Effective brainstorming sessions are like the storms they’re named after: more elements and time equals more strength. But also like a storm, they can easily go awry. We’re offering you 5 tips to keep your brainstorming sessions on track and productive.
The List
- Know the purpose
Why? Why are you having the session? What’s its purpose? What problem are you trying to solve? Purpose steers the entire session, the questions you’ll ask, the people you’ll invite, and the way you’ll lead the session.
- Keep it small
There are lots of advantages of small groups: more time for everyone to make multiple contributions, easier to facilitate a productive conversation, more chances to hash out ideas.
- Diversity
You know confirmational bias? Well, the same goes for brainstorming: if you’re only hearing form people who think like you then you’ll likely not get any new ideas. Inviting people who aren’t like you and don’t work in your industry/department can bring innovative, unique ideas to your brainstorming session. New perspectives could be just the angle you’re looking for.
- Stay on track
Tangents, sidebars, veering off course…whatever you call the phenomenon that happens when you’ve strayed from your main purpose can happen very easily in a brainstorming session. Ensure you have a moderator or leader to keep everyone focused on the purpose. A little divergence can be a good thing and great ideas can come from stepping off the path but keeping it to a minimum is important for effective brainstorming sessions.
- Keep notes of everything
No matter how off the wall you think someone’s idea is, make note of it. It could, one day, be a million dollar idea or just come in handy at a later date. Let’s say you were doing a brainstorming session for a website name, and, at the end of your session, you all agreed on the “best” name. You go to buy the domain and it’s already taken! Now you’ve got all the other ideas to revisit or fall back on.
Space for Effective Brainstorming Sessions
LOKAL’s got your back with several meeting rooms that you can book by the hour or the day. The Strategy Room or The Library are clean, open, and airy…all great elements of a productive space.
