Brainstorming- Creative Thinking

Why has it recently be seen to be not as productive?

Demonstrated mechanisms leading to potential ideas loss resulting in each individual contributing fewer ideas in the first place

Example of use of the Idea Matrix

Designing a chair Brainstorm 4 categories of: function material appearance features Finding gaps in the market and new ideas

Why is the Illusion of Productivity difficult to counter?

Difficult unless real facts are acknowledged at all levels in an organisations culture

What are the factors increasing productivity of nominal group work over brainstorming?

Drive arousal Self attention Social anxiety Production blocking Social loafing Gender

What else can groups do other than idea generation in innovation?

Face to face collaboration is essential But can benefit from individual idea generation beforehand then share these with group Company benefit and increase in volume and quality of ideas

When brainstorming based on the Transform stage of the ENTRE model, what is the method of Combination as an idea finding tool?

Forced Connection model Two stages Identify parameters and list Identify services and list Force together by randomly selecting two numbers

Additional recommendations to help groups optimise their creative output (with available time and resources)?

Generate ideas a nominal group before brainstorming Build on ideas generated nominally in brainstorms Encourage paired dialogues from time to time (revise and debate individual ideas) Split larger groups into smaller units and invite people to move from group to group if they feel they are no longer contributing Short breaks in brainstorms to enable group to re-engage Continue generating ideas after brainstorm meeting and use social media to update idea list Meet again with sole purpose of soliciting best idea and use criteria e.g. cost, practicality etc. to objectively compare top ideas

Where is brainstorming mostly used?

Groups to generate ideas for problem solving/ meeting open end challenges

What is Brainstorming a key component of?

Innovation process Experiential education Continuing Professional Development Skills training programmes

What is the Productivity gap?

Rarely closed in brainstorm even with interventions

Ideas for improvement from Brainstorming?

Simulate working in nominal groups in the brainstorming groups giving more time for effective idea generation Brain writing where they write ideas instead of vocalising alongside conventional brain storming Incubation time where longer breaks from brainstorms enable immersion in other activities to nurture their insights

Outline the ideas trying to bring performance of brainstorm groups back to the level of nominal group work?

Skilled facilitator 4-6 People per group Paired dialogues Incubation times Guidelines Writing Idea Generation Tools

Why does brainstorming comprise a continued popularity?

The Illusion of Productivity Tacit belief that groups working together will combine creativity and knowledge in greater than additive way Output would be greater than the sum of contributions Extra ideas would come from combinations of separated ideas in the list

Example of Analogical Brainstorm

Think about a different world all together Problem in business world: How can we transform the way we work and embrace more Creativity? Forget about problem and think about a new analogical world e.g. The Sea List different categories associated with the sea Think about equivalent of these things in the world where the problem exists e.g. Waves and tides= allow natural ebb and flow of employees creativity

What two approaches does one need to consider to sustain a brain storm?

Top Down Practice of good leadership in achieving team cohesion Bottom up need by all employees to be visibly contributing to progress for organisation and their own career development

Three stages in process of Thinking by Association?

Transformation (SCAMPER, TRIZ) MATRIX method (morphological analysis) Analogy/ metaphor (metapmorphorical mind map)

Issues of use of brainstorming?

Used as an excuse for social excursion from routine innovation of creative problem solving only as strong as its weakest links

Define brainstorming?

Verbal Free for all, participants apply thinking by association to problem solve Normally led by a skilled facilitator Formalised by Alex Osborn in 1930s