How To Brainstorm More Effectively

You need to learn how to brainstorm more effectively because brainstorming surrounds our lives. In classes, at work, in our personal lives, side hustle ideating and virtually for anything that requires creative problem-solving. But are we any good at brainstorming?

You might know that awkward feeling. Sitting in class, staring at the one person trying to lead the group. After twenty minutes the group only generates a handful of mediocre ideas.

The problem is this isn’t effective brainstorming. Learn how to brainstorm more effectively below.

1. Define the Problem You are Solving

“if I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharpening my ax.”

Abraham Lincoln

Before jumping in to solve the problem, it helps to clarify the challenge that you are dealing with. McKinsey, the consulting firm recommends using root cause analysis and get to the bottom of what the problem is.

Root cause analysis involves asking questions that force thinking beyond just this initial problem that tries to find why this problem happened in the first place. For example, is this a symptom of a systematic issue we are trying to tackle? McKinsey recommends “build(ing) a series of right questions that your team will explore in small groups during a series of idea generation sessions.” These small questions will lead to other small questions, that eventually will get to the root cause of what is causing all the problems in the first place.

These questions should have two characteristics; they should force the participants to take a different perspective, and they should limit the conceptual space that the team is trying to solve.

For example, if it is a group of project managers trying to figure out how to get the schedule back on track, they should take a new perspective. “Where is there un-needed complexity in our manufacturing process that we can streamline?”. Questions like these force the project managers out of their usual schedule building, while also helping them solve a specific issue. Which then could lead to, “how can we better communicate with our carriers for them to ship our material more effectively?” Is the root problem internal or even external? Continuing down this path will reveal the answer.

2. Identify the Objectives of the Possible Solution

David Kelly, the founder of the renowned design firm IDEO, wanted to design a product that would let cyclists transport and drink coffee while they were riding. It is easy to jump to solutions, “spill-proof coffee lids” or “bicycle cup holders” but that is not the best way to brainstorm.

It is better to state the objective, “helping bike commuters to drink coffee without spilling or burning their tongues.”

Setting the objective first sets out the needed features of the product: allowing the cyclist to drink their coffee while avoiding spill. While also not burning their tongues, avoiding accidents, and also keeps the coffee hot. The cup holder and spill-proof lid wouldn’t solve these problems.

Get into as much detail as possible before brainstorming about a solution to make sure the solution solves all the problems you are looking to rectify. Jumping to a conclusion too early can cause you to miss the goal we are trying to figure out in the first place.

3. Generate Solutions Individually

Harvard Business Review sites that traditional brainstorming, in groups trying to answer the question, isn’t as effective as individuals coming up with ideas on their own first. Working in a big group doesn’t work for many reasons. Working in groups encourages social loafing (coasting on other’s ideas), some members experience social anxiety (introverted members feeling self-conscious of throwing in ideas), and it focuses too much on the solutions over the problem.

The better way to brainstorm is to have everyone work on the main problems and their solutions alone, and then reconvene after twenty minutes. Then everyone shares their top one or two ideas and what features of the problem it tackles.

This method gives everyone time to think about their solutions, present their ideas, and lets all the voices be heard. Plus, all the ideas can then smashed together to come up with a solution based on everyone’s input.

4. Once the problem is understood, the objective clear, everyone has their ideas, it is time to work together to solve the problem

Move onto the problem-solving space. Take some of the best ideas, smash all the ideas together, or scrap everything and try again.

Once the problem to be solved has been defined, the objectives identified, and some solutions generated, the team is on the right track to solve the real problem together. Then traditional brainstorming can take over because everyone is working towards the correct goal and already has their creative juices going.  

Main Take-Aways

• Brainstorming begins with defining the correct problem and asking the right questions. You need to know what you are solving before you set out the brainstorming process
• Instead of starting with solutions to the problem, begin with objectives. State what objectives the solution should solve, this will provide accountability for step 4 because the solution should hit all these objectives
• Brainstorming is a process that should be done both individually and as a group to generate the original ideas

Action Items

What is the next big project you need to brainstorm? Think of how your group normally does brainstorming. How can you take the above principles and apply them to your group to make the brainstorming more effective?