What are the brainstorming rules for a productive and inclusive ideation session?

Do not try to change a problem or give random solutions. First just write the existing proces to have a clear idea of what you have. After this you can start measuring or defining new ways to improve or new ideas.

I've often found that in collaborative brainstorming and problem-solving, it is really easy to let the idea of "perfection" get in the way of "progress." To combat that, I think it's also helpful to define upfront not only what the problem/scope of the project IS, but also what it is NOT. That way, when possible additional or unknown problems/inefficiencies bubble up within the current context, you can proactively acknowledge and plan to address those needs at the appropriate time (which may/may not be within the context of the current project).

TWO WORDS: psychological safety If you feel psychologically safe in the workplace or in a particular group setting you can disagree openly & surface meaningful discussions without fear of retribution or negative consequences. But- the golden question is: how do you create psychological safety? For that, I’d direct you to the pioneering work of Amy Edmondson & her five steps to creating psychological safety.

The basic rules from my point of view as follow : 1- Select your Target/Goal you want to achieve. 2- Define the problems you need to overcome. 3- Find a Solution for those problems. 4- Apply the plan you created. 5- See the results and conclusion. 6- If you find the results not as what u expected, you can do some changes to the plan, and ask expertise to find better way.

My experience is that brainstorming becomes much more useful if you have empathized with those you want to solve the problem for.

I’ve experienced that by creating an atmosphere of psychological safety, where all ideas & inputs are welcomed and no one is afraid to speak up, works much better and paves the way for productive & creative ideas. The best brainstorming sessions are those in which everyone feels free to share all ideas, no matter how crazy, cliché or outlandish they may seem.

It helps to make the initial ideation step fun and energizing. This isn't the hard work yet, this is the fun part. Put on music while people write individually, or break out into small groups to discuss ideas out loud.

In my experience, having quantity and diversity of ideas gives you an indication of how different people think and experience things. E.g. at work when doing feasibility study on software solutions, we not only include the management but also the end users in the departments who interact with the business processes. This ensures that we have a balance in providing working solutions for everyone.

During this stage, it’s important to make sure the group of people you’re working with feel safe and listened to! Sometimes you miss out on great ideas because someone isn’t comfortable sharing. To help boost confidence, you can directly ask people simple questions, offer anonymous ways to give ideas with a way to track ownership at the end, or by creating a trusting culture prior to the brainstorm.

I think often the leader need to set the tone and give some random ideas previously rejected. As time passes old ideas might become relevant again or previously systems or technology might not have been available to enable aucj ideas. Encourage as many ideas as poasoble, in groups or individually. The one mentioned more than once could help you lead towards short listing later.

Sometimes, ignoring budget constraints can avoid any limiting beliefs. On the other hand, a minimal or non existent budget can also force solutions to the surface that would not have otherwise been seen. Also, take dissenting opinions seriously, as groupthink can potentially lead you down a difficult path. Don't rush into an easy or attractive option.

The brainstorming process reflects the complexity of innovation itself – it's a dance between boundless creativity and the structured refinement required to turn imaginative ideas into actionable solutions. One thing I've found helpful is to give equal space for each voice to be heard. This can help guide this transition smoothly, ensuring that valuable ideas are explored fully while impractical aspects are refined or set aside gracefully. Tools like the six thinking hats or the yes-and approach, can help guide this transition smoothly, ensuring that valuable ideas are explored fully while impractical aspects are refined or set aside gracefully.

During brainstorming, it's crucial to suspend judgement and criticism. This creates a safe space where all ideas are welcome, encouraging participants to freely share their thoughts without fear of negative feedback.

During a brainstorming session, participants are encouraged to think freely and express their thoughts without judgment or criticism. The goal is to encourage a free flow of ideas and build upon each other's suggestions to come up with innovative and creative solutions. The purpose of brainstorming is to stimulate creative thinking, encourage collaboration, and generate a wide range of ideas. It can be used in various contexts, such as problem-solving, product development, strategic planning, and marketing campaigns. Overall, brainstorming is a powerful technique that helps generate a multitude of ideas in a short period, allowing individuals

The facilitator or leader should ensure no discussions are had for ideas giving. Often with engineers around the table, eveyone jumps onto solutioning. Avoid this at all costs and keep the ideation going by encouraging everyone to state their past experiences and practices. Ideas from other industries can often be powerful.

