How do you leverage online platforms and tools for remote brainstorming sessions?

The platform you pick is important, but less important than having a good plan for the brainstorming in the first place. Some of my best brainstorming has been on a simple video call where people worked with physical pen and paper and then shared the results after. Having all of the features integrated (like video calling and digital white boarding) can be helpful but is not necessary. When comparing a tool to use though, a lot of the bells and whistles of digital white boarding are great for quality of life improvements but the core basics of seeing real time activity and that give the ability to communicate what you need to should be considered fundamental.

The platform should provide real-time collaboration features such as video conferencing, screen sharing, and chat functionality, ensuring seamless communication between team members. Accessibility is also key, allowing team members to participate fully from anywhere, on any device. It should also support a variety of brainstorming activities such as idea generation, clustering, voting, and prioritization. This will enable the team to conduct a structured and productive brainstorming session. Integration with other tools such as project management software or collaborative document editing tools is also important. Security and privacy are crucial considerations, particularly when brainstorming sensitive or confidential information.

One important feature of the digital tools you choose is that they mustn't get in the way of participation due to being difficult or confusing to use or inaccessible. The technology must fall into the background. As remote team specialists, that's why we use Stormz as the digital flipchart and Zoom for video conferencing. In Stormz,you add cards instead of sticky notes. It's streamlined and intuitive to use. No dragging cards around or accidentally moving the entire board (if you know, you know). Zoom just works. The breakout room functionally is great for small group work, facilitated by Stormz.

Whenever we run Virtual brainstorming sessions, we email participants ahead of (sometimes we even do a short video) giving them an overview of what they can expect. We also pose a question and ask them to give it some thought and come prepared to share their answer. (This makes people accountable and they know they can’t merely log in and block their camera & sound the entire time) If you are using a lot of tools (whiteboard, videos) during your brainstorming, try to have someone else run that, instead of the main facilitator who’s talking. That’ll help things run smoother! That person can also be the “timekeeper,” - the person who keeps things on time as sometimes, these virtual activities can run overtime.

Setting clear goals at the outset of the session helps to provide focus and direction, keeping everyone on the same page and working towards a common objective. Think of it as a compass pointing the way to success. Rules provide a framework for the session, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate, and the conversation remains respectful and inclusive. Establishing guidelines on speaking time, turn-taking, and encouraging participation from all team members is like creating a roadmap that leads to collaboration and camaraderie.

A brain warm-up is essential! One that I like challenges people to do the opposite of the instruction. The leader could for example ask everyone to mimic their actions...point up and everyone in the virtual room points up. Point left, right, down. Then, the leader invites everyone to do the opposite. If the leader points up, everyone points down. Another is the kids' game of naming an animal, city or country that starts with the letter the ended the previous. For example, if the leader says "elephant," the next person could say "turtle," and the next "emu." A fun alternative to polls is to invite everyone to annotate a slide in Zoom. Could be a map (where are you joining from today?), a scale or a quiz question.

It can be challenging to create a warm and productive atmosphere when everyone is working remotely. Set a positive tone by using humor and positive language. A positive attitude can set the tone for the entire session and make everyone feel comfortable and supported. Celebrate past achievements, no matter how small, and highlight how they contributed to the organization's success. Doing so creates a sense of pride and accomplishment. Take the time to explain why the session is important and how it fits into the bigger picture. This helps to create a sense of purpose and direction.

Sharing ideas can be hard for introverts, people who take longer to collect their thoughts, or people who are reticent to speak up in front of their boss. An important aspect of the brainstorming tool you choose is that ideas submitted are anonymous. One thing I've never liked about in-person group work with post-it notes is the shareout. In Stormz, people are free to generate large quantities of unique ideas with no repercussions.

To facilitate generating and organizing ideas, it's important to use shared tools like Google Docs or Miro. These can help to organize ideas in real-time, ensuring everyone has access to the same information. It's crucial to create a safe and encouraging environment that promotes free-flow of ideas. Once a significant number of ideas have been generated, it's time to group and prioritize them. This is where the real organization comes in. Encourage team members to group similar ideas together and create a hierarchy of importance. This will help to focus the brainstorming session and keep the conversation on track.

Stormz allows for easy voting, which is a good way to converge on ideas. You can also merge ideas and cluster them, which helps to focus in and discover themes.

Before evaluating the ideas, it's essential to set clear criteria for what makes an idea strong or weak. Consider factors like feasibility, impact, and alignment with company values. This sets the foundation for an objective evaluation process. During the evaluation process, it's crucial to encourage constructive criticism. Feedback is vital for improving ideas, but it's important to ensure that criticism is respectful and promotes growth. Encourage team members to offer feedback while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a supportive environment. Once the evaluation process is complete, it's time to select the most promising ideas and then, act.

Now, it's time to bring these ideas to life! Creating an action plan is vital. The action plan should outline the necessary steps, timelines, budgets, and responsibilities required to turn the ideas into reality. It's important to have a clear and detailed plan to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Ensure that each team member has a specific role and knows what is expected of them. Regular check-ins and updates can help to keep everyone on track and identify any potential issues early on. Encourage open communication and provide a platform for team members to ask questions and provide feedback. Finally, celebrate success along the way. Acknowledge and celebrate progress and milestones!

I’ve run thousands of online workshops- and even written the bestselling book on the topic, Closer Apart. One great tip is to consider the whole journey from planning to facilitation to follow-up as an Experience. We have a workshop planning approach and canvas in the book that makes all that super simple!