How to Brainstorm Ideas

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If you've ever had to solve a problem at work, chances are you've used brainstorming, even if you didn't realize it. Brainstorming is a simple, fun and effective way to generate ideas and come up with creative solutions to problems. It encourages people to think freely and openly, creating a rich array of ideas and solutions.

To start a group brainstorming session, prepare a space that's private and quiet, where you won't be disturbed. This might be an office meeting room, if you're hosting it in-person, or on a virtual platform, if you're hosting remotely.

Consider who you'll include in your group. The goal is to generate as many diverse ideas as possible. So invite people from a range of different disciplines, roles and backgrounds.

Be sure to have the right tools at hand: for an in-person meeting, you'll need sticky notes, or a whiteboard and markers. If you're hosting a virtual session, choose an appropriate virtual collaboration tool – one that everyone knows how to use and can access.

If this is the first time your group has worked together, prepare a few ice breakers to get everyone relaxed and talking.

Now it's time to get started! First, define what the problem is that you want to solve. Make it clear that the objective is to come up with as many ideas as possible, and that it doesn't matter if they seem silly or impractical. What's important is that everyone gets creative.

Give people some quiet time, at the start of the session, to come up with ideas on their own. Then, go round each person and ask them to share these with the group.

Encourage others to comment and build on ideas that are shared, and make sure you capture any insights gained from the discussion.

Try and get everyone to contribute, including quieter people, and discourage criticism. This is meant to be an enjoyable and creative exercise, where people feel safe to share their thoughts and ideas freely, without judgment.

Give everyone's idea a good amount of "air time," but keep the conversation flowing. If people start to get stuck on a particular problem or detail, step in and move things along, to ensure everybody gets a chance to share.

Once the brainstorming session is finished, you'll have lots of material to work with. If you can, try to analyze these ideas early, while the session is still fresh in your mind.

To do this, check out our analysis and decision-making tools.

Brainstorming isn't just something you have to do in a group, either. Individual brainstorming is a great way to solve simple problems on your own. You often get the best results by combining individual and group brainstorming, so if you've got the time, try and do both.

To learn more about brainstorming, see the article that accompanies this video.