The basic rules of brainstorming and its types
The basic rules of brainstorming and its types
Brainstorming can be a great way to generate many ideas in a short time. plus, if you do it right, brainstorming can help build beneficial bonds between your team members. People who are included in a brainstorming session may also feel that their ideas are important and valuable -- which in turn can lead to greater support from them and stronger attraction among team members.
However, all of these benefits mean nothing if the brainstorming process is poorly managed. In fact, a bad brainstorming session can lead to frustration and alienation from the people involved. In other words, a bad brainstorming session is worse than no session at all.
Brainstorming is not rocket science, but good brainstorming follows several important sets of rules. Follow the rules and you will help build a stronger team and a better product or service. Ignore these rules...and the negative consequences will come to you.
The first and most important set of rules for brainstorming begins well in advance of even planning your brainstorming meeting, so that you are sure to prepare for the success of your session. There are indispensable guidelines to follow to keep your team on the right track and to keep the good ideas flowing.
Basic rules of brainstorming
Alex Osborne's development of the concept of brainstorming was based on his influence on Graham Wallace's creative thinking theories, with Osborne setting out basic rules for brainstorming, which are:
- Focus on quantity: This rule focuses on the ultimate goal to be reached during brainstorming, and depends on reaching the largest amount of ideas that are put forward during brainstorming regardless of the quality and effectiveness of those ideas.
- Withholding criticism: This rule means not criticizing any idea that is put forward during the brainstorming process, and postponing the judgment on these ideas until the process is completed.
- Accept new ideas: it encourages all ideas to be put forward even if they are unusual and unfamiliar.
- Developing and integrating ideas: Ideas from brainstorming are integrated, developed and improved.
Types of brainstorming
There are two types of brainstorming: individual brainstorming, group brainstorming, and each of these types has its own characteristics and disadvantages, as individual brainstorming is more effective in producing better and more effective ideas to solve simple, normal and general problems, and the person who individually brainstorms is able to unleash and create his or her ideas without worrying about having any other people who share ideas that might touch on his or her own topics, and get the best results in this type of thing. Brainstorming is necessary to have a comfortable place without distractions so that one can pour most of your focus on the subtraction one wants to think about, and be able to arrange and develop his ideas through the use of mental maps.
While group brainstorming is more effective in solving complex problems, allowing one to benefit from the experiences, ideas and creativity that are put forward by the rest of the group, which leads to the development of ideas in depth and non-stop at a particular person, when the idea of one of them stops at a certain point, it can be transferred to the next stage through another person, the group becomes one block contributing to solving the problem, and it serves to remind the members of the group that they have innovative ideas It can be presented, and it is recommended that individuals in brainstorming be divided into groups of five to seven people to get more effective outcomes, and despite the importance of collective brainstorming, it has many drawbacks that may make it restricted to ideas, putting forward an unusual idea during the process of mass brainstorming that may make them subject to criticism and miscalculation, and these groups usually lack their adherence to the rules of mental storming properly, It should be noted that what is known as blocking, which may appear during mass brainstorming, is that people are interested in the ideas of some people only, or someone waits for their role to put forward their idea, which they may forget while waiting for their role to speak.
Brainstorming, if done correctly, can lead to impressive results: great insights, team building, and support from all levels. However, brainstorming, if done badly, will at best only waste time. At its worst, it can lead to serious problems of confidence and morale.
What makes a brainstorming session a great session. It's really up to respect. Respect employees' time, ideas, creativity, and knowledge. When employees feel like they're a respected part of the staff, great things can happen.
