What does brainstorming mean?

Brainstorming is a process of generating ideas and solutions by actively engaging in thought and discussion with a group of people. The term “brainstorming” was first coined by Alex Faickney Osborn, an advertising executive, in his book “Applied Imagination” published in 1953.

Osborn developed the concept of brainstorming as a way to encourage creative thinking and problem-solving within organizations. He believed that the traditional way of thinking about problems – starting with a preconceived solution and working backwards – was too narrow and that it was important to encourage people to come up with as many ideas as possible without worrying about criticism or evaluation.

Osborn’s idea of brainstorming quickly caught on and became widely adopted in business, education, and other fields as a tool for generating ideas and finding solutions to problems. Today, brainstorming is still widely used as a tool for encouraging creative thinking and problem-solving in a variety of settings. We like to help organizations become more innovative by sharing proven techniques and strategies for managing innovation and unlocking growth opportunities. If you want to learn the principles of starting an innovative movement within your projects and organization you should consider our free course. Click here to take your organization to the next level of innovation!

Why is brainstorming important?

Brainstorming is a process of generating ideas and solutions by actively engaging in thought and discussion with a group of people. It is important for a number of reasons:

1. It allows for the generation of a large number of ideas in a short amount of time. By encouraging people to come up with as many ideas as possible without worrying about criticism or evaluation, the group is able to generate a diverse range of ideas that may not have been considered otherwise.
2. It promotes collaboration and teamwork. Brainstorming requires people to work together and share their ideas, which can help to foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration within the group.
3. It can lead to better solutions. By considering a wide range of ideas, the group is more likely to come up with creative and effective solutions to problems.
4. It can be fun and energizing. Brainstorming sessions can be an enjoyable and energizing way to spend time with a group of people, and they can help to create a positive and productive atmosphere.

Overall, brainstorming is an important tool for generating ideas and finding solutions to problems, and it can be a valuable tool for businesses, organizations, and individuals.

Brainstorming examples

Here are a few examples of how brainstorming might be used in different settings:

1. In a business setting, a team might use brainstorming to come up with ideas for a new product or service. For example, a team at a cosmetics company might brainstorm ideas for a new line of skincare products, or a team at a software company might brainstorm ideas for a new app.
2. In a school setting, a teacher might use brainstorming to help students come up with ideas for a class project. For example, a history teacher might ask students to brainstorm ideas for a group project on a specific historical event, or a science teacher might ask students to brainstorm ideas for a science fair project.
3. In a nonprofit organization, a group might use brainstorming to come up with ideas for fundraising events or campaigns. For example, a group working to support a local animal shelter might brainstorm ideas for a fundraiser to raise money for the shelter.
4. In a personal setting, an individual might use brainstorming to come up with ideas for a home improvement project or a vacation. For example, someone might brainstorm ideas for how to remodel their kitchen, or they might brainstorm ideas for a trip they want to take.

Overall, brainstorming can be used in a variety of settings to generate ideas and find solutions to problems. It is a useful tool for encouraging creative thinking and collaboration.

How to brainstorm?

Here are some steps you can follow to effectively conduct a brainstorming session:

1. Define the problem or challenge: Clearly define the problem or challenge you are trying to solve. This will help to focus the brainstorming session and ensure that the ideas generated are relevant to the task at hand.
2. Assemble a diverse group of people: Gather a diverse group of people who can bring different perspectives and experiences to the table. This will help to ensure that a wide range of ideas is generated.
3. Encourage wild ideas: Encourage participants to come up with as many ideas as possible without worrying about criticism or evaluation. It’s important to create a safe and supportive environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas.
4. Use prompts or techniques to stimulate ideas: You can use prompts or techniques (such as SCAMPER or Six Thinking Hats) to stimulate ideas and help people think creatively.
5. Record and organize the ideas: Make sure to record all of the ideas that are generated, and organize them in a way that makes it easy to review and discuss them.
6. Evaluate and select the best ideas: Once you have a list of ideas, evaluate them based on criteria such as feasibility, impact, and potential return on investment. Select the best ideas to move forward with.

Remember, the goal of brainstorming is to generate as many ideas as possible, so it’s important to keep an open mind and not worry too much about evaluating ideas until later in the process. By following these steps, you can effectively conduct a brainstorming session that helps you find creative solutions to problems.

15 brainstorming techniques

Here are 15 brainstorming techniques that can be useful in generating ideas and finding solutions to problems:

1. Brainstorming: The classic technique of generating ideas by encouraging a group to come up with as many ideas as possible without worrying about criticism or evaluation.
2. Brainwriting: A variant of brainstorming where people write down their ideas individually before sharing them with the group. This can be useful for introverted people who may be less comfortable speaking up in a group setting.
3. SCAMPER: A technique that involves asking a series of questions to stimulate ideas, such as “Substitute,” “Combine,” “Adapt,” “Modify,” “Put to another use,” “Eliminate,” and “Reverse.”
4. Six Thinking Hats: A technique that involves considering a problem from different perspectives, represented by six “hats” of different colors: white (neutral information), red (emotional perspective), black (cautious and skeptical), yellow (optimistic and constructive), green (creative and divergent), and blue (coordination and management).
5. Crazy Eights: A technique where people are given eight minutes to come up with as many ideas as possible in response to a prompt.
6. Starbursting: A technique that involves asking a series of “wh” questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how) to stimulate ideas.
7. Mind Mapping: A technique that involves creating a visual diagram of ideas and connections.
8. Reverse Brainstorming: A technique that involves coming up with ways to prevent or solve the opposite of the problem at hand.
9. The Lateral Thinking Puzzle: A technique that involves trying to solve a problem by starting with a seemingly unrelated premise and working backwards to find a solution.
10. Role Playing: A technique that involves pretending to be someone else and coming up with ideas from their perspective.
11. Brainstorming with Constraints: A technique that involves setting boundaries or constraints on the brainstorming process in order to stimulate creative thinking.
12. Brainstorming with Random Input: A technique that involves using random stimuli (such as words or images) to generate ideas.
13. Brainstorming with Visual Aids: A technique that involves using visual aids (such as diagrams or sketches) to stimulate ideas.
14. Brainstorming with Analogies: A technique that involves finding analogies or connections between the problem at hand and something else in order to generate ideas.
15. The Idea Game: A technique that involves coming up with as many ideas as possible based on a set of rules or prompts.

These are just a few examples of brainstorming techniques that can be useful in generating ideas and finding solutions to problems. It’s important to keep in mind that different techniques may work better for different types of problems and groups of people, so it may be useful to try out a few different techniques to see what works best for your needs

Brainstorm online

There are a few different ways to conduct brainstorming sessions online:

1. Video conference: You can use a video conferencing platform (such as Zoom or Google Meet) to hold a virtual brainstorming session with a group of people. This allows you to see and hear each other in real-time, which can help to create a sense of connection and facilitate discussion.
2. Collaborative document: You can use a collaborative document (such as Google Docs or Microsoft Teams) to conduct a brainstorming session. Participants can add their ideas to the document in real-time, and everyone can see and build upon each other’s ideas.
3. Online brainstorming tool: There are also online tools specifically designed for brainstorming, such as Miro, Mural and Stormboard. These tools allow you to create visual diagrams and collaborate with others in real-time.

Regardless of the method you choose, it’s important to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the problem or challenge being addressed, and to create a safe and supportive environment where people feel comfortable sharing their ideas. By following these guidelines, you can effectively conduct a brainstorming session online.