How can you facilitate a group to generate creative ideas?

At some magazines I worked at, the leader would pull editors into a conference room and ask us all to ideate on the spot. It never worked. There were too many competing priorities — people trying to stand out, impress the boss, placate the boss, and more. Here's a much better method: Share the mission ahead of time. Give people context. Encourage them to develop ideas that might be bad, or even just the beginning fragment of something. Assemble a team that works well together —?and if you're the boss, you might want to consider leaving yourself out of the meeting. Ideas will flow more freely with you gone.

To get creative ideas from a group, prep work is key. The groundwork makes it safe to think freely. It focuses energy in the right direction. First, be clear on the goal. State the problem plainly. Set boundaries. Next, choose the right mix of people. Get a diversity of views. Invite experts and fresh thinkers. Then set expectations. Explain the agenda and process. Describe roles and rules. Make sure everyone knows the purpose. Keep the scope tight. The target should be clear.

Facilitating a group to generate creative ideas involves several key steps. Firstly, create an open environment where team members feel safe sharing their thoughts. Encourage diversity in the group. Begin with a clear problem statement to focus the discussion. Use brainstorming techniques like mind mapping or the "What if?" approach to trigger creative thinking. Encourage participants to think freely, without judgment. Listen actively to all ideas, giving each a fair chance. Group members should build upon each other's suggestions. Set a time limit to maintain focus and prevent overthinking. After generating a list of ideas, prioritize and evaluate them based on set criteria. This ensures the most promising concepts receive attention.

Prepare the ground by fostering psychological safety and create a positive and supportive work environment. Set a welcoming and open atmosphere where participants feel comfortable sharing their ideas without fear of criticism. Emphasize the importance of respecting and valuing each other's contributions.

My blueprint for effective brainstorming: 1. Preparation - Share the goal beforehand and set a clear time limit with constraints. Creativity thrives within boundaries. 2. During the session - Begin with icebreakers for comfort, emphasize no wrong answers, and restate the goal and constraints. Ensure everyone shares their ideas. 3. Idea selection - Have outsiders pick from a concise list of ideas without revealing their sources. Take a collective vote. Bonus: Encourage ongoing group communication for rapport and long-term company benefit.

One warm-up activity comes from improv, where everyone practices 'accepting offers' - each person in turn makes up a role or profession and a thing to present to the next person. "Hi, I'm a baker and here's a loaf of bread" "Hi I'm a skydiver and here's a parachute" and the next person simply has to say "thanks, I'll go slice it up" or "thanks, I'll take this and wear it on this upcoming flight." Everyone takes turns both giving and receiving. There's no judgement or joke-making, you just accept the idea that's given to you. It feels great to have your ideas accepted and built upon without question and that sets the tone for a good collaborative workshop.

A little social fun beforehand gets ideas flowing faster once brainstorming starts. The more relaxed the group, the more imaginative the ideas. Use an interactive icebreaker like Two Truths and a Lie to spark conversation. Get people moving with a silly physical activity likeBayesian Blob Tag. Laughter and movement energize the brain. Set a playful, judgment-free tone. Remind the group there are no bad ideas in brainstorming. Provide snacks and beverages to keep the group alert and engaged.

Ditch the stiff slides and corporate talk. Tell the group that each person MUST come up with at least 3-5 bad ideas- the worst & funniest bad ideas win! As everyone shares their ideas, capture them on a poster board (in-person meetings) or whiteboard (virtual meetings). The group will start slowly and feel awkward at first so you'll need to throw out some funny ideas, like: "Route all disgruntled users directly to CEO's cell phone." Once people start laughing, they'll throw out more outrageous ideas and the tension fades. You may find some nuggets of good ideas from this, and can build on them. Alternatively, if you find nothing useful, you can conduct your planned brainstorming with a group that is now primed to think differently.

It’s very important to create a safe environment for people to share their ideas, no matter what they are. Validate people’s ideas, be appreciative for what they’re bringing to the table, encourage people who are speaking up. Creating a safe environment will encourage more people to share and riff off one another’s ideas, eventually leading to a creative solution that everyone is excited about.

