Rules for Traditional Brainstorming
Rules for brainstorming have appeared in various forms since this technique was developed; the following four rules capture the essence of the process.
1. Avoid criticism of ideas. Facilitators should remind any member who violates this rule.
2. Quantity of ideas is desired. The more suggestions, the better.
3. Encourage extreme or outlandish ideas. No idea is too ridiculous.
4. Building upon one anothers’ ideas is welcome. This is called hitchhiking or piggybacking. Combining ideas is important because it encourages active listening and results in synthesis and expansion of ideas.
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