Idea Beam

Explain the basic idea of the Idea Beam and hand out the task sheet to participants (print page 4). Explain how the Idea Beam works using the example provided on each task sheet. If you have not been able to produce several copies of the idea beam on flipchart paper in advance, get the group to do this now. You may also want to get the group to copy a simplified version of the diagram onto a flipchart and fill it in together that way.

1. Start with the objective that you want the participants to achieve. You can either suggest one (e.g. ‘happier employees’) or get participants to suggest one relevant to their situation. Ensure that it is a very broad objective because there will be plenty of opportunities to come up with more specific ideas as the exercise progresses.
2. Once the broad objective is decided, divide participants into groups of three or four and ask them to go and stand by a flipchart page. Get them to write the broad objective under the relevant heading and allow them to start filling in the Idea Beam. Tell participants to keep evaluation to a minimum and to just put ideas down where they think they should go. This is not an exact science however; it is better they put down an idea in the wrong place than waste too much time deciding where it should go. Encourage participants to all write on the flipchart paper at the same time – this keeps up energy levels and encourages maximum creativity.
3. Stress that while they may be tempted to move from left to right, the exercise is designed so that participants can fill in ideas in both directions. When moving from left to right, towards more and more specific ideas, the question to bear in mind is the one written along the arrow pointing to the right, i.e. ‘What, more specifically, would enable us to achieve this idea?’ When moving from right to left, and therefore looking for broader ideas, the relevant question is that written along the arrow pointing to the left, i.e. ‘How – or in what way – would this help us reach our objective?’

Review Activity and Apply Learning (20 Minutes)

When the Idea Beam is complete, assemble the participants and ask them the following questions:

• How easy to use did you find the technique?
• Did you come up with any workable ideas?
• How likely are you to use the technique when back at the workplace?

The Idea Beam - Task Sheet

This exercise, created by The Mind Gym, is a means of encouraging participants to use different levels of thinking to reach an objective.

Our brains operate as a totally integrated system. This means we have a tendency to flow from one idea to another. The Idea Beam encourages different levels of thinking to reach an objective. Broadly speaking these levels can be regarded as follows:

• Objective – what is the outcome that is desired?
• Broad Ideas – a general notion or approach which looks from a very high level
• Specific Ideas – a more narrowly defined approach which looks from a medium level
• Action – a practical idea that describes a single activity which could be implemented and which addresses the objective

Task

1. Ensure you each have a copy of The Idea Beam. If you are working on your own, fill this copy in directly. If you are working in a group, it may be more sensible to copy the diagram onto a flipchart. Add the arrows and the accompanying questions but don’t worry about drawing individual boxes for each level; just ensure there are four distinct headings under which you can add ideas.
2. Start with the objective that you want to achieve. Ensure that it is a very broad objective because there will be plenty of opportunities to come up with more specific ideas as the exercise progresses.
3. Once the broad objective is decided, write it under the relevant heading and start to fill in the Idea Beam. Keep evaluation to a minimum and just put ideas down where you think they should go. Remember, it’s better to put down an idea in the wrong place than waste too much time deciding where it should go.
4. You may be tempted to move from left to right, but the exercise is designed so that you can fill in ideas in both directions. When moving from left to right, towards more and more specific ideas, the question to bear in mind is the one written along the arrow pointing to the right, i.e. ‘What, more specifically, would enable us to achieve this idea?’ When moving from right to left, and therefore looking for broader ideas, the relevant question is that written along the arrow pointing to the left, i.e. ‘How – or in what way – would this help us reach our objective?’