A “brainstorming” is an effective way to generate flexible ideas. However, if you do not follow these tips, the meeting may end up as mere chit-chat and no effective ideas will be generated.
In fact, many people may be troubled that brainstorming do not generate ideas and do not lead to improvement of problems.
In this issue, we will explain the rules for a successful brainstorming, how to proceed with the meeting, and what to keep in mind when conducting a brainstorming session for below people.
- “I have held a brainstorming, but I am having trouble getting sufficient results.”
- “I do not know how to proceed with a brainstorming, so I would like to know the procedure.”
- “I want to know the points to keep in mind when brainstorming to make the meeting a success.”
If you are in this situation, this article will help you understand the rules and procedures of the brainstorming, so that you can proceed smoothly with your company’s brainstorming.
Contents
- 1 What is brainstorming?
- 2 Rules of a brainstorming
- 3 How to proceed with a brainstorming session
- 4 5 frameworks for improving the effectiveness of breaking
- 5 Points to keep in mind when brainstorming
- 6 Best tool for keeping minutes of brainstorming in an easy-to-read format
- 7 Summary of overview regarding brainstorm and how to proceed and notes for brainstorming
What is brainstorming?
Below is an overview of brainstorming and the benefits of introducing it in meetings. Brainstorming can improve business operations, so be sure to incorporate it appropriately.
Overview
Brainstorming is a method of trying to find new and interesting ideas by mixing ideas and exchanging opinions freely, as if a storm is brewing.
Unlike a regular, formal meeting, brainstorming encourages free exchange of ideas, allowing for ideas to emerge from unusual angles, free of preconceived notions.
In addition, if the opinions expressed in a brainstorming session are written down on the spot and shared so that all members can see them, information can be visualized and the meeting can proceed more easily.
Benefits of brainstorming-type meetings
Practicing a brainstorming has the below effects that make it easier to express opinions and refine ideas.
- An environment in which it is easy to speak up can be created because opinions can be expressed more casually than in a normal work session.
- New ideas are generated based on previously expressed ideas
- Information is organized by verbalizing ideas.
Thus, it can be said that brainstorming-type meetings are effective in generating flexible ideas.
Rules of a brainstorming
The following describes the rules that should be followed when conducting a brainstorming.
Although brainstorming is often thought of as just an opportunity to generate ideas, in order to be effective, the following rules must be followed in conducting meetings.
No negativity or criticism
When brainstorming, do not negate or criticize the ideas and opinions that come up from other members.
The purpose of brainstorming is to “generate more ideas”. If you deny other ideas of members, the speaker or members will shrink, and the risk of a decrease in the volume of comments in subsequent meetings will increase.
In addition, even if an idea is not feasible, it may develop into a useful idea when combined with other members’ ideas.
Therefore, managers should encourage their employees to actively voice their ideas without hesitation. It is also important to train employees to respect the opinions of others in order to create an atmosphere in which it is easy to speak up and accept any idea.
Emphasize quantity over quality.
When brainstorming, it is important to emphasize quantity over quality.
Unlike a regular meeting, a brainstorming session is meant to generate all possible ideas from various angles. However, focusing on quality makes it necessary to work out specific details before presenting them, which makes it difficult to come up with free and innovative ideas.
Therefore, in brainstorming, it is advisable to include not only general ideas but also those that may be difficult to realize, in order to broaden the range of options for the conclusions that can be obtained.
Combining, multiply, and associate ideas
Combine, multiply, associate, and develop the ideas that come out of the brainstorming session.
When brainstorming is based on quantity rather than quality, a large number of ideas will emerge. Then, when grouping them together or combining them with existing ideas, they are more likely to produce useful measures than single ideas.
In brainstorming, it is important to respect the opinions of others. If you have an idea that could be combined with another person’s idea, feel free to encourage them to speak up.
Do not make definitive judgments or conclusions during the meeting
Making definitive judgments and conclusions during the meeting will lead to stagnation of the brainstorming process.
Judging free ideas as “unrealistic” or “impossible” will lead to rejection of the idea and cause the meeting to stall. In addition, brainstorming is a forum for generating ideas, not for pursuing a conclusion to an agenda item.
In order to create an environment where opinions can be actively expressed, brainstorming should be a casual exchange of ideas, with time for decisions and conclusions to be made separately after the brainstorming session.
How to proceed with a brainstorming session
This section explains how to proceed with a brainstorming. Since a brainstorming session can turn into a mere chatting session if you do not keep the points in mind, be sure to keep the following points in mind while facilitating the meeting.
