Less Talk, More Ideas
By Destiny Aman, JPoint Strategic Design SME & CEO
While brainstorming (or the group problem solving technique that involves the spontaneous contribution of ideas) seems like a simple enough exercise, we’ve probably all been in brainstorming sessions that turned into wandering discussions, diversions, or worst, the dreaded devil’s advocate spiral.
It turns out there are different ways to brainstorm (or as the design world puts it, ideate) that can yield better quality ideas more quickly, and they often involve more moderation and less talking! Who would have thought? Here are a few strategies to consider:
Consider a Design Sprint
Design Thinking is a way of approaching problem solving that focuses on the user experience rather than the problem itself. Because of its effectiveness and emphasis on empathizing with the user, it’s one of the main approaches we use at JPoint.
A cornerstone of the Design Thinking approach is the design sprint. This is a structured, five-phase process. The five phases are:
- Understand the goal of the sprint and define metrics for success
- Diverge by using ideation techniques to come up with as many possible solutions as possible
- Converge by narrowing down all those solutions to the ones that seem most feasible
- Prototype by creating a product from one of the solutions you came up with that can be tested on people
- Test your prototype on a small group of people from your target audience
Probably the most important phase in a design sprint is the Diverge stage – this is where brainstorming comes in, but because it’s part of a sprint, it can’t go on forever, and that’s a good thing! Creative exercises that are too open-ended can drag on and become unproductive. By putting a time limit on the brainstorming period of a design sprint, you can force participants to get those ideas out into the world!
The original Google design sprint structure (designed for generating tech solutions) is five days, but at JPoint Collaborative, we’ve repurposed the sprint framework so that teams generate dedicated outputs in as little as one full day. We’ve also created variations for different types of strategy or communication needs, ensuring the creative energy of the group is optimally harnessed.
Mind Mapping is an effective tool for collaborative brainstorming that’s often used in design sprints. It generates ideas by turning brainstorming into a word association game. Start with a concept or statement of your problem in the center, and draw branches with associated ideas and concepts. Forcing everyone’s brains to make as many connections as possible that are related to the problem you’re trying to solve can yield fruitful results!
Mind mapping is a good example of divergent thinking, which is a more creative approach to problem solving that involves coming up with as many solutions to a problem as possible. Also sometimes called lateral thinking, it’s the opposite of convergent thinking, which is a more standard approach to problem solving that focuses on coming up with a single solution to a problem. This divergent thinking is exactly what you want to encourage during phase 2 of a design sprint!
Structured Exercises
This article details a much more structured brainstorming process that incorporates visual elements and involves basically no talking. It’s a great way to make tricky decisions that might otherwise get stymied in endless discussions. It can also enhance the quality of your ideas, and since extended brainstorming sessions can leave folks feeling a little punchy, that’s a welcome advantage!
Creative Visualization
Using a technique called eidetic imagery can help make daydreams reality. To use this technique, the session facilitator will ask participants to visualize the solution to their problem or the product they want to create in vivid detail, complete with sound and feel as well as how it looks. Involving your minds’ eye and all your senses can help unlock creative energy and better ideas. Creative visualization is a powerful technique to use to bring your vision to life.
Storyboarding
Take that creative visualization even further by using storyboarding. This is a brainstorming technique often used in design sprints focused on service design. Participants will map out the end user’s journey as a story – this encourages visual, step-by-step thinking and is a good way to find and address pitfalls in your process.
Other Tips
As these techniques demonstrate, when you’re scheduling a brainstorming session with a team, it helps to put some thought into how you’ll structure the session rather than just cleaning off a whiteboard and hoping for the best.
- Give some thought to the optimal time for brainstorming. Avoid scheduling long brainstorming sessions right before lunch unless you want hangry participants; likewise the Friday afternoon before a long weekend probably won’t get you the undivided attention you’d like.
- Provide a space with soft, comfortable chairs or couches and snacks, preferably in a place that’s not too distracting.
- It’s important to stay flexible – you might have a brainstorming activity planned and your group is just not feeling it, so it’s important to have a plan b or c in your pocket that’s a little easier or more low-key.
At JPoint we often facilitate ideation sessions like these, especially from a Design Thinking perspective. We tailor activities to the needs and personalities of your group to help you get the most out of your team. And most importantly, we have that Plan B and C at the ready so you don’t have to. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you think we could help you with facilitating brainstorming sessions that will unlock your team’s potential!
