Brainstorming (brainstorming). brainstorming method

Brainstorming method (brainstorming, brainstorming, English brainstorming) is an operational method for solving a problem based on stimulating creative activity.

This method can be used at the stages of identifying and formulating problems, developing a management decision. It is also widely used at separate stages when implementing other decision-making methods

brainstorming method - a method of psychological activation, in which the participants in the discussion are asked to express as many solutions as possible, including the most fantastic ones. Then, from the total number of ideas expressed, the most successful ones are selected that can be used in practice. It is a method of expert evaluation and is widely used in many organizations to find non-traditional solutions to a wide variety of problems.

Brainstorming was developed by Alex Osborne in 1953. The method is based on the assumption that one of the main obstacles to the birth of new ideas is “fear of evaluation”: people often do not express interesting, out-of-the-ordinary ideas aloud for fear of meeting skeptical or even hostile attitudes towards them from managers and colleagues. The purpose of brainstorming is to eliminate the evaluative component in the initial stages of ideation. The classic brainstorming technique proposed by Osborne is based on two main principles - "postponing the judgment of the idea" and "out of quantity, quality is born." This approach involves the application of several rules.

1) Criticism is excluded : at the stage of generating ideas, any criticism of the authors of ideas (both one's own and others') is not allowed. Those working in interactive groups should be free from fear of being judged on the ideas they propose.

2) Welcome the free flight of fantasy : people should try to liberate their imagination as much as possible. It is allowed to express any, even the most absurd or fantastic ideas. There are no ideas so absurd or impractical that they cannot be said out loud.

3)There must be a lot of ideas : Each participant in the session is asked to submit as many ideas as possible.

4) Combining and improving the proposed ideas : In the next step, the participants are asked to develop ideas proposed by others, for example by combining elements of two or three proposed ideas.

At the final stage, the best solution is selected based on expert assessments.

Numerous experimental studies have been conducted to compare the quantity and quality of ideas generated by brainstorming groups and individuals working individually. The results suggest that when this technique is applied correctly, interactive groups often generate more amount meaningful ideas than individual individuals. However, there is no evidence to date to support a higher quality ideas generated by groups.

In recent years, there has been widespread electronic brainstorming» (online brainstorming), using Internet technologies. It allows you to almost completely eliminate the "fear of evaluation", because. ensures the anonymity of the participants, and also provides an opportunity to solve a number of problems of traditional brainstorming.

Brainstorming provides an opportunity to bring together very different people in the process of finding solutions; and if the group manages to find a solution, then its members usually become stalwart supporters of its implementation. Currently, the brainstorming method can be effectively used by organizations to improve the quality of work in teams.

Principles of the brainstorming method:

1) A clear statement of the goal and/or objectives and constraints.

2) Ensuring maximum freedom for participants

Giving a word to everyone (encouraging the shy, "keeping" the most active and authoritative);

Complete freedom of opinion, encouragement of "crazy" ideas, analogies (literary, musical, biological, etc.);

3) Careful formation of the composition of participants

Determination of the number;

By specialization, designed to fully cover the required area, and in some cases, go beyond it, as well as the possibility of partial mutual replacement);

Psychological (lack of malignant conflicts, clear leaders);

By qualification (high and approximately equal level)

Sometimes the introduction of "red";

4) Hierarchical conduct of discussions: first - as broad as possible, then an assessment of the prospects of options and selection of the best, then again "in breadth";

5) The huge role of the "leader" and the democratic style of leadership:

Creation of a creative, purposeful and conflict-free atmosphere;

The ability to "identify" proposals and direct the course of the discussion (Greek method).

Stages and rules of brainstorming:

Properly organized brainstorming includes three mandatory steps. The stages differ in the organization and rules for their implementation:

Stage 1. Formulation of the problem . Preliminary stage. At the beginning of this stage, the problem should be clearly formulated. There is a selection of participants in the assault, the definition of a leader and the distribution of other roles of participants, depending on the problem posed and the chosen method of conducting the assault.

Stage 2. Generation of ideas . The main stage on which the success (see below) of the entire brainstorming largely depends. Therefore, it is very important to follow the rules for this stage:

The main thing is the number of ideas. (Don't make any restrictions!),

A complete ban on criticism and any (including positive) assessment of the ideas expressed, since the assessment distracts from the main task and knocks down the creative mood;

Unusual and even absurd ideas are welcome!

Combine and improve any ideas.

Stage 3. Grouping, selecting and evaluating ideas . This stage is often forgotten, but it is the one that allows you to highlight the most valuable ideas and give the final result of the brainstorming. At this stage, unlike the second, the assessment is not limited, but, on the contrary, is welcomed. Methods for analyzing and evaluating ideas can be very different. The success of this stage directly depends on how “equally” the participants understand the criteria for selecting and evaluating ideas.

Modifications to the Brainstorming Procedure:

Method of individual brainstorming . All roles (facilitator, fixer, generator and evaluator of ideas) are performed by one person.

Facilitator(from Latin facilis - “easy, comfortable”) - a person who ensures successful group communication. By enforcing meeting rules, procedures, and time limits, the facilitator allows participants to focus on the goals and content of the meeting.

The duration of the session is 3-10 minutes.

Fixation with a pen, PC or (the most effective) - a voice recorder.

Evaluation of ideas should be delayed. Helps with warm-ups.

The disadvantage is the lack of a synergistic effect (a synergistic effect is the summing effect of the interaction of two or more factors, characterized by the fact that their joint action significantly exceeds the effect of each individual component).

