This is a focusing stage empathize define test ideate prototype

innovation potential separate generation and evaluation Ideate is about building innovation potential – not necessary about finding that one great idea. Brainstorming gets you the seed of what can become innovative solutions (through prototyping and iteration). We will use brainstorming for ideation. (Regardless of what ideation technique you use), the core principle is to separate idea generation and evaluation. Let yourself and your team explore, and turn off the critical part of your brain for just this period of time.

brainstorm: why? more bang for your buck mix diverse perspectives transfer ideas be intentional about a time when you are not evaluating Brainstorm to get a lot of ideas quickly, and get past the obvious and easy ones. Build off each other and take advantage of the different perspectives on the team – this means you need to listen to each other and think how can you make someone’s idea even better. Brainstorming is the start of the process to find a great solution – exposing yourself to each other’s ideas get you thinking about many directions. And use brainstorming as a very intentional time when you are deferring judgment and being open to all ideas that might come up. (You can judge them later.)

(cc) center for jewish history “How many of you have brainstormed before? And how many have had a great energizing brainstorm – with lots of ideas flowing? And how many have had the flipside? – how many of you have been in this room before having a brainstorm. What does that look like? Let’s see that brainstorm . . .” (flip slide; demo) (cc) center for jewish history

(cc) center for jewish history demo (Bad brainstorm) Post-demo: “What did you notice there that wasn’t working?” “. . . People use the word ‘brainstorming for lots of things – basically any session of coming up with ideas. But what we mean by brainstorming is a very intentional activity. Actually with specific rules . . .” (flip slide) (cc) center for jewish history

build on the ideas of others encourage wild ideas be visual go for quantity headline! build on the ideas of others encourage wild ideas be visual defer judgment “ . . . This is one of the few times in a design process when we have rules laid out. It may seem counter-intuitive to have rules for a mind-blowing-free-for-all-idea-fest. But these rules are actually to help be your best as a brainstorming team.”

build on the ideas of others encourage wild ideas be visual go for quantity headline! build on the ideas of others encourage wild ideas be visual defer judgment Today we want you to focus on two in particular: Quantity – get a lot of ideas on the board. Get variety, get different scales, just get a lot. Second, defer judgment. We are all good at evaluating ideas. Turn that off for the next half hour. You’ll have a chance for that later. This include defer judgment on yourself . . .

“So let’s see another brainstorm in action . . .” (flip slide; demo)

demo (good brainstorming demo)

brainstorm: best practices define the problem clearly and succinctly

brainstorm: best practices be concise and specific

brainstorm: best practices capture everything

“Linus Pauling said . . .” “Get in there and build off each other, and get a lot of ideas.” (image: ideaelevator.co) the best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas. — linus pauling, nobel prize chemist © wikimedia commons

“First we want to get in the spirit of ideation . . .” INSERT STOKE

brainstorm: 30 min ideation 5 min selection