Intro text

for this section

Group Size

4-8 People

Brainstorming is fuelled by ideas that ignite and suggest new and different approaches. You can always run a brainstorming sessions with smaller groups, (and even individually if needs be) but a group of 4 is usually a good minimum to start with. This allows the group to get continuous sense of flow and idea generation, without taxing individual members too much.

Duration

30 - 60min.

Time also plays an important role in this exercise. Its important to take time to run a quick loosen-up exercise to get the creative juices flowing, and to spark focus onto the exercise. Run the higher intensity divergent / idea generation stage for up to 30min, and then follow up with a short break to organize ideas and make sure everyone feels like something

Survey results showing the state of digital teams and programs in nonprofits

When and what to use Brainstorming for:

• Produce a large number of ideas
• Generate ideas quickly
• Get people unstuck
• Inject insights from a broader group
• Build enthusiasm
• Solve tricky problems
• Improve team collaboration

7 Rules of Brainstorming

Defer judgement

Creative spaces don’t judge. They let the ideas flow,so people can build from one another’s great ideas.

Encourage wild ideas

Embrace the most out-of-the-box notions. There’s often not a whole lot of difference between outrageous and brilliant.

Build on the ideas of others

Try to use “and” instead of “but.” It encourages positivity and inclusivity and leads to tons of ideas.

Stay focused on the topic

Try to keep the discussion on target. Divergence is good, but you still need to keep your eyes on the prize.

One conversation at a time

This can be difficult, especially with lots of creative peoplein a single room, but always think about the challenge topicand how to stay on track.

Be visual

Use colored markers and Post-its. Stick your ideas on the wall, so others can visualize them. (Miro is also great for that)

Go for quantity

Crank your ideas out quickly. For any 60-minute session, you should try to generate 100 ideas.

Where next?

• After you generate lots of different ideas, try to groups them with affinity mapping to get a sense of any underlying themes that might be running trough the team.
• Run a poll to vote on the ideas people enjoy best.
• Use a 2x2 Matrix️ to evaluate and prioritise IDEAS
• Prototype some of the best candidates so you can quickly get real world insights on how people react and feel about your ideas.