Decide on a facilitator
First, decide on a facilitator for the meeting. A facilitator is a position that encourages participants to speak during the meeting and summarizes the flow of the conversation.
Although a brainstorming session is “a meeting where ideas can be freely exchanged without negativity”, there is a risk that some participants may become reluctant to speak up out of concern for the eyes of others, or that some may express negative opinions about other people’s ideas.
Therefore, a facilitator can be provided to control the progress of the brainstorming session by encouraging participants to speak up and creating an atmosphere where members can easily accept their comments.
Decide on the purpose of the meeting
Once a facilitator has been selected, the next step is to decide what ideas you want to obtain through the brainstorming session.
Depending on the purpose of the brainstorm, the selection of members and the way the meeting will proceed will differ. For example, if specific ideas are sought, on-site employees who perform tasks related to the agenda need to be convened, and if the direction of the business is to be decided, the managerial level should play a central role.
If the brainstorming session proceeds without a purpose, there is a risk that the conversation will become unconnected, like chit-chat, and as a result, the meeting will lose its collection of ideas. In order to follow through on the objectives and get the best ideas for the agenda, it is important to “set goals in advance.
Decide who will participate in the meeting
Once the objectives have been determined, the next step is to decide who will participate in the meeting.
Generally, the optimal number of participants for a brainstorming session is around 3 to 10 people, so be careful not to increase the number too much. However, if the same members participate in brainstorming every time, ideas will be uniform and synergy will be difficult to generate.
Therefore, regardless of the boundaries between teams, make a list of people with the necessary skills and experience, and consider who should participate. Brainstorming are more likely to be more active when people of different ages, departments, genders, experience, positions, and other backgrounds are brought together.
Conduct the meeting within the allotted time
Be sure to keep the brainstorming sessions within the allotted time.
It is important to generate more ideas in a brainstorm, and participants need to come to the meeting with a focused mind. However, if the meeting is held for a long time, concentration will be lost and as a result, it will be difficult to generate ideas.
In order to make the brainstorming session more effective, let the meeting converge within a pre-determined time frame. Generally, 1 to 2 hours is an appropriate amount of time for a brainstorming session.
5 frameworks for improving the effectiveness of breaking
This section describes 5 frameworks that can enhance the effectiveness of brainstorming. Incorporating the following frameworks into your thinking will facilitate idea generation.
Method 1| Wish-point enumeration method
The wish-point enumeration method is a framework for thinking about ideal situations for a theme.
The point is that even if the content is out of the ordinary, if it is an ideal idea for the theme, it should be listed. Thinking of dreams and ideals, regardless of their feasibility, is expected to have the effect of generating radical reform ideas for problems.
However, while the wish-point enumeration method is effective in generating flexible ideas, it may not be a realistic solution because it is only focused on ideals. Therefore, it is effective when used in combination with the disadvantage enumeration method to select and discard feasible ideas.
Disadvantage enumeration method
The disadvantage enumeration method is a framework for listing the defects and dissatisfactions of an agenda item in order to find clues to solving the problem.
The basic principle of brainstorming is “do not deny opinions”, but when using the disadvantage enumeration method, the faults and problems with the agenda item are thoroughly identified. Once the shortcomings are identified, improvements can be considered and realistic ideas can be developed.
In addition, when crossed with the ideas raised in the wish-point enumeration method, the shortcomings identified as concerns in the disadvantage enumeration method can be compensated for and a feasible solution can be generated.
Why-Why Analysis
Why-Why Analysis is a framework for cause analysis in which the “why” is repeated 5 times for a topic or problem.
By pursuing the reasons for a problem with more specificity, you will be able to understand the causes in more depth.
＜Example of Why-Why Analysis＞
Problem: Defective products were mixed in the delivered items.
- Why? →Insufficient inspection
- Why? →The quality of checks varied from person to person.
- Why? →Check items were not specified, and inspection standards were unclear.
- Why? →Manuals were not in line with the current situation as they were when they were first created.
- Why? →The manual was still in operation as it was when it was first created, with no fixed review period.
Conclusion: Revise and review the manual on a regular basis, once every six months.
The figure of “5 times” is only a rough guide, so if you feel that the analysis is insufficient, it is recommended to increase the number of times and check it in more detail. 
Mind mapping
A mind mapping is a framework for organizing thoughts and information.
By describing a central theme and relating the ideas that emerge on a parabola, thoughts and information can be organized and new ideas can emerge. This is easier to understand than describing in writing, and is especially useful when multiplying ideas at the end of a brainstorming session.
