Every successful Consultant knows that what lines their waist when engaging clients is a tool belt. Its the Consultant's job to know when to pull the tool out and how to use it. Just like persuasion architecture, six sigma, and Porter's five forces, brainstorming is a tool.
The goal of brainstorming is quantity of ideas, not quality. Its a great way to get every member of a group involved in a meeting and to elicit as many ideas as possible in a short time period. Follow these simple rules:
1. Assign a facilitator of the meeting
Someone to keep time and maintain focus in the meeting. (some people make careers out of doing just this)
2. Assign a recorder for the meeting
This person's job is to write everything down word for word. Don't fall in the trap of listening for a minute and then summarizing the conversation. Idea's get left out and people become less motivated to participate.
3. Repition is okay- just write it down
4. Set a time limit of no longer than five to ten minutes.
Some of the most productive brainstorming sessions have come during a 2 minute time limit. Never cut the session short of the time limit. tHere may be a lull in the ideas generated at some point during the brainstorming and the temptation is to stop the session and start evaluating ideas. It is much better to wait the time out--usually 15 seconds of silence will start another rush of ideas.
5. DO NOT discuss during brainstorming.
This kills the brainstorming session. It goes against the objective of the exercise.
6. DO NOT judge ideas during brainstorming
Remember quantity, not quality-everything goes in a brainstorming session.
That is all...