Advantage - efficiency and economy on people.

Written brainstorming . It is used, first of all, with the geographical disunity of the participants, therefore, the opportunity to recruit extra-class specialists. Disadvantages - lack of a synergistic effect, the duration of the process.

Direct brainstorming method . Unlike the classical method of brainstorming, the process of formulating a problem (goals, constraints, etc.) is also carried out using the brainstorming method, and with the same composition of participants.

Mass brainstorming method . Used to solve global problems. Stages:

a competent group is created that breaks the original task into parts,

then, separately for each block, a brainstorming method is carried out,

Double (pair) brainstorming method . Introduction to the critique of ideas. Stages:

direct brainstorming,

discussion,

continuation of ideas.

Idea Evaluation Brainstorming Method . It is a combination of double, individual and reverse method. Used to solve urgent problems.

High requirements for participants:

qualification, concentration,

ability to participate in brainstorming.

generation of ideas,

familiarization of all participants with options for ideas and comments and self-assessment of options,

selection of several (3-5) best options indicating their advantages and disadvantages,

discussion with mini-assaults,

narrowing the list of the best options with clarification of the advantages and disadvantages,

individual presentations of the best options and their collective ranking.

Disadvantages: load capacity, conflict.

Advantages:

removal of the effect of "single brain",

opportunity for constructive criticism.

reverse brainstorming . It is used in the implementation of projects consisting of many stages (elements). If one stage fails, the whole process is disrupted. Therefore, the most important thing is to make sure that each element is correct. The goal of brainstorming is to identify all the shortcomings as much as possible. The search for solutions or business ideas is divided into three stages:

Stage 1: all existing, potential and possible future shortcomings of the object or phenomenon under consideration are identified, a list is compiled; they are ranked;

Stages 2 and 3 are the stages of the usual "brainstorming".

Reflecting more fully the shortcomings of the object, it is possible to find a greater number of solutions and business ideas for its improvement.

Reverse Brainstorming Technology:

to form a group of specialists who know the subject of discussion,

familiarize participants with the rules,

make a list of shortcomings as complete as possible,

choose criteria for assessing deficiencies,

to analyze and assess the shortcomings,

formulate tasks (problems),

put forward ideas for solving problems and select the best ones according to the rules of "brainstorming".

Idea conference method . This is the method brain storm, but more relaxed atmosphere, such as a round table. It is used to collect ideas on a specific topic, to find approaches to solving complex problems.

Purpose of the method: about to free the thoughts and imagination of the participants from the limiting factors and direct them to the discussion and search for the optimal solution to the problem.

The essence of the method - x a well-organized meeting, the focus of which coincides with a brainstorming session:

only benevolent criticism is allowed,

avoid inviting skeptics and know-it-alls,

it is possible to use various methods and techniques of collective creative work,

the process is managed by a chairman who is an equal among equals, but who must ensure progress towards the goal, maintaining a relaxed atmosphere.

Stage 1 – preparation. Includes:

selection of participants

preliminary selection of factual material,

determination of the time and place of work,

clearly formulating the problem and presenting it in a form that is most convenient for the participants,

preliminary study of the issues under consideration;

Stage 2 - holding a conference. Includes:

familiarization of participants with the rules of joint work,

ensuring the work of the conference,

all ideas put forward are recorded,

stop discussions,

support for original ideas;

Stage 3 - summarizing. Includes:

after the end of the conference, each participant finalizes the ideas received (nothing can be deleted, you can only add),

the received materials are transferred for examination to specialists,

evaluation and ranking of results by experts,

The method gives the greatest effect when the number of participants is 8-12 people. and duration no more than 30-45 minutes.

The chairman of the meeting should remember that:

participation of everyone in the search for ideas is equally necessary,

non-constructive criticism and ridicule hinder the advancement of ideas,

a well-formulated problem is halfway to success,

in 20 minutes. conference participants get tired,

disputes and discussions are unacceptable,

solving a problem is work for which it is useful to apply special methods,

there should be no pauses in the flow of ideas,

Each participant must know that:

needed for this meeting

it does not bear any responsibility for choosing the best solution,

it will not implement proposals,

all ideas will be carefully studied by specialists and experts,

he has the same rights with everyone,

during the conference, he should offer as many different ideas as possible,

The best form of objection is your own proposal.

Advantages of the method:

ease of learning and ease of use,

performance is higher than using direct brainstorming.

Flaw: no guarantee of finding strong ideas.

Today, many effective methods are used to solve various kinds of problems in different spheres of life.

And among all their diversity, the brainstorming method has received particular popularity and widespread use. Today we will talk about what it is, and also give 10 rules for its successful and effective implementation.

What is the brainstorming method?

The brainstorming method was created in 1941 by Alex Osborne, an employee of the American super-professional advertising agency BBD&O. The method serves to quickly solve problems and is based on stimulating the creative activity of people who take part in it and offer the maximum number of possible solutions. After all the options are voiced, those that are most suitable for successful implementation in practice are selected. Typically, brainstorming consists of three mandatory stages, different in organization and rules.

The main stages of brainstorming and the rules for its construction

1 Statement of the problem

This stage is considered preliminary. It implies a clear formulation of the problem, the selection of participants and the distribution of their roles (leader, assistants, etc.). The distribution, in turn, depends on the specifics of the problem and the form in which the assault will be carried out.

