How to run a brainstorming session - Adimen Mapa

How to run a brainstorming session

Learn how to run a brainstorming session using this brainstorming toolbox template.

To run a brainstorming session, you have to establish a specific objective.

Then, you have to think about the time you will need to find the creative solutions you are looking for.

Start with a story or a scenario to show to the group of people that take part in this brainstorming session what you are looking for.

Assign tasks to some team members that will help you with the brainstorming session.For example, you will need a person to take notes. You can use this mind map or a new mind map. Also, for a good brainstorming session, you will need a group of people that has knowledge in the area you are interested in to find ideas. People who ask questions and participate actively in the brainstorming session are valuable too. They will help you to generate ideas with ease. Besides the fact that they are sharing their ideas, they will challenge others to express their opinion and come with creative ideas.

When you are organizing brainstorming meetings, you should follow the steps from this template:

Explain to the team members what you are going to do and keep them up to date with all the information they need

Offer them some time to think about the problem

Collect all the ideas, whether you think they are useful or not

Create a list of ideas from the participants and add it to the template

Combine ideas and build upon the ideas of other people to generate new ideas

Ask participants to reflect for a while on the ideas

Add some criteria which will help you to filter and score ideas, like performance, costs, alignment with strategy, risk levels

Filter ideas based on your criteria

Set out the next actions like obtaining support from stakeholders, creating prototypes or wireframes, and testing them