BRAIN STORMING

Brain Storming

Brainstorming is the name given to a situation when a group of people meet to generate new ideas around a specific area of interest. Using rules which remove inhibitions, people are able to think more freely and move into new areas of thought and so create numerous new ideas and solutions. The participants shout out ideas as they occur to them and then build on the ideas raised by others. All the ideas are noted down and are not criticized. Only when the brainstorming session is over are the ideas evaluated.

This is the traditional way brainstorming is done. The aim of this website is to train you in the methods of traditional brainstorming and then to move on and discover a series of advanced techniques available to you.

Some other definitions:

• Brainstorming is a process for generating new ideas

• 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 members" - Alex Osborn

• To brainstorm is to use a set of specific rules and techniques which encourage and spark off new ideas which would never have happened under normal circumstances

Origin

Advertising executive Alex F. Osborn began developing methods for creative problem-solving in 1939. He was frustrated by employees’ inability to develop creative ideas individually for ad campaigns. In response, he began hosting group-thinking sessions and discovered a significant improvement in the quality and quantity of ideas produced by employees. Osborn outlined his method in the 1948 book Your Creative Power in chapter 33, "How to Organize a Squad to Create Ideas".^[1]

 

Osborn's method[edit]

brainstorming activity conducting

Osborn claimed that two principles contribute to "ideative efficacy," these being :

1.   Defer judgment,

2.   Reach for quantity.^[2]

Following these two principles were his four general rules of brainstorming, established with intention to :

·         reduce social inhibitions among group members.

·         stimulate idea generation.

·         increase overall creativity of the group.

1.   go for quantity: This 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 generate the bigger the chance of producing a radical and effective solution.

2.   Withhold criticism: In brainstorming, criticism of ideas generated should be put 'on hold'. Instead, participants should focus on extending or adding to ideas, reserving criticism for a later 'critical stage' of the process. By suspending judgment, participants will feel free to generate unusual ideas.

3.   Welcome wild ideas: To get a good long list of suggestions, wild ideas are encouraged. They can be generated by looking from new perspectives and suspending assumptions. These new ways of thinking might give you better solutions.

4.   Combine and improve ideas:As suggested by the slogan "1+1=3". It is believed to stimulate the building of ideas by a process of association.^[2]

TYPES OF BRAINSTORMING

Traditional Brainstorming

The normal view of brainstorming is where a group of people sit in a room and shout out ideas as they occur to them. They are told to lose their inhibitions and that no ideas will be judged so that people are free to shout out any ideas at all without feeling uncomfortable. People should build on the ideas called out by other participants. The purpose of this is to gain as many ideas as possible for later analysis. Out of the many ideas suggested there will be some of great value. Because of the free-thinking environment, the session will help promote radical new ideas which break free from normal ways of thinking.

Advanced Brainstorming

The model we propose is an extension of the traditional brainstorming scenario and makes the whole process easier and more effective. Advanced brainstorming builds on the current methods of brainstorming to produce more original ideas in a more efficient way. Specialized techniques, better processes and better awareness, combined with new technologies, make traditional brainstorming a less frustrating process. Most of the problems associated with traditional brainstorming disappear as a more effective process is used. Keep on reading for more details of how you can do advanced brainstorming for great profit to you and your organization.

Advanced brainstorming uses:

new processes and new training to reduce inhibitions

creative and lateral thinking techniques

brainstorming software (computer-aided creativity). Try a 30 day trial of our brainstorming software (Brainstorming Toolbox).

new materials for stimulation and recording ideas

materials from this website. While we provide free training at this site, if you or your organisation want to use this information on your own PC or network or as in-house training then we require you to purchase a licence for it. This money will be used to fund expansion of this website and the training you will be receiving.