How can you use the 6-3-5 method to generate creative solutions?

1 What is the 6-3-5 method?

The 6-3-5 method is a structured brainstorming technique that involves six participants, three ideas, and five rounds. The name comes from the fact that each participant writes down three ideas on a sheet of paper, passes it to the next person, and builds on the ideas they receive from the previous person. This process is repeated five times, resulting in 108 ideas in 30 minutes. The 6-3-5 method was developed by Bernd Rohrbach, a German marketing professor, in 1968.

2 Why use the 6-3-5 method?

The 6-3-5 method has several advantages over traditional brainstorming methods. First, it reduces the risk of groupthink, where people conform to the dominant or most vocal opinions in the group. By writing down and passing on ideas, each participant has an equal opportunity to contribute and expand on their own and others' thoughts. Second, it stimulates divergent thinking, where people generate many different and novel ideas from various perspectives. By building on the ideas they receive, participants can explore new combinations, associations, and possibilities. Third, it increases efficiency and productivity, where people produce more ideas in less time. By setting a clear time limit and a specific number of ideas, participants can focus on quantity rather than quality, and avoid getting stuck or bored.

3 How to prepare for the 6-3-5 method?

Before you start using the 6-3-5 method, you need to take some preparatory steps for a successful session. To begin, define the problem or challenge you want to solve, making sure it is clear, specific, and relevant to your team and goals. Then, invite six participants with different backgrounds, skills, and perspectives to increase the diversity and quality of ideas generated. Prepare a sheet of paper for each participant with three columns labeled "Idea 1", "Idea 2", and "Idea 3", and six rows labeled with the participant's name or number. Additionally, arrange a comfortable and quiet space for the session with pens, pencils, or markers for each participant. You may also want to have a timer, flip chart, or whiteboard to keep track of time and ideas.

4 How to run the 6-3-5 method?

The 6-3-5 method is a great way to generate ideas. To begin, explain the rules and objectives of the session to the participants. Make sure they understand the problem or challenge, the format of the sheet of paper, and the sequence of passing and receiving ideas. Then, ask each participant to write down three ideas on the first row of their sheet of paper within five minutes. Afterwards, have them pass their sheet to the person on their right and receive a sheet from the person on their left. Again, they should only look at the ideas on the sheet they received. Now, ask them to write down three more ideas on the second row of their sheet of paper. They can either create new ideas or build upon what they received from before. Repeat this process until each participant has written down 18 ideas in total - 15 from others - and have spent 30 minutes doing so. Finally, collect all sheets of paper to review with the participants. Read them aloud or display them on a flip chart or whiteboard and group them into categories, themes, or clusters.

5 How to evaluate and select the best ideas?

Once you have generated 108 ideas with the 6-3-5 method, it's time to evaluate and select the most suitable ones for further development and implementation. To do this, ask each participant to vote for their favorite ideas by using different methods such as stickers, dots, stars, or ranking. Additionally, you can set criteria such as feasibility, originality, impact, or alignment with the goals. Afterward, identify the top ideas based on the votes and criteria with the help of a matrix, diagram, or chart. Then discuss the pros and cons of each top idea with the participants to explore its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, choose the best idea or ideas for further development and implementation by employing a consensus, majority, or decision-maker to make the final selection.

6 How to improve and apply the 6-3-5 method?

The 6-3-5 method is a flexible and adaptable technique that you can use for different problems and challenges, but you can also adjust it to suit your needs. For instance, you can adjust the number of participants, ideas, and rounds according to the complexity and scope of the problem or challenge. You can also use different media and formats to write down and pass on ideas, such as sticky notes, cards, tablets, or online tools instead of paper and pens. Furthermore, incorporating different stimuli and prompts like images, videos, quotes, questions, or scenarios can help inspire and guide participants. Finally, don't forget to follow up and monitor the progress and results of the ideas you selected by using prototypes, tests, surveys, or feedback to validate and refine them. Celebrate and reward the participants for their contributions and achievements!