Since the transition of ideas is shown in the form of branches, mind maps can be started during the meeting to save the time of reorganizing them later.
KJ Method
The KJ method is a framework for grouping ideas and organizing them logically.
Information is described on small pieces of paper, such as sticky notes, and cards of the same lineage are grouped together to analyze and collectively organize the information. Unlike mind mapping, which covers the connections between ideas, the purpose of KJ-method is only logical analysis and classification.
While the KJ method is useful, it requires more time and effort to prepare cards and summarize ideas compared to mind mapping. <>bTherefore, use mind maps as the basic method for organizing information, and incorporate the KJ method as needed.
Points to keep in mind when brainstorming
Below are some points to keep in mind when brainstorming. To maximize the effects of brainstorming, be aware of the following points.
Ensure that information is available to members at all times.
Keep information such as ideas that are generated during the brainstorming session available for members to review at any time.
A brainstorming session is not only for generating ideas, but also for combining and summarizing the ideas to come up with a better solution. Therefore, if only the person in charge of the minutes keeps track of the meeting as in a normal meeting, the attendees will forget the ideas that came up and the meeting will be delayed.
Therefore, it is important to write down the brainstorming ideas in a place where all members can see them. Also, instead of using analog methods such as a whidboard or sticky notes, record them in an information sharing tool such as Stock, so that the data can be used for the next and subsequent brainstorming sessions.
Do not be afraid to be around others
When brainstorming, do not be afraid to speak up and be proactive.
One of the main reasons why brainstorms fail is that people are too shy to speak up. Facilitators should actively encourage reluctant participants to speak up, and participants themselves should try to speak freely without being limited by the quality of their ideas.
In addition, in order to prevent situations where participants do not speak up for fear of criticism, organizers need to make sure that participants feel relaxed and comfortable in the meeting. Let them know in advance that “all opinions are respected”, and that “free opinions are welcome, regardless of position or work history”.
Ensure that information about the meeting is compiled
Be sure to summarize information about the brainstorming session.
When many ideas are gathered in a brainstorming session, information may appear mixed up and confusing when reviewed later. Without a secure record, there is an increased risk of missing important ideas or misinterpreting the content.
Therefore, to make the most of your ideas after the meeting, be sure to properly record information in an easy-to-read format.
Best tool for keeping minutes of brainstorming in an easy-to-read format
The following is a best tool that can be used to save the minutes of brainstorming in an easy-to-read format.
When brainstorming, the ideas that come up should be immediately available for all participants to review. However, with analog methods such as writing on a whiteboard or using sticky notes, the content must be transcribed or photographed and saved after the meeting.
Therefore, ideas generated during the meeting can be recorded as minutes in an information sharing tool and shared in real time, solving the need to recapitulate them after the meeting. However, if a complex tool is introduced, it will not be easy to use, and the cost incurred will not be recovered, leading to a situation where the company reverts back to analog recording methods.
Therefore, choose a tool that is simple to use. In conclusion, Stock, a tool that allows anyone to easily share information in real time by typing directly into a notebook like Word, is the best choice for the minutes of brainstorming.
“Note” of Stock support not only text, but also images, videos, and file attachments, allowing users to record meetings in any format. In addition, notes can be categorized in “Folder” so that you can find your brainstorming records whenever you need them, regardless of the time and location.
Stock| The simplest tool for easily centralizing all information in the company
The simplest tool to stock information "Stock"
https://www.stock-app.info/en/
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In addition, by using the "Task" and "Message" functions, you can communicate with each topic described in the Note, so that information is not dispersed here and there and work can always be carried out in an organized manner.
＜Why do we recommend Stock?＞
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Summary of overview regarding brainstorm and how to proceed and notes for brainstorming
We have explained the rules, procedures, and cautions for brainstorming.
When brainstorming, it is easier to come up with ideas than in a normal meeting. In addition, if the meeting is conducted based on rules such as “emphasize quantity over quality” and “do not deny opinions”, opinions will be exchanged actively and better ideas will be generated.
It is important to keep minutes of the meeting to record ideas from the brainstorming, and to set up a system that allows members participating in the meeting to check the minutes on the spot. In particular, using an “information sharing tool” to record the minutes allows multiple people to view the minutes at the same time, facilitating the brainstorming session.
However, complicated tools are difficult to use and do not keep good records, so it is important to choose a service that is easy for anyone to use. In conclusion, the best choice for brainstorming is Stock, a simple information sharing tool that is intuitive and easy to use, even for non-IT companies.
Free registration only takes 1 minute, so using Stock and make your company’s brainstorming a success.
