Brainstorming

Purpose of using brainstorming techniques :

• Previous experience and values block generation of new ideas
• Need to find techniques to avoid preconceived notions
• Experimentation has found that unconscious can be tapped to find new ideas
• Metaphors are very useful to generate wild ideas (Synectics) but need to be developed into ideas that are relevant (Brainwriting)
• Avoid evaluation until a lot of ideas generated - keep a flow of ideas coming
• Eventually, once a lot of ideas are generated, evaluation is needed (NAF)
• The process should be used for many cycles because it may take a while to generate ideas that actually have potential
• Even ideas that are discarded will be valuable for other things you may be doing or for future projects, so, what appears to be efficient is really not, in the long run.

Synectics

Preliminary planning (This is not an issue in the Course but relevant in practice)

In advance, hold a preliminary planning meeting with the problem owner(s). This checks that there are genuine problem owners, wanting new options that they themselves can implement, within their authority; helps you to understand the problem-owners' perceptions of the problem area; gives a feel for the number and quality of solutions needed; helps to ensure realistic expectations about results; and allows you to agree team membership.

Note: All participants have to be informed of why the process is being used (see rationale above) or they will not treat it seriously when the ideas are wild, which they will be if you do it right.

Objective

Use metaphors to generate ideas that can be used to come up with innovative solutions.

Procedure during the session

1. Select a leader to moderate prior to the session. That person prepares to start the session (see #2) but during the session he or she can't speak until everyone else has had their say. That person is the "Problem Owner."

2. Problem Owner provides headline and wish (The project on the table). The Problem Owner describes the issue (problem or sub problem), how it is experienced, the background, what has been tried (precedents), and the possible scope of action (obvious solutions). It is then expressed in one or more ‘big wish’ statements of the form: ‘I wish (IW)...’ or ‘How to (H2) ...’. This is not a ‘problem definition’ but a wish reflecting the way the issue should be experienced. The group listen imaginatively, rather than analytically. There is no evaluation. The Problem Owner or a "secretary" records everything.

Ex. IW - I wish we had a porta potty that smelled better , H2 - How can we make the PP smell better?

3. Group generates large numbers of ‘springboards’ without evaluation: The mood here should be expansive and unconstrained, no criticism at all of anyone's contribution. The springboards use the same formats as the ‘big wish’ (IW, H2, etc.). They are not ideas for solutions, but articulate further wishes to open up space for invention: ‘It would be nice if we could do X but we don’t yet know how to.’. A wide range of springboard triggering techniques have been developed

• Analogies - Is there an analogy in the world of animals, minerals, vegetables, automobiles, social life, etc.
  • Ex. Peeling a banana (releases a great smell that immediately takes over the room)
• Excursions - Take an analogy and push it further
  • Ex. What are other examples of triggering a smell ? Skunk sprays out of fear, etc.
• Paradox (book title technique)
  • Ex. "Delicious Stink "
• Free Association
  • Ex. Spice box, surprise party, skunk in reverse, alchemy, etc.
• Random Stimuli
  • Ex. Play random piece of music and describe how it smells
• Drawings
  • Ex. Images of smell

4. Select an interesting springboard: The mood now switches to a more focused approach than in Steps 1-2. Problem owner and group members choose their favourite springboards (more on the basis of interest or appeal than on the basis of logical relevance). They share their choices, but final choice rests with the problem-owner. However, the process can always be repeated, so the choice is not critical. The assumption is that within any springboard will be creative possibilities that can usefully be explored.

Ex. Spice box

5. Ideas to help achieve the selected springboard are generated, using the trigger techniques mentioned in Step 2 (or any other idea-generation methods). The problem-owner selects some that seem interesting.

Ex. PP is equipped with a device that launches a wonderful smell when the door is opened.

6. Check understanding of these by paraphrasing them and checking with their authors until the paraphrase is correct. An idea is selected for the Itemized Response.

7. Itemized response. Every conceivable positive features of the selected idea is listed. Then (and only then), a single concern / problem / issue is expressed as a problem for solution (e.g. ‘How to ...’). Solutions for these are expressed by all in terms of ‘What you do is (WYDI)...’.

Ex1. Natural construciton materials provide smell

8. Recycle or end: Back to 4. until sufficient ideas for this spring board have been explored. Then back to 3. for another springboard. Cycle until the problem-solver has a solution s/he is happy to run with, or until time runs out.

Ex2. Deodorizer with replenishable reservoir and mechanism for spraying

Ex3. same as #2 but with addition of choice of smell based on user preference selected before entry

Brainwriting - Follow through with ideas generated through Synectics

All ideas are recorded by the individual who thought of them. They are then passed on to the next person who uses them as a trigger for their own ideas. This can start by picking an idea generated from Synectics and passing it around. Each person adds other ideas and suggestions without showing others - convergence will help in evaluating potential of each idea.

Examples of different approaches that can be used include (Note, I don't recommend using some that are on the Creativity Techniques website:

1. BrainWriting Pool
2. BrainWriting 6-3-5
3. Idea Card Method
4. Constrained BrainWriting

BrainWriting Pool

Each person, using Post-it notes or small cards, writes down ideas, and places them in the centre of the table. Everyone is free to pull out one or more of these ideas for inspiration. Team members can create new ideas, variations or piggyback on existing ideas.

Brainwriting 6-3-5

6 people write 3 ideas in 5 minutes (could be a different number of people)

Each person has a blank 6-3-5 worksheet (below)
Problem Statement: How to...
Idea 1 Idea 2 Idea 3
1
2
3
4
5
6

Everyone writes the problem statement at the top of their worksheet (word for word from an agreed problem definition). They then write 3 ideas on the top row of the worksheet in 5 minutes in a complete and concise sentence (6-10 words). At the end of 5 minutes (or when everyone has finished writing) pass the worksheet to the person on your right. You then add three more ideas. The process continues until the worksheet is completed.

There will now be a total of 108 ideas on the 6 worksheets. These can now be assessed.

Idea Card Method

Each person, using Post-it notes or small cards, writes down ideas, and places them next to the person on his or her right. Each person draws a card from there neighbours pile as needed for inspiration. Once the idea has been used, it is passed on to the person on the right along with any new, variations or piggybacked ideas.

Constrained BrainWriting (Note - best to use to refine ideas )

You may want constrained ideas around pre-determined focus, rather than ranging freely. The versions described here use the standard Brainwriting pool technique, but bias the idea generation by using brain-writing sheets prepared in advance.

1. Present starter ideas: The leader initiates the process by placing several prepared sheets of paper in the pool in the centre of the table (see note below).
2. Private brainwriting: Each group member takes a sheet, reads it, and silently adds his or her ideas.
3. Change sheet: When a member runs out of ideas or wants to have the stimulation of another’s ideas, s/he puts one list back in the centre of the table and takes one returned by another member. After reviewing this new list s/he has just selected, s/he adds more ideas.
4. Repeat until ideas are exhausted. No discussion at any stage.

NAF

Use for evaluation once a lot of ideas have been generated.

Simple way of scoring / assessing potential solutions to a problem. Give a score out of 10 for each of the three items

• Novelty - How novel is the idea? If it isn't novel for this situation, it probably isn't very creative
  
• Attractiveness - How attractive is this as a solution? does it completely solve the problem? Or is it only a partial solution? - emotional ergonomics issues
  
• Feasibility - How feasibly is it to put this into practice? It may have been a really attractive solution to use a time machine, but is it really feasible?

Once you have the mark out of 30 for each potential solution, you can easily rank them to then refine the top few.

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