Sometimes you don’t have time to have a brainstorm. Sometimes you need ideas quickly without the research, icebreakers and party games. If this type of rapid brainstorming is what you need, here are some instructions and tips for faster thinking.
Instructions for Fast Brainstorming
- Gather just the necessary information
- What’s the (business) objective?
- Who’s the specific target audience?
- What’s the primary problem in their mind to overcome?
- What’s the timing for implementation?
- Come with 2-3 insights
- Any critical information that adds depth to the four points
- If you have little time, focus on any insights about the audience
- Invite 2-4 people to join you, standing around a flipchart
- The body is more efficient thinking when standing vs. sitting down
- If you’re working online, give people the necessary info (#1 above) a day in advance so their subconscious thinking may kick in
- Start with no more than 60 seconds of background
- Do not over-explain
- Just give people enough information to be dangerous
- Set a timer for 20 minutes and GO!
- Write down every idea on the flipchart or virtual whiteboard if using online tools
- Just 1-2 words to help you remember the idea
- Or, give everyone a marker and let them write their own idea
- Ta-da! Tell people if they have ideas later on to come back to you
- Lather, rinse, repeat
Benefits and Tips
The singular reason why I prefer this style of brainstorming is its flexibility to start another brainstorm in a few minutes. This is especially helpful if you work in a small company or team. You can start with 2-4 people, move on to another 2-4 people, and if you have to return to the original group, the ideas would have moved far enough along that they’re almost fresh thinkers again.
Given that these brainstorms are only 20 minutes long, I have packed as many as six brainstorms into one morning, grabbing up people as they’re free, or if they need a bit of a mental break from their other work.
Fast brainstorming still needs a few things to stimulate the body, so if you can bring chocolate or fresh fruit, even better.
If you go elsewhere, even better. Local coffee shops are ideal. I’ve even done brainstorms in the lobby of our building. Once, for a bank concerning ATM usage, we even did the brainstorm at a nearby ATM. (I brought along a clipboard to write ideas.)
Write everything down. Regardless of how fast you go, persists. Besides, writing down all ideas, good or bad, gives you notes to consider if you need to continue working on ideas later.
Thinking Fast Also Helps Tap Into Subconscious Thinking
Another reason to like this style is its inherent way of stimulating “subconscious thinking.” Your brain continues to think about something even if you don’t realize that it is. There’s a chance that you – or one of your brainstormers – will walk away from your 15-minute brainstorm and think of an idea later, even tomorrow.
Do you care if the idea comes out in the brainstorm? You shouldn’t. You should only care that whenever someone has an idea, they know there’s a place to capture the idea. That’s another reason why I suggest people hang the flipcharts in a public space. Tell brainstorm alumni to add ideas as they think of them. I also hang up the one-page brief and invite anyone who walks by to add ideas. If we aren’t all working in the same place, I ask people to text or email me with their ideas Who knows when someone might think of an idea?
One time, a client came to the office and saw our ‘ongoing’ brainstorm for another department at their company. After I gave her my 60-second introduction, she suggested 1-2 other ideas. She even wrote me an email later in the day with more ideas. Most surprising to me, this client was the type who generally was negative in brainstorms, so it turned out to be an ideal way to engage her in the brainstorm process – and it was someone else’s brainstorm!
Sometimes fast can be fun.
Any other suggestions on how you’ve fast brainstormed in the past? Please add your thoughts or comments below.
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