To create a positive and relaxed atmosphere, everyone needs to know that their ideas will be considered. So I like to start with a thorough introduction that includes the purpose and expected outcomes. Then, I usually start with an icebreaker that will help them both relax, and lose inhibitions. For example, I sometimes ask the group to share their most embarrassing moment from the past year. The group will laugh, get to know each other better, and, after sharing their awkward moment, it will be easier for them to share any idea that comes to their mind. It puts them in a situation in which they might think: "If I already shared how I fell in the park, I might as well share this crazy idea that I've been thinking about for so long"

First, create a safe space. Ground rules like "no judging ideas" set the tone. Do quick rounds where each person shares one idea, then passes to the next. Try "yes and" instead of "no but" to build on ideas. Go for quantity over quality at this stage. Remember the goal is pushing past assumptions. Wild and "bad" ideas can trigger new directions. Keep energy high with activities like movement or music. Laughter opens minds.

A great piece of advice I recently read - look at where your problem already been solved in a totally different field. Or consider what would be an absolutely 'out there' solution and whether there is anything you could learn from that. I recommend the book Creative Blindness by Dave Trott for inspiring some different thinking.

Allocate some time for individual idea generation before the group brainstorming phase. Encourage participants to reflect independently on the problem at hand and jot down their initial ideas.

One of the interesting techniques I learnt is “Random word”brainstorming as a technique in which teams generate ideas by associating random words with the topic or problem they’re exploring. This can help trigger new perspectives and fresh connections. The best part of this random words brainstorming is that it really helps break down mental barriers that can be blocking new ideas. There are no right or wrong answers, and it’s fascinating to discover what the brain associates with random words.

Before you start "generating ideas" be sure to lay the foundation. Spend some time getting everyone who's participating on the same page. Agree on the core problem you're trying to solve. Discuss anything you've done in the past to try to solve this problem. Once you're ready to generate ideas, have a framework in mind for doing so. Handing folks a blank slate and saying "solve this problem" is guaranteed to put people into a "deer in the headlights" reaction. Instead, focus your time by starting broadly and narrowing as you go through your exercises. Equally important — don't have folks simply blurt out ideas. Work individually and then come together to review ideas and decide, anonymously, on the most appropriate direction.

I like dot and sticky note voting to evaluate and narrow down ideas. You can also use virtual tools like Miro boards or others to cluster similar ideas together. I also think how you evaluate will depend on your business needs and the outcome. For me, it is often trying to ideate around marketing ideas or product features that can help solve a problem for the most number of customers and drive revenue/growth for the business. To this end, I try to keep it simple and create a ranking of each idea with a 1-10 score on the cost or level of effort to execute that idea vs the potential impact of investing in that idea. Generally, the low lift, high impact ideas will rise to the top.

As a creative man, this happens to be my thing. As years goes by, you start moving from simpler “shinny” ideas to strategic ideas. That means that these ideas are not only clear, interesting, engaging or appealing, but that they go back to the main goal of the initiative. No matter if it’s business, comms or a party theme, ideas should be evaluated in terms of fullfilment. In my experience, the voting method doesn’t work most times because you’re dealing with backgrounds, experience, areas of expertise and even personality. That’s why you should come back to the objective (which is objective). So, the next layer of evaluation should involve all the plausible objective ideas and ask if that’s the best way to present/solve the problem.

Playfulness, time for individual reflection, and visual aids can stimulate innovation, and cross-pollination of ideas among participants can lead to even more creativity. Embrace flexibility, be open to unexpected directions, and capture all ideas, as unconventional ones can hold hidden potential. Lastly, foster a culture of feedback, collaboration, and iterative refinement to harness the full power of creative group dynamics. Celebrate creativity as a driving force for innovation in an ever-evolving world.

Following the idea generation phase, it's essential to evaluate the ideas. Here's how: Specify Evaluation Criteria: Establish criteria for assessing ideas. These might include feasibility, impact, alignment with objectives, and resource requirements. Collect and Document Ideas: Ensure a systematic way to capture and document the ideas generated, whether it's on a whiteboard, sticky notes, or digital collaboration tools. Prioritize Ideas: Encourage participants to vote or discuss the ideas they find most promising. Consider group consensus or expert evaluation to prioritize ideas effectively.

Predicting which ideas will succeed can be challenging. A study involving professionals in the circus arts industry (Berg, 2016) tried to determine who predicts creative success better: creators or managers. Data from over 13,000 audience members was used to judge the accuracy of these predictions. The findings showed that creators were better than managers at forecasting the success of other people's ideas, but not their own. One reason creators might be better at predicting is because they use both divergent thinking (coming up with ideas) and convergent thinking (judging ideas). Conclusion: to make better predictions, it's beneficial to generate our own ideas before evaluating others'.