This step is important to check for inclusion and ensure all stakeholders have a chance to contribute. If the conversation has been dominated by the majority group, pause and ask the minority group to reflect on what's there and what's missing. Take stock on who is in the room and consider if you need to invite more people to the table to consider all of the voices that will be affected by the outcome.

often having the same group that came up with the different ideas can also be a good first judge to score or select the top 4 solutions for example, and as they are scoring often combinations come "floating up"

Resist the urge to jump on the first idea like it's the last slice of pizza. We're all about quantity over quality in the beginning. Go wide, grab all sorts of ideas, no matter how wierd. It's like a buffet – pile your plate high before picking favorites. This is where the real genious thoughts hide. Also. Teamwork makes dreamwork. You know that one person who always seems to hijack the brainstorming train? Let's give them a little breather. Encourage everyone to pitch in and help scatter those idea seeds. We're all in this together, after all. Once you have got your pile of idea goodness, that's when you roll up your sleeves and dive deep into your favourites.

In brainstorming, building on and combining ideas can lead to innovative solutions. Encourage participants to expand upon each other's suggestions, creating more detailed concepts. Additionally, invite them to blend different ideas to generate new and unique approaches to the problem.

Brainstorming by thinking up ideas and sketching them out is only one method for generating ideas. Building things and mocking them up (like the NASA engineers did for Apollo 13), offers another way to think, generate concepts, and build from what others have created. Bodystorming, a version of brainstorming where you discover insights and generate concepts by physically empathizing with others (for example, emulating a dental procedure, complete with bright lights and tools thrust in your mouth), offers another option.

Using sticky notes is one of the easiest yet most effective ways to record ideas. At the end of the brainstorming, everyone can vote on the ideas using different criteria, for example dots or stars. Then the favourite ideas can move on to a further discussion step. Even the post-its related to the discarded ideas can be stored somewhere in case it’s needed to give them a second chance.

Brainstorming is good to improve relations within the team . It provides an opportunity for other peoples ideas to be heard especially those not in the leading role .When brainstorming sessions are held openly in a space that does not encourage fear or dismissing other’s ideas can be produce good results. Creating an environment that offers free speech and allow creativity can grow the organisation further . Brainstorming should involve even lower level staff , one can be surprised with great ideas coming from those not normally dimmed as non executive members in an organisation.

When it's time to go through the treasure of ideas. Some might shine like diamonds, while others need a little polish. Get the group together and rate them all – how unique, how practical, how mind-bending are they? Honesty is the name of the game, and what's said in the brainstorm stays in the brainstorm until it′s pitch perfect. Happy brainstorming! ????

When brainstorming, remember to record and organize ideas. Capture all suggestions visually or in writing. Then, categorize similar ideas, identify patterns, and prioritize based on their potential impact and feasibility. This helps streamline the creative process and focus on the most promising concepts.

Creative Problem Solving (CPS) = DESIGN THINKING Creative Problem Solving (CPS) was very popular in the last 20th century. Nowadays a lot of tools would be classified as DESIGN THINKING, which was sparked at IDEO and promoted by Stanford at the start of this century. Design Thinking goes a step beyond CPS as it does not end with ideas but most delivers concrete designs. It is a user-centric approach, encourage collaboration, and create innovative solutions to problems. Here are 5 of the most relevant DT TOOLS: 1. Empathy Mapping. 2. Brainstorming: 3. PRETOTYPING. 4. User Testing. 5. Journey Mapping. In the best-practice FORTH innovation methodology we merge design thinking with business reality producing amazing innovation results.

When arranging a brainstorming session, step back and reflect on the purpose of the session. Go through and select who will be part of the brainstorm session and think about their personalities and engagement style. Are they extroverted or introverted? Cater to both types. For extroverts give them allocated time so they are heard. For introverts and deep thinkers, sending an agenda beforehand helps them organise their thoughts. You can also reach out individually to shy participants and let them know why their input is vital. Always give opportunity to send any afterthoughts when the session has ended.

While knowing the problem can help you solve something, what you need to always have in mind is what is the product, experience, or solution you are trying to obtain by solving the problem. I have seen far to often the solution for the problem actually create more problems rather than deliver what was intended by trying to solve the initial problem.

It's also good to consider when during the day you brainstorm. What have you been doing before and if there is something that happens after that make you less involved. Have you created enough mind space.

Especially during informal brainstorming sessions, often a few people who like to talk a lot will crowd the air space. Be wary of the Dunning Kruger effect that the least knowledgeable people will often be the most confident in their answers. Don't assume the loudest voices have the best ideas. If the aim is truly inclusion, then you need to temper the Type A personalities and find ways to invite and encourage the more mild mannered teammates. This can be done through a meeting facilitator managing a stack of raised hands. Then organize the list based on prioritizing the most inclusion. Another role for the facilitator is to actively call on people who are not participating and ask them to respond or reflect what has already been shared.