Idea 87: How to lead a brainstorming session
The best way to get a good idea is to get lots of ideas.
Linus Pauling, US chemist and peace activist
No more than 10 people should be involved in a brainstorming session. Some may know about the field you are thinking about, others may not; a mixture of both is desirable. They should ideally have been trained in the brainstorming technique before the meeting. When you run the sessions:
- Define the problem (using your analytical and briefing skills).
- Help people to understand the problem by highlighting the background information and history.
- Clarify the aim in a succinct sentence: ‘In how many ways can we … ?’
- Have a brief warm-up session, using a common problem or object.
- Brainstorm 70 ideas in 20 minutes, ...