Regarding fostering innovation within teams, brainstorming sessions should focus on generating and refining ideas. One effective technique for refining ideas is using the SCAMPER checklist, which encourages participants to reevaluate concepts and bring out their potential. Another essential aspect is prototyping, which allows ideas to be visualized through sketches, models, or digital representations. Additionally, pitching ideas plays a role in championing them and effectively conveying their value and narrative. By utilizing these tools, leaders can significantly refine their team's innovation ability.

Refining creative ideas is the bridge between ideation and execution: Define Actionable Steps: Outline a process for implementing the selected ideas. Assign responsibilities, set deadlines, and establish a timeline for progress reviews. Modify and Improve: Encourage iterative development, where ideas are refined through multiple rounds of feedback and adjustments. This promotes continuous improvement. Celebrate Successes: Acknowledge and celebrate successes to reinforce the culture of innovation and creativity within your team or organization. Positive reinforcement encourages ongoing creative thinking.

Particularly in tech, we often look at feasibility studies, a mock-up or a POC (proof of concept) models that allows a quick launch process and thus, evaluation of the parts of ideas that require further fine-tuning. This is also the point where the sales and marketing teams are roped in for research - desktop, market or on-the-ground research to test the ideas and whether the relevant details are sufficient. Remember, it's not just evaluating if the idea works or not. It is also about the details: for example, whether there are sufficient details to evaluate the idea, whether the functions and features are relevant for the target market or if the initial target market is the relevant segment or not.

Refining ideas is tricky, but the best technique I've heard of is the "Yes, and..." technique. Instead of tearing a part an idea and talking about what you don't like, you focus on the things you DO like and then add to them. "Yes, this part in particular helps us to meet our goal, and what if we added this facet to it."

Integrating Generative AI in the idea refinement phase significantly enhances the preparation of ideas for implementation or testing. It can automate aspects of the SCAMPER process, assist in rapid prototyping, and aid in crafting compelling pitches. A dynamic feedback loop created by Generative AI can continuously hone refinements based on group feedback, optimizing resource use. This integration elevates the efficiency and effectiveness of the refinement phase, enriching the overall output, and robustly preparing ideas for subsequent steps.

Use creative techniques: 1) Brainwriting instead of just shouting out ideas 2) Mind mapping to organize and build on ideas 3) Introduce random prompts or constraints 4) Have them draw or act out ideas Build on ideas: 1) Use "yes and..." instead of "but" to piggyback off ideas 2) Find themes and patterns to combine related ideas 3) Ask how we can make an idea bigger, better, different

One of the most powerful strategies for fostering creativity is to assemble a team of individuals from diverse backgrounds; you activate the richness of diversity within the group. Companies that actively promote diversity and inclusion often witness remarkable improvements in their services and products. This transformation occurs because each team member contributes a unique perspective shaped by their individual background and experiences. By leveraging this wealth of diverse viewpoints, organizations can generate innovative ideas that might not have been possible within a more homogenous team.

Acknowledge and celebrate the creativity and contributions of group members. Recognizing their brilliance can be a real boost to keep those creative juices flowing. And don't forget to tell everyone to keep those ideas coming, even after the brainstorming session - there's always room for more ideas!

The answers on how to grow and improve anything are NOT found in file cabinets in HR. Sure — we need things like: policy manuals — employee handbooks — new employee orientations — organizational charts — job descriptions — SOP’s — performance reviews — bonus systems — mission statements — core values — etc... --- BUT — great ideas that can grow and improve things are not inside file cabinets. They are inside the heart and mind of creative people who are encouraged to take all of the available information and: Evaluating — where we are now, Envisioning — where we want to be, THINKING about creative IDEAS on how to get us all there, and ultimately — Transferring ideas into action!

It's time to lead by example! - Firstly you need to get everyone open and comfortable. Why not take the team outside of the office / zoom and to a neutral ground away from familiar settings, somewhere comfortable with lots of light and space. - Perhaps label the meet up as a 'collaborative get together' to take away the element of work. - As the leaders, start by being open and honest this will build trust with your team. - Ofcourse icebreakers are great, but how about some team empathy bonding exercises. Getting everyone to open up a little. - Then dedicate some time towards the end of the session for some collective brainstorming. - Make this a regular session. Not everything can be solved over night, these things take time.