Brainstorming - Framework for Group Session
Brainstorm ( Geistesblitz in German) is flash of inspiration, brainwave, scintillation, flash of genius. Brainstorming makes every member of the organization feel important.
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature School on Blog
Brainstorm ( Geistesblitz in German) is flash of inspiration, brainwave, scintillation, flash of genius. Brainstorming makes every member of the organization feel important.
Dr Abe V Rotor
Living with Nature School on Blog
Brainstorming - Class in Developmental Communication under the author, UST Faculty of rts and Letters.
Brainstorming is a popular group interaction in various settings - community, academic and business - in a workshop style. It is a group creativity technique designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution of a problem, or analysis of a situation.
Four Rules in Brainstorming
1. Encourage freewheeling expression.
2. Reserve criticism on anyone’s ideas.
3. Generate good, workable, profitable ideas.
4. Combine ideas for strength.
Code of Conduct
1. Encourage the ideas of others.
2. Make positive constructive comments.
3. Encourage the participation of all members.
4. Solicit input from others in the department.
5. Ensure that credit is given to those to whom it is due.
6. Maintain a friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere.
7. Attend all scheduled meetings.
8. Rotate tasks on a voluntary basis.
9. Mail the minutes of the meeting within a reasonable time.
10. Assist other group members as necessary.
11. Follow the rules of brainstorming.
12. Follow Robert’s Rules of Order.
13. Maintain equality among all members of the group.
14. Accept the decision of the majority.
Conduct of Session1. A warm-up session, to expose novice participants to the criticism-free environment. A simple problem is brainstormed, for example, Prevent Dengue in the Community.
2. The facilitator presents the problem and gives a further explanation if needed.
3. The facilitator asks the brainstorming group for their ideas.
4. If no ideas are forthcoming, the facilitator suggests a lead to encourage creativity.
5. All participants present their ideas, and the idea collector records them.
6. To ensure clarity, participants may elaborate on their ideas.
7. When time is up, the facilitator organizes the ideas based on the topic goal and encourages discussion.
8. Ideas are categorized.
9. The whole list is reviewed to ensure that everyone understands the ideas.
10. Duplicate ideas and obviously infeasible solutions are removed.
11. The facilitator thanks all participants and gives each a token of appreciation.
The role of the rapporteur is vital. He is in charge of the proceedings, noting the salient points. Electronic recording may make the work easier. In either case, it is important that the proceedings are properly transcribed, edited and presented as minutes. This may serve as agenda material for follow-up meetings, or presented as reference for project development, and even policy formulation.
Now the most important thing. Things are easier said than done. Implementation is the proof of the success of the brainstorming. Ideas are translated to action.
Brainstorming is key to group decision and action, and collective responsibility, irrespective of whoever thought of the idea, or who did not agree with it.
In all its practicality, brainstorming makes every member of the organization feel important, although the process may not necessarily arrive at the best solution to a problem.~
References: The New Publicity Kit by J Smith; Philippine Journalism by J Luna Castro; Principles of Extension (Moshav and Kibbutz); Journalism for Filipinos, by A Malinao; Brainstorming, Wikipedia~
The 8 Dimensions of a Brainstorm Session
Most people think brainstorming sessions are all about ideas -- much in the same way Wall Street bankers think life is all about money.
While ideas are certainly a big part of brainstorming, they are only a part.
People who rush into a brainstorming session starving for new ideas will miss the boat (and the train, car, and unicycle) completely unless they tune into the some other important dynamics that are also at play:
1. INVESTIGATION: If you want your brainstorming sessions to be effective, you'll need to do some investigating before hand. Get curious. Ask questions. Dig deeper. The more you find out what the real issues are, the greater your chances of framing powerful questions to brainstorm and choosing the best techniques to use.
2. IMMERSION: While good ideas can surface at any time, their chances radically increase the more that brainstorm participants are immersed. Translation? No coming and going during a session. No distractions. No interruptions. And don't forget to put a "do not disturb" sign on the door.
3. INTERACTION: Ideas come to people at all times of day and under all kinds of circumstances. But in a brainstorming session, it's the quality of interaction that makes the difference -- how people connect with each other, how they listen, and build on ideas. Your job, as facilitator, is to increase the quality of interaction.
4. INSPIRATION: Creative output is often a function of mindset. Bored, disengaged people rarely originate good ideas. Inspired people do. This is one of your main tasks, as a brainstorm facilitator -- to do everything in your power to keep participants inspired. The more you do, the less techniques you will need.
5. IDEATION: Look around. Everything you see began as an idea in someone's mind. Simply put, ideas are the seeds of innovation -- the first shape a new possibility takes. As a facilitator of the creative process, your job is to foster the conditions that amplify the odds of new ideas being conceived, developed, and articulated.
6. ILLUMINATION: Ideas are great. Ideas are cool. But they are also a dime a dozen unless they lead to an insight or aha. Until then, ideas are only two dimensional. But when the light goes on inside the minds of the people in your session, the ideas are activated and the odds radically increase of them manifesting.
7. INTEGRATION: Well-run brainstorming sessions have a way of intoxicating people. Doors open. Energy soars. Possibilities emerge. But unless participants have a chance to make sense of what they've conceived, the ideas are less likely to manifest. Opening the doors of the imagination is a good thing, but so is closure.
8. IMPLEMENTATION: Perhaps the biggest reason why most brainstorming sessions fail is what happens after -- or, shall I say, what doesn't happen after. Implementation is the name of the game. Before you let people go, clarify next steps, who's doing what (and by when), and what outside support is needed.
8. IMPLEMENTATION: Perhaps the biggest reason why most brainstorming sessions fail is what happens after -- or, shall I say, what doesn't happen after. Implementation is the name of the game. Before you let people go, clarify next steps, who's doing what (and by when), and what outside support is needed.
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