How to set up a brainstorming session and techniques used
How to set up a brainstorming session and techniques used
How to set up a brainstorming session
Group brainstorming
The rules and criteria of the collective brainstorming session should be known before they are introduced, which are osborne's four rules that have been referred to earlier, and can be re-summarized in generating the largest amount of ideas during the creative thinking session, avoiding exposing any of the ideas put forward to criticism or ridicule, encouraging unusual ideas, and then combining these ideas to develop and improve them, after which there are some procedures that can be followed to start a collective brainstorming session consisting of a group of Large or small people, as follows:
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- Identify a group member as an administrator assigned to manage the brainstorming session.
- Identify the problem that will be at the center of the brainstorming session, as it should be clear to all members of the group.
- Establish general rules that are adhered to during the session, which include allowing the person in charge to fully manage the session, not restricting any members of the group so that everyone is allowed to participate, not judging any of the ideas until they are fully assembled, assuming the validity of any idea that is put forward, as well as recording all ideas that are put forward unless they are duplicated, and a time limit must be set for the idea-making and production process.
- Start brainstorming with a focus on encouraging the group to put forward creative ideas based on thinking outside the box.
- Choose members in order according to the role determined by the administrator, to put forward their ideas that they came up with through the process, and then write down all these ideas.
- Avoid any criticism that may be directed at any of the ideas put forward.
- Start evaluating the ideas written, and this can be done by voting on them by the group.
- Group similar ideas, with the aim of limiting and reducing written ideas.
- Discuss all the remaining ideas after they have been limited.
Individual brainstorming
As a group brainstorming session can also be prepared, an individual brainstorming session can be prepared by one person, by writing what he thinks and thinking about proposed solutions to a particular problem that is clear and specific, so that his ideas are not restricted, and then write down the list of ideas he came up with, with the need to review and read them, which may generate new ideas as a result of this self-reviewed criticism, and then identify and choose the best ideas to solve the problem.
Techniques used in brainstorming
There are many techniques that can be used in brainstorming, including:
- Free writing: This technique is based on the principle of writing everything that a person has in mind, without paying attention to the validity or even meaning of the words that have been written;
- Lists: The technique of lists in brainstorming is based on dividing the problem or brainstorming theme into two lists, the first containing ideas that support the topic of brainstorming, while the other contains ideas and claims that refute and contradict this idea, and then ideas are selected from between the two lists based on evidence and evidence, and this technique would make the results of brainstorming strong and have compelling arguments and evidence.
- Views: Through this technique, the problem is viewed from different and different angles, so that it is not seen only unilaterally, which contributes to the identification and vision of the problem in an integrated manner.
- Cubism: This technique resembles the subject of brainstorming with a cube that can be viewed from six different aspects, each representing one of the approaches that can be used in a way that helps to illustrate the problem, these aspects are: description, comparison, connectivity, analysis, application, and interview.
- Map of ideas: The main idea of brainstorming is written in the middle of a white paper or on the blackboard, then start writing concepts or words related to this subject, and then move to another empty place on the paper to expand the writing circle first and foremost, taking care not to stop until the whole paper is filled with ideas, even if it is a little far from the main topic or even irrelevant.
- Parts: The main idea is divided into main branches, then the main branches are divided into subsections, so that ideas about the main parts and others related to the sub- are filled, and then try to find a link between all the ideas that have been written down.
- Press questions: This technique is based on the principle of using six questions used by journalists during their interviews: who? The what? What time? Where is? Why? How?, where a person asks these questions to himself and relates them to the subject of brainstorming, and then write down his answers under each question.
- Thinking outside the box: Using concepts and things elsewhere than they are usually used, which can produce unusually thought-out creative ideas.
- Shapes and graphs: This method is useful for people who tend to learn visually, as drawings and graphs are created to represent ideas produced from brainstorming processes.
- Focus on the goal and the public: This technique is largely based on knowing and determining the purpose of brainstorming, as well as who the audience is targeting.
- Use of sources of knowledge: Knowledge source technology relies on the use of many cognitive and educational means to learn about new ideas and concepts related to the topic of brainstorming, and these sources vary from the Internet, libraries, or even dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