2 Idea generation

This is the main stage and the success of the entire enterprise depends on it. For this reason, it is important to observe the following rules:

The maximum number of ideas, without any restrictions
Even fantastic, absurd and non-standard ideas are accepted
Ideas can and should be combined and improved
There should be no criticism or evaluation of the proposed ideas.

3 Selection, systematization and evaluation of ideas

The final, but no less important stage, which for some reason is often overlooked. You need to understand that through this stage it becomes possible to highlight truly effective ideas and bring the entire brainstorming to a common denominator. In contrast to the second stage, evaluation and criticism are welcome. And how successful this stage will be depends on the consistency of the work of the participants and the general direction of their opinions regarding the problem being solved and the proposed solutions.

As a rule, two groups are created for brainstorming. The first group includes people - generators of ideas, offering solutions. And the second group consists of the so-called commission dealing with the processing of the proposed solutions.

Brainstorming involves a group of people, consisting of a leader and experts. As soon as the facilitator has set the main task, the specialists begin to express their ideas. If people of various positions, ranks, ranks and social status take part in the event, then it is best that ideas be proposed precisely in order of increasing status, to the exclusion of the psychological factor of “agreement with superiors”. It is also interesting that in most cases, at the beginning of the assault, all the ideas put forward are mediocre, completely ordinary and trivial, but as the participants are involved in the process and the thinking and creativity are activated, original and unusual ideas begin to appear. Throughout the process, the facilitator records all voiced proposals. And after that, they are selected, analyzed and developed. The result is the most effective and original way to solve the problem.

The main advantages of the brainstorming method

The advantages of brainstorming presented below are based on the ideas of the candidate of philosophical sciences, sociologist and associate professor of the Department of Sociology of the Siberian Federal University P. A. Starikov.

Firstly, the joint activity of the participants, each of which has its own experience, vision of the situation and knowledge, forms a synergistic effect that greatly enhances the result of the search for solutions.

Secondly, the brainstorming process itself has a special creative potential, thereby transforming into an exciting collective and even gaming activity.

And, thirdly, the friendly and positive atmosphere that prevails during the brainstorming session allows its participants not only to perceive any criticism constructively, but also to improvise and use their maximum potential, and also serves to strengthen confidence and a positive attitude.

The presented data clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the brainstorming method and explain its relevance and popularity among scientists, educators, designers, managers, politicians and other specialists in various fields around the world. Indeed, such collective work allows achieving truly high and excellent results. However, many scientists, in particular psychologists, argue that if the work of the team of participants in the assault is organized incorrectly, then the results of the assault will be very low, reducing the advantages of the method to nothing. To avoid this, you should follow a few simple rules.

10 Rules for Effective Brainstorming

Preliminary preparation. All brainstorming participants should prepare for it in advance. The task of the assault should be announced at least 2-3 days before it is carried out. During this time, participants will be able to think well about the problem facing them and, at the very beginning of the assault, offer some interesting ideas.
Many participants. In order for brainstorming to be as effective as possible, you need to invite as many people as possible to participate in it, offering, accordingly, more ideas - the results from this approach can be very unexpected.
Clarification of the task. Before the start of the assault, it is recommended to allocate some time for additional clarification of the problem under study. This will once again set everyone on the same wavelength, make sure that all participants are trying to solve the same problem and once again make sure that it is set correctly.
Entries. Throughout the game, it is imperative to keep notes and make notes. Moreover, each participant must do this. This task, of course, can be performed by one leader, but in any case, he can miss something, skip, or not notice. If everyone registers ideas, then the final list of decisions and ideas will be as complete and objective as possible.
No criticism. This point is already included in the basic rules for brainstorming, but it should be mentioned again. In no case do not reject the proposed ideas, no matter how ridiculous or fantastic they may seem. Often, it is they, revised, supplemented and approximated to reality, that are the solutions for which brainstorming is arranged. In addition, criticism always affects people in an overwhelming way, and it is categorically not recommended to allow this during the assault.
Maximum generation of ideas. Each participant in the process must understand that he needs to offer as many ideas as possible. Inexperienced participants may be shy or think about ideas without voicing them. It should be understood that this greatly reduces the overall effectiveness of the method. The same applies to those cases when a solution seems to be found - ideas should be generated throughout the entire time allocated for the second stage of brainstorming.
Engaging other people. If, for example, during the assault there is a goal to make a list of 100 solutions, but this level is not achieved in any way, you can involve people who are either not present at the assault or have nothing to do with it at all.
Modification of ideas. To get the best result, you can combine two ideas (or more) into one. It is especially effective to use this technique when there are options for solving the problem proposed by people of different status, position, rank.
visual display. For ease of perception and increase the effectiveness of brainstorming, you should use whiteboards, flash panels, posters, diagrams, tables, etc.
Negative result. During the search for a solution, and even after it, imagine that the situation turned out in a way that was exactly the opposite of what you wanted, and everything did not go as you planned. With the help of such modeling, you can contribute to the development of additional ideas, as well as morally and psychologically prepare yourself for any situation.

You can use the brainstorming method to solve problems and get out of difficult situations everywhere: at work, in business, in the family, in relationships. The main thing is to be able to properly organize the process, try to take into account all the nuances and features of the problem and follow the main stages and rules of brainstorming indicated in this article. Then you will definitely find the solution you need!

Do you think brainstorming is effective? If not, why not? And if you know any other interesting and effective methods for solving problems and finding solutions to them, we will be glad to learn about them from your comments.

