expose novice participants to the

criticism-free environment. A simple problem is brainstormed, e.g. what can be improved in Microsoft Windows?

2. The chairman presents the problem and gives a further explanation if needed.

3. The chairman asks the brainstorming panel for their ideas.4. If no ideas are coming out, the chairman suggests a lead to

encourage creativity.5. Every participant presents his / her idea, and the idea

collector records them.

6. If more than one participant has ideas, the chairman lets the most associated idea be presented first. This selection can be done by looking at the body language of the participants, or just by asking for the most associated idea.

7. The participants try to elaborate on the idea, to improve the quality.

8. When time is up, the chairman organizes the ideas based on the topic goal and encourages discussion. Additional ideas may be generated.

9. Ideas are categorized.10. The whole list is reviewed to ensure that everyone

understands the ideas. Duplicate idea and obviously infeasible solutions are removed.

11. The chairman thanks all participants and gives each a toke of appreciation.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BRAINSTORMING

1. Brainstorming brings new ideas to bear on a problem – The freethinking atmosphere encourages fresh

approaches. – Creativity is enhanced, because individuals are

encouraged to bring up all ideas even those that might appear outrageous.

– Even imperfectly developed thoughts may jog the thinking of other participants.

2. Problems are defined better as questions arise – Alternatives appear in a new or different

perspective. – Novel approaches to an issue can arise during

the process. – Brainstorming gives participants a sense of

progress and accomplishment and helps them to move onto more difficult tasks.

3. Brainstorming helps reduce conflict – It helps participants see other points of view and

possibly change their perspective on problems. – It may not be useful in resolving deeply felt

conflict but can help set the stage for a different technique if an impasse has been reached.

– Civility is required of each participant.

4. Brainstorming is democratic– All participants have equal status and an equal

opportunity to participate. – No one person’s ideas dominate a brainstorming

session. – Brainstorming heightens the awareness of

community and sensitizes individuals to the behaviour of the group and its participants.

– It helps mould participants into a working group.

BRAINSTORMING TECHNIQUES

• There are several techniques of brainstorming that we can use.

1.FREE WRITING– When you free write, you let your thoughts flow

as they will, putting pen to paper and writing down whatever comes into your mind.

– The advantage of this technique is that your free up your internal critic and allows yourself to write things you might not write if you were being too self-conscious.

2. BREAK DOWN THE TOPIC INTO LEVELS – Once you have a course assignment in front of

you, you might brainstorm:• The general topic• Break down into levels to a specific subtopic / required

question• A single term/phrase that you sense you’re overusing

in the paper

3. LISTING/BULLETING– In this technique you jot down lists of words or

phrases under a particular topic.– Either on the general topic , or on one/more

words from your particular thesis claim / on a word / idea that is the complete opposite of your original word/idea.

4. CUBING– Cubing enables you to consider your topic from six

different directions: just as a cube is six – sided, your cubing brainstorming will result in six “sides” / approaches to the topic.

i. Describe it. ii. Compare itiii. Associate itiv. Analyze it v. Apply itvi. Argue for and against it

5. SIMILES– In this technique, complete the following

sentence:E.g.: _____________________ is/was/are/were like ________________________

– The first blank put one of the terms or concepts

your paper centres on. – Then try to brainstorm as many answers as

possible for the second blank.

6. CLUSTERING/MAPPING/WEBBING– This technique has three / more difficult names,

according to how you describe the activity itself or what the end product looks like.

7. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PARTS– In this technique, begin by writing the following

pairs of terms on opposite margins of one sheet of paper.

Whole Parts

Part Part of Parts

Part Part of Parts

Part Part of Parts

8. JOURNALISTIC QUESTIONS– In this technique you would use the “big six”

questions.– The six are: Who? What? When? Where? Why?

And How?

9. USING CHARTS OR SHAPES– If you are more visually inclined, you might create

charts, graphs, or tables in lieu of word lists / phrases as you try to shape / explore an idea.

10.CONSIDER PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE– Think about the parts of communication involved

in any writing / speaking event act: Purpose and audience.

– What is your purpose? Are you trying to inform? Convince? Describe?

– Who is your audience? Who are you communicating with beyond the grader?

– What does the audience need to know?

11.DICTIONARIES, THESAURUSES, ENCYCLOPEDIAS – Dictionaries – if you are looking at a hard copy

reference, use can use dictionaries to see variety of definitions

– Thesauruses – if you go to online sources, use their own search functions to find your key terms and see what suggestions they offer.

– Encyclopedias – contain valuable sources if you need to clarify facts.