Brainstorming

Simply put, brainstorming is a methodology which allows a team to identify problems and situations from a broad perspective, without making any individual attached or fixated on those ideas. The objective of brainstorming is to generate many ideas in a quick manner, which are then translated into a means of visual representation.

There are a number of ways in which brainstorming can be achieved, including; virtually, using online boards, conference calls, and in a meeting room, but it is important to remember that this methodology is a live activity, and ideas are recorded however it’s carried out. 

When brainstorming as a collective team, it is recommended to do it at Gemba, which is a live walkaround and discussion of the topic, this ensures an equal opportunity for all to voice their mind.

It is important to have a specific problem to tackle, moreover, define the process boundaries, where to start and where to finish, and leave no room for ambiguity, and of course, don’t forget to review your ideas at the end. 

To make your reviewing stage efficient, it is recommended that you create a traffic light system where in essence, red shows no viable options; amber shows ideas that needs to be worked on; and finally, green shows quick wins, which require minimal investment and a quick turnaround time.

Learning Objectives:
•Examine what are the key principles of brainstorming, and assess how your work place can best carry it out
•Utilise brainstorming as a means of solving and tackling problems, as a collective team
•Develop a means where, after a brainstorming session, you can review the ideas and sift through them to identify the ideas which can potentially provide the best outcome with the least expenditure.