Brainstorming preparation

Form a group of idea generators (usually 5-10 people). These should be creative people with a mobile, active mind.
Form an expert group, which will analyze all the ideas put forward and select the best ones. In practice, it is not uncommon for generators themselves to act as experts once they have completed their ideas. In advertising agencies, the creative director acts as an expert.
A day or two before the assault, send participants a notice of the assault with a brief description of the topic and task (brief). Perhaps someone will come with ready-made ideas.
Prepare everything you need to write down ideas and showcase the list. Options:
- Blackboard and chalk
- Sheets of paper on tablets and felt-tip pens
- colorful stickers
- Laptop with projector
Appoint a brainstorming leader. In most cases, the host is known from the beginning, and he organizes brainstorming.
Choose one or two secretaries who will record all ideas.
Set the duration of the first stage. Usually about an hour, in creative agencies, of course, longer. After all, generating ideas is their main job.
Participants should be aware that time is limited and they need to come up with as many ideas as possible in a tight time frame. It activates, forces to give all the best. Accurate timing is the same prerequisite for the participants in the assault, as the length of the distance for runners.
Set a task. What exactly do you need to get as a result of brainstorming? Write down the task so that it is always in sight. The task statement and useful information are also contained in the brief, which was distributed in printed form.
Participants should clearly understand why they are here and what problem they are going to solve. Brainstorming welcomes the turmoil of ideas, but not the turmoil of tasks.

At a minimum, each idea should be tested with a short questionnaire like:

Legal solution?
Is the idea feasible until June 10th?
Are the estimated costs reasonable?
How will this idea, if implemented, fail?

When there is a brief, the general criterion is: idea according to the brief or not according to the brief? The decisive word in the evaluation of ideas belongs to the creative director.

Develop ideas. Group them into trends. Try to "marry" the elements of different hypotheses. Sometimes the best ideas come from combining two less powerful proposals. Creativity excels not only in creating new ideas, but also in working with existing ones.

Use morphological method: do not be too lazy to draw a table like a football championship table, where each team, .. - that is, the idea - has to “play” with each.

Tag your list ideas:

++ very good, original idea
+ not a bad idea
0 failed to find construct

Discard apparently banal, dead-end, unproductive ideas.

It is believed that only 10-15% of ideas are acceptable, but among them there are very original ones. It is valuable if the "surviving" ideas line up in a logical chain - an advertising campaign.

Brainstorming leader:

The facilitator (facilitator, moderator) gives the floor to the idea generators one by one so that they do not all shout at the same time. Make sure that all participants in the assault have an equal opportunity to speak. The facilitator can contribute his ideas on an equal basis with everyone else.
Correct but decisive suppresses criticism ideas, which almost always arises involuntarily, especially at first.
Typical phrases of idea killers (killers of ideas), and how to respond to them:
- - Nothing will come of it. “Of course, if you don’t develop this idea, nothing will come of it.”
- - It doesn't work - "But it's a good idea, isn't it?"
- - It's too much - "So what?"
- - The client will never approve it - "What if he approves?"
- - Well, what's original about it? - "The fact that no one has suggested this before."
- - Anyone can come up with such - "Exactly!"
The facilitator ensures the continuity of the presentation of ideas. He by all means does not allow the suppression of "bad" ideas, removes the fear of the participants "to blurt out something wrong."
The benevolence of the facilitator stimulates the birth of new ideas among group members. But he should not praise even apparently successful hypotheses too much, so as not to violate the equality of the participants in the assault.
The leader follows the rules. Reminds you how much time is left until the end of the session. Tactfully stops the creator, who expresses his idea for more than half a minute. Brainstorming is an intense, fast-paced creative process.

The art of the brainstorming leader lies in the ability to liberate the thinking of the members of the creative group, inspire them to freely express themselves.

Brainstorming management techniques

To "warm up" the generators:

An extraneous, but burning topic is thrown in. For example, beer, what is it? - Cold! - Light! - White! - Our everything! The host sets as an example the most original epithets.
The presenter has 300 rubles at the ready and he begins to give out a piece of gold for any remark of the participant. This trick is for warm up only! In an assault, encouraging ideas with bonuses is harmful.
Idea generators are given badges on which they write pseudonyms invented right there - the names of historical figures, movie characters, the names of plants. Then everyone takes turns turning to each other on "you" with any question. Just to create an atmosphere of "one circle", where there are no seniors, no juniors, no bosses, no subordinates, no experienced, no beginners. There are "other" people who can say any nonsense, because it is not Sidorov who puts forward "such a stupid" idea, but "Archimedes". The very choice of pseudonyms is a fun procedure that creates a creative mood.
Before the attack, the host motivates the creators. Emphasizes how important it is to lose the nose of competitors and win the tender. Expresses the hope that, perhaps today, the group will find an advertising idea that will take the Golden Lion at Cannes.

