BUSINESS CLINIC
is simply not enough. The essential ingredient is in-depth expertise of the topic on the table. That is to say that an ‘outsider’, fully versed in the area you’re working in, could be the catalyst needed to spark the truly innovative creative ideas you’re looking for. They bring a fresh approach that will shake up old patterns of thinking within your business.
The research also found that brainstorming sessions conducted this way also delivered results which then produced high economic returns. Which, of course, is music to the ears of any company’s top brass.
The 635 Method, developed by German marketing professional Bernd Rohrbach in the late 1960s, tackles the ‘productivity loss’ issue levelled at Osborn’s brainstorming prototype. It works like this: six people sit around a table and write down three ideas. They pass their stack of ideas to the person on their right, who builds on them. This passing is done five times, until everyone has had the chance to build on each of the ideas. Then the group as a whole can evaluate the ideas generated. Its strength comes from allowing individual work during divergent phases
of creativity and group work during convergent phases.
For design-lead creative brainstorming sessions, it might be an idea to try the ‘C-sketch’ technique. The ‘C’ stands for ‘collaborative’ and it works in a similar way to the 635 Method except this time, everyone puts their drawing skills to the test, using sketches, diagrams and words to express their ideas. Repeating the process above, it’s then passed to the next person and so on.
This approach may help flush out any ideas that are easy to talk about but in reality, are too abstract to put into practice. Also, a large part of the brain is devoted to visual processing, so sketching and analysing drawings harnesses this powerful creative region to help produce more ideas.
Are you leading or facilitating the session yourself? There’s some key foundation work to get the group’s creative juices flowing. Be prepared! Also, come equipped with all the necessary information to get everyone on the same page right from the start. It’s also an idea to declare the space a digital-free zone. Phones and other
devices will be given back at break times so that you have the full concentration of participants.
Setting out the goals of the session at the start will also aid focus and let your brainstormers know what is expected of them. Have some ‘thought-starters’ up your sleeve to get things warmed up – and remember that physical movement helps to stimulate the brain. So, get people out of their seats as much as possible to shake things up. Photos, quotes and inspiring music are also great stimuli for ‘advance’ thinking.
Fingers-crossed, the brainstorming session will generate some pretty impressive creative ideas for your company’s future. Even better, these ideas will be more ‘owned’ by the team and meet less resistance when it comes to putting them into action.
And don’t lose heart if the final ideas are more ‘dud’ than ‘dazzling’. There’s an unexpected side effect to the process, according to research bods: joint brainstorming improves the workplace atmosphere and can make for happier employees – now that’s something you simply can’t create.
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