Effective brainstorming is an art. As with every creative activity, there are ways to hone your skills in order to produce a better product. Getting a group of people together is a great way to share and build on ideas, but what are the best methods to encourage participation? Whether you are leading or taking part in a brainstorming session, here are some tips about what to do and what to avoid to ensure success in your next session.

Filtering

Brainstorming is about quantity, not quality. It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s the truth. Starting a meeting by saying, “We’re going to come up with some great ideas today!” may not be the best choice. This can place undue pressure on the rest of the group and keep ideas from flowing. A successful brainstorming session needs to embrace a playful energy. Avoid judgment and editing of ideas, be it of yourself or others. Don’t wait for one pristine idea to be fully formed before you open your mouth. This is a space where your mind should be wide open. Just blurt things out.

Blocking Off Potential Ideas

This seems obvious. Blocking off ideas goes against the purpose of brainstorming. However, there are many traps to easily fall into when leading a brainstorming session which can hinder the creativity of the group. Don’t start with an example. This may seem like it will give the group an idea of what you are looking for, but it is more likely to hinder creative thinking. They will tend to stick with ideas closely related to your example, rather than coming up with new and unique solutions.

Dismissing an idea as nonsense or something that has been done before, and limiting the time and location in which brainstorming is allowed should also be avoided. Ideas are fragile and meeting negative criticism can quickly hinder a person’s want to participate. Brainstorming should also be constantly present in the workplace and discussed when ideas are fresh and the passion is high, rather than in a designated location at a later time. Therefore, participants should be encouraged to share their craziest ideas within the session and to keep their creative mindset alive in their everyday work environment.

Get Physical

The higher the energy, the better the production. Keeping people moving during a brainstorming session is key to preventing energy loss. Standing up and walking around generates lively thinking. It is easy to sink into a comfy chair and turn off your brain, so encouraging everyone to get on their feet from time to time will recharge batteries and invigorate idea sharing.

Writing lists, drawing diagrams and making models are other ways to keep participants engaged and producing ideas. Being the first to share an idea can be scary, so instead start the session by handing out note paper to the entire group to start writing down ideas. If a concept is more visual, draw a picture or make a model, however crude, in order to get the idea across.

Build on Small Ideas

Creativity is a series of small steps, not one eureka moment. Ideas can grow from any number of jumping off points. It is a good idea throughout the session to write these things down on an accessible surface. A seemingly trivial or irrelevant thought could cause a snowball effect, resulting in the creation of an innovative idea in a group setting. Don’t dismiss an idea as not being relevant and let it die as a thought without speaking it out loud. You never know when your sliver of an idea might spark someone else’s imagination and create something great.

All of this boils down to the need to create an environment that eliminates fear and fosters creativity. A brainstorming session can be a great opportunity to develop unique solutions for any business. With the right tools, the ideas can be endless and free-flowing. As Scott Berkun writes in The Myths of Innovation, “Every amazing creative thing you’ve ever seen, or idea you’ve ever heard can be broken down into smaller ideas that existed before.”