To activate the generation process (according to Michael Michalko, Judit Rich and others):

"national" decisions. How would an English lord solve the problem? Offer an elegant French solution, a wasteful American one. What would a hot spanish macho say? How would the industrious Chinese solve the problem?
empathy method. Empathy - getting used to, imagining oneself in the place of another. The participant in the assault must say to himself: "I am the object in question." So, for example, if an advertisement for beer is invented, the creator says: “I am beer. I'm on the shelf in the store. I am cold, golden, transparent, hoppy. What can I do to get that guy over there to pay attention to me? What happens if I suddenly start to slowly turn around? Or call?"
Direct analogy. The advertised object is compared with a similar object in nature, technology, etc. For example, to increase the visibility of the label, you can consider the color of flowers, butterflies.
symbolic analogy. The essence of the task or its possible solutions are proposed to be formulated in the form of metaphors, for example, for beer - “a breath of pure coolness”, “keeper of the tradition”, “message in a bottle from nature itself”. A beautiful metaphor can lead to a beautiful idea.
Fantastic analogy. The participants in the assault formulate the main unremovable obstacle that hinders the solution of the problem, and then - for a while - "cancel" it! Allow the existence of eternally fresh beer, the disappearance of gravity, the intervention of fabulous gnomes.
In the skin of the consumer. The facilitator appoints participants as representatives of the target audience, for example, in the case of beer, football fans. When the point of view on the object changes, new solutions come.
Be simple. Participants keep their ideas as simple as possible and express them in a minimum number of words. Fewer words - more visible essence.
Be like children. Explore the problem the way a child would. Ask obvious questions. Find answers that would satisfy the child.
Forward to the future! Think about what will be, not about what is today. Don't limit yourself to reality. Imagine the future!
What do the figures suggest? Choose a shape, such as a triangle, and try to make a connection between it and your task. The same - with three-dimensional figures (ball, cube, pyramid...), spectrum colors, numbers and other semantically rich objects.
Wisdom of the greats. Refer to collections of aphorisms. Aphorisms are better to take those that contain keywords on your topic.
Associations. The generators name the first word that came to their mind when the topic of the assault was announced. Or the "Association Dictionary" is used. Let associations develop freely.
The opposite method. Great insights can come when, instead of thinking about how to do something, you try to decide how not to do it.
Draw an idea. The facilitator asks the participants to draw the following sentence in the form of a picture. And let everyone try to interpret what is drawn.
Interpret me!“How did you understand the words of N.?”, - the presenter asks one, the other. Then N. asks: “How well have we stated your idea?” Often, interpretations develop the original idea well, which the author also recognizes.
Chest on the embrasure. If the level of ideas has decreased and only banal, practical proposals without a “zest” began to come in, the leader himself begins to introduce eccentric ideas. Or offers 5-10 minutes to generate only fantastic ideas.
Active pause. Having heard a valuable, promising, from his point of view, statement, the presenter announces: “Let's be silent for 3-4 minutes, and then everyone will express their attitude to what has just been said.” In silence, intensive individual work takes place, usually developing the expressed idea.
Useful from time to time group self reflection i.e., rethinking the ways participants interact. Questions: How do we work? What's stopping us? What works well? etc. Often, the group itself finds ways to improve interaction.
The truth is in the legs. Participants spend part of the brainstorming standing up. It shakes, does not allow the generators to lean back and soar thoughts in areas not related to the issue under discussion. Or the generators measure the audience in steps, because some people think better in motion.
Revive the thing. An inanimate object can become more inspiring if you imagine it as a person or animal. Give it some personality. How will he behave? What will his voice be like? Where will he live?
Think globally. Rise above the object of assault. What are the most common trends and concepts associated with your topic? Is it possible to benefit from them for your task?
Method of control questions. Includes a number of the above techniques. Gives a new direction to the thoughts of the participants, allows you to skip the period of "looping" on the circle of similar ideas. Control questions “warm up” the generation, serve as a “hook”, with the help of which ideas are extracted.
Stop, car! The facilitator takes a break and lists similar ideas from among those put forward, thereby making it clear that this direction is well developed and it is desirable to search in new ways.

Any facilitator's "trick" that guides creativity without limiting it is good. However, creativity is such a natural, spontaneous process that sometimes the leader's task is to simply not interfere with it.

Imagination sessions should be happy hours. Brainstorming is when we think freely and productively in an environment of comfort and pleasure.

Varieties of brainstorming

individual brainstorming

All roles - generator, secretary, presenter, evaluator of ideas - are taken on by one person. Fixation on paper, computer, voice recorder. Evaluation of ideas postponed.

Creative techniques of the "stormtrooper"-loner:

When reading the text, pick out arbitrary words. Does the meaning of a random word suggest a new idea? Any text is suitable, even a phone book, but lexically rich is better. The head of the BrandAid agency, Valentin Pertsiya, when he came up with brand names, flipped through thick dictionaries. According to him, if you keep the task in mind, hundreds of associations are collected in two days of such immersion.
It is even more efficient to generate ideas based on images in magazines and photo stocks on the Internet. After all, the pictures themselves are detailed and ambiguous.
Develop the found images using the control questions method, one of its compact versions.

reverse brainstorming

Its goal is to maximize identify the shortcomings of the advertised object. Generators in the brainstorming mode make a list of existing or potential defects, limitations, contradictions of an object or idea. The negative aspects of the object or idea are exacerbated to the extreme. After such hard testing, the search for ways to eliminate deficiencies is on.

Brainstorming with evaluating ideas

Introduction to the critique of ideas. The phases of "dreamer" and "realist" alternate flexibly multiple times. Used to solve urgent tasks. High requirements for participants: qualifications, self-discipline, ability to use the brainstorming technique.

Idea generation (can happen individually and in advance)
Familiarization of the group with the ideas, comments of the authors
Selection of several (3-5) best options, fixing their advantages and disadvantages
Discussing every idea with mini assaults
Narrowing the list of best options, ranking ideas

Disadvantages: load capacity, conflict. Advantage: more targeted search, reduced risk of slipping past a strong solution.

brain siege

It has been proved that even without explicit criticism, when submitting ideas, the mechanism of “hidden criticism” operates, namely: often a new proposal (which can then be considered unsuccessful) “hammers” a previously expressed good idea. To remedy this shortcoming, it was proposed "brain siege" in which every idea put forward must be developed to the limit. Brain siege increases the time spent searching for ideas, although it promises more mature results.

Method "635"

Six people come up with three ideas in five minutes. Then the sheets with their opinions are moved, for example, clockwise. In the next five minutes, each participant must familiarize himself with all the proposals of his neighbor and detail them. This is done until everyone has worked on all the ideas of the group. In half an hour, 18 elaborate proposals are ready. Discussion, improvement and selection of the best options follow.

Statements follow a hierarchy. The first to introduce his idea is the "junga", the last - the "captain". Disadvantage: You can't come up with a new idea after your turn.

Brainstorm online

Online brainstorming is based on multi-user Internet services: forum, chat, blog, ICQ, Skype. The “fear of evaluation” is eliminated, since idea generators can be anonymous. You can attract extra-specialists from anywhere in the world (or strain the best minds of an advertising holding without tearing them off their seats). True, the disturbing psychological atmosphere of a joint search is lost.

Know-how of brainstorming

Don't become a slave to numbers that dictate how many people "should" be in a group. We know of successful assaults with a stream of students - more than a hundred goals. True, a pedagogical goal was also pursued: to show the method in action.
On the other hand, in creative agencies they often "storm" in pairs made up of a copywriter and a designer. Legal model - individual brainstorming.
The classic composition is a small group, i.e. about seven people. This is a “critical mass of participants”, it is convenient to work with such a group.
Where assaults are organized regularly, the generator group consists of a permanent core and temporary members. The core of creative people develops gradually when solving various problems by brainstorming.
Sometimes it is useful to include “outsiders” in the group of generators, such as: employees of related departments and other companies, a doctor, a cook, a driver, a courier. This way you attract carriers of unconventional ideas. A mixed group of participants of different ages and genders works best.
Include beautiful, smart, charming women in the generator group. Women are very practical and original thinkers, in addition, they greatly stimulate the intellectual activity of men.
At the time of the assault, the participants remove their official powers. The leader, if he "storms" with the team, should not sit at the head of the table.
Create a comfortable environment. Choose a room as neutral as possible (not the director's office) and not noisy. It is better to sit down so that everyone can see each other. Advise:
- Carry out an assault by candlelight
- Conduct an assault at night, after 24:00 :-)
- Before the assault, all participants should take 30 grams of good cognac :-))
Stock up on coffee, tea, bagels. It has been found that citrus fruits, especially grapefruit, stimulate the brain. The smell of grapefruit is recommended to be inhaled before brainstorming.
In order to completely immerse yourself in the generation process, it is worth turning off mobile phones for the duration of the assault, forbid anyone to disturb the participants.
Some advise to give the background soft, but not soothing, but peppy music. This liberates the participants, dynamizes the work.
Before the assault, the host introduces the newcomers. Gives them a compliment. Introduces beginners to the rules of brainstorming.
Starting the assault, the leader introduces the group to ready-made solutions to a similar problem. For example, it shows the best commercials of competitors made for a similar product.
It is good to have a sample of the advertised product, not just a photo. It's great if you can turn the sample in your hands, try the beer, smell the toilet water, steer the Hummer ... :-)
It is often recommended to record the entire assault on a tape recorder or video camera. However, in practice, rarely anyone gets around to deciphering the records, since it is devilishly time consuming. Let yourself be comforted by the knowledge that an explosive idea will not be lost anyway!
Sometimes it is useful for generators to leaf through illustrated magazines during an assault in order to draw associative ideas from drawings and photographs.
Put in a box - a "nonsense suitcase" - a variety of items: pencils, tin soldiers, chess pieces, a ball of thread, funny drawings - everything that is found in the office. When inviting participants to storm, ask them to bring different items for the suitcase of nonsense. When new ideas are needed, get out of the box what comes to hand, make connections between a random item and a task.
Flip through magazines, newspapers. Draw parallels between news headlines and the problem.
In diversity, novelty is born. Participants venture out of the room for 15-30 minutes in order to find outside to bring new ideas to the group.
The involved person continues to think about the task even after the assault. A list of ideas is distributed to participants so that they can add to it with suggestions that arose after the session.
It is helpful to re-brainstorm the next day. It is noticed that the quality of the ideas proposed by the creators on the second day is higher than on the first.
Between assaults, talk to your friends or family members. Listen to what they have to say. Let them guide you in a new direction.
The worst thing a host can do is turn an assault into a "I won, you lost" game. Cases are described when the presenter rewarded participants for the best ideas. People began to be afraid of "intercepting" their good idea and generally stopped expressing them.
The facilitator and at the stage of analysis carefully preserves the atmosphere of cooperation. He precedes constructive criticism with the words: “What I like most about this idea is ... Wouldn’t it be better if ...?”

Do's and Don'ts of Brainstorming

Brainstorming is effective:

When solving problems that do not have an unambiguous solution, and problems where solutions are required non-traditional. These are all the tasks for creating an advertising creative.
When you need to quickly find a way out of a critical situation.
Wherever you need to get a lot of ideas in a short time. The brainstorming technique is universal.

The imperfection of the method lies in the fact that the search for ideas is random, at random. You will never run out of ideas. But there is no guarantee that among your solutions will be truly excellent.

Brainstorming is an effective help in generating ideas. But it does not replace the entire creative process.

We live in a wonderful, incredibly interesting time, when the world around us is changing at a staggering pace. What seemed fantastic yesterday is becoming the norm. We have to live at a frantic pace and at the same time often face tasks that require significant time and effort. Trying to solve them, we read a lot of literature, ask friends for advice - and all to no avail, the solution has not been found. But, as they say, everything new is a well-forgotten old. Almost any problem that has many possible solutions can be handled by brainstorming.

Brainstorming is a method of solving a problem by activating the creative potential of a group of people, as a result of which the persons participating in the discussion on a pre-voiced problem need to be offered the maximum possible number of options for solving it. This method was developed by Alex Osborne in the 40s of the last century to obtain the maximum number of options for solving the problem. Its effectiveness is truly unique, as 6-7 people can come up with 150 or more different ideas in 40 minutes. Brainstorming is based on the understanding that one of the main barriers to the emergence of new non-standard ideas is the fear of their negative public assessment. It has been observed that usually people try not to express fundamentally new ideas due to their unwillingness to face skeptical perception and ridicule from colleagues. In this regard, the purpose of applying this method is to block the evaluative component in reasoning at the initial stages of generating ideas.

The brainstorming method has three stages.

Task formation.
Generation of ideas during group study of the task.
Evaluation of the result.

Let's look at the above steps in more detail.

Stage 1. Formation of the task.

At the beginning of this stage, the existing task should be formulated as clearly and concisely as possible. Permissible volume - 0.5 sheets of A4 format. The topic of brainstorming is communicated to all participants in advance, a few days before it takes place. After that, a leader is appointed, and two groups of experts are formed. The first will generate ideas, the second will evaluate them. The first group should be selected specialists taking into account the following factors:

variety of experience, qualifications, professions;
the group, if possible, should be mixed, consisting of representatives of both sexes, since in this case female intuition complements male pragmatism;
the composition of the group can vary between 6-12 people, while the composition of 7 people is optimal;
the ratio of moderate and active members of this group should be approximately the same.

Stage 2. Generation of ideas during group study of the task.

This stage is the most important, because the final result depends on it.

Implementing it, you need to follow a number of rules, namely:

any evaluation and criticism of the ideas expressed is prohibited;
brainstorming participants should come up with as many ideas as possible;
any ideas are encouraged, including unusual ones, which were generated both independently and under the influence of the statements of other participants, including, to some extent, improved other people's ideas.

For this event, a separate room should be allocated, if possible equipped with a board and located in a place without extraneous noise. It is advisable to use a recording so that none of the ideas expressed during the discussion is missed.

In the event that people who occupy an unequal position in the hierarchy of the organization participate in a brainstorming session, it makes sense to present ideas in the following order: from lower in position to higher. This approach will make it possible to practically neutralize the psychological factor of pressure of the opinion of a superior leader.

Just before the start of generating ideas, his leader re-voices the task on which the first group will work. After that, the experts included in this group, in accordance with a predetermined sequence, begin to express their proposals. Moreover, the latter can be both logical and absolutely incredible. At this time, the rest of the participating participants enter into special cards the ideas that arose in them under the influence of what they heard.

At the beginning of a brainstorming session, lasting up to 40 minutes, the proposed options for solving a given problem are often not very new, but after a certain time, standard, template solutions are exhausted, and creative ideas begin to appear in the participants.

At the same time, it is very important that the leader himself participate in the process and put forward the maximum possible number of ideas, while acting as a stimulator or catalyst in case the pace of generating ideas has slowed down. A good leader should prepare a list of possible solutions to the problem ahead of time.

Stage 3. Evaluation of the result.

The selection and evaluation of ideas is carried out a few days after the brainstorming. This is due to the fact that participants often continue to generate ideas for a certain period of time after its completion. These ideas are also written down on cards. After all the ideas are collected, they are transferred to the second group of experts. The second group of experts (it necessarily includes a leader endowed with certain powers, as well as specialists in this issue who have a critical mindset) first selects the criteria for evaluating ideas. These criteria may be the possibility of practical implementation, novelty, relevance, low costs for implementation, and so on. Then they sort the ideas written on the cards by topic, after which they perform a comprehensive and in-depth system analysis for possible applications.

The main advantages of the brainstorming method.

A special creative atmosphere that encourages participants to express as many ideas as possible, effectively using their creative potential, as each of the brainstorming participants wants to keep up with colleagues in terms of the number of ideas expressed and their creativity.
The collective activity of participants with different experience, knowledge, abilities, personality type, understanding of the problem forms a kind of synergistic effect, which at times enhances the result obtained as a result of the search.

Brainstorming can be used not only at work, but also to solve personal problems. The main thing at the same time is to adhere to the main stages and rules, to systematically delve into the existing problem, taking into account its features and nuances. And the solution you need is sure to be found.

Today I will tell you about what is brainstorming (brainstorming) what it is for, why it is interesting and useful, and how to use it correctly brainstorming method on practice.

Surely you have already heard about this concept, and after reading this article, you will get a clearer and more competent idea about brainstorming and how to conduct it.

What is brainstorming?

The term “brainstorming” is borrowed from English (brainstorming), and even in Russian it is often used literally: brainstorming. You can also find synonyms for this concept - brainstorming, round table method.

Brainstorming is a method of collectively discussing a problem in order to identify the optimal solution, based on considering a large number of creative ideas of the participants, analyzing them collectively and choosing the best option.

The brainstorming method was developed by an American creative figure, founder of an advertising agency, copywriter Alex Osborne back in the first half of the 20th century (it turns out that there were already people involved in those days). He successfully proved in practice that people alone are often afraid to express their original and non-standard ideas, for fear of meeting disapproval from colleagues or superiors. Therefore, the brainstorming, developed by him, assumed a complete ban on criticism and condemnation at the initial stage of expressing an idea.

brainstorming technology consists of two basic rules:

2. Gradual transformation of the number of proposed ideas into quality.

Since then, the brainstorming method has been repeatedly researched and improved, but its basic principles and rules have remained unchanged. More importantly, the researchers concluded:

The number of creative ideas received during brainstorming significantly exceeds the number of ideas given out by its participants individually.

Since Alex Osborne first used brainstorming in his advertising agency to develop advertising ideas, many people still have the stereotype that brainstorming is only suitable for work and business in the field of marketing and advertising, or only for some kind of creative work. Undoubtedly, in these areas brainstorming does lead to good results, but they are by no means exclusive to the application of this method.

The round table method is successfully used in business management (management), and in the financial sector, and even for solving personal or family problems (in this case, the family can gather for a brainstorming session).

Brainstorming is a very effective method of finding the optimal solution to a problem, even at the level of a single person or family.

Well, brainstorming at the level of a business structure, an enterprise, along with finding the best solution to a problem, helps to strengthen team spirit and is one of the ways of non-material motivation of staff. After all, each participant in a brain attack feels their importance, their participation in solving a common strategic task.

Let's take a closer look at what brainstorming technology is and how to conduct it correctly.

Brainstorming rules.

1. Brainstorming participants should not be too few and too many. The optimal number of people for brainstorming is 8-10 people.

2. All brainstorming participants (or at least some of them) must be experts in the issue under discussion, that is, have a good level of theoretical and practical training.

3. When conducting a brainstorming session, it is allowed to express any, even the most crazy ideas, their number coming from each participant is not limited.

4. Participants of the round table are not allowed to criticize the ideas expressed by other participants.

5. For brainstorming, a leader (moderator) is selected who monitors compliance with the rules and coordinates the actions of all participants.

How to brainstorm?

Brainstorming participants sit comfortably in their seats (ideally at a large round table). The moderator takes the floor and sets a task for the participants: a problem for which a solution must be found. Already at this stage, he should indicate the importance of the problem, and the importance of the opinion on this issue of each of the participants of the round table, thereby motivating them and stimulating thought processes.

Next, the moderator should designate the rules for brainstorming, that is, set aside a certain time for expressing one idea, as well as for the subsequent discussion of the ideas expressed and the search for the optimal solution.

Then the brainstorming begins, and the moderator in turn gives each participant of the round table the floor to express their ideas. After the presentations, he should encourage the participants and stimulate the development of the most creative ideas (for this, it is advisable to prepare some leading questions in advance so that the supply of ideas does not run out too quickly).

The moderator must ensure that all participants comply with the rules, tactfully suppress all attempts at criticism (and they will certainly be!), Demonstrate their positive attitude and equal treatment of all participants. In no case should a moderator be a biased person who supports a specific idea and tries to impose it on others, using the alleged brainstorming method.

If we are talking about how to brainstorm in a work team, then the leader should not assign the role of moderator to himself - this way the participants will feel psychologically uncomfortable and will be afraid to express certain ideas. It is best if an employee of the same rank as all other participants is elected as a moderator, and the leader takes on the function of an outside observer, subsequently taking part in the discussion of all the ideas already expressed.

Brainstorming technology.

The whole technology of brainstorming can be divided into 3 stages.

1. Formulation of the problem. At the initial stage of the brainstorming, the participants of the round table are selected, and they are given a task for which they must find the optimal solution. Also at this stage, a moderator is appointed, and the rules for brainstorming are determined.

2. Generation of ideas. At the second stage, brainstorming participants take turns expressing their ideas, offering their own options for solving the problem. Here it is important to collect as many options as possible, even if they are absurd and crazy (many brilliant ideas at first seemed just like that). It is also allowed to combine several ideas of the round table participants into one.

3. Expert analysis. And finally, the last, main stage of the brainstorming, in which the participants begin to discuss the received ideas to identify the best option. At this stage (only at it!) It is already allowed to subject ideas to analysis, evaluation, criticism. So, gradually, from the total mass of the ideas expressed, a group of the best is formed, they are refined, combined, and as a result the best solution is obtained.

Brainstorming doesn't need to be done for the sake of the process itself. If the manager has already determined for himself the way to solve the problem, and wants to brainstorm "for show" - this will only lead to a negative effect among employees.

Brainstorming is necessary precisely in order to find the best way to solve a problem, and not in order to create the appearance of participation of the team or persuade others to their point of view.

In the course of its evolution, the brainstorming method served as the starting point for the emergence of new methods for finding the optimal solution to problems, such as, in which you can brainstorm with only one participant, or the synectics method, which I will analyze in detail in one of the following publications on Financial Genius .

I think that now you have a clearer idea of what brainstorming is, how to conduct it correctly, and how to use it to find the best, non-standard, and maybe even ingenious ways to solve problems and difficulties that have arisen. If you ever try to actually brainstorm, you will see how effective this method is, what interesting results it will bring you.

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