What Is Brainstorming?

Brainstorming is important for college students, writers, and

professionals in almost any business. Learn what it is, and
how to make brainstorming work for you!
Brainstorming is a method oI creative thinking that is used to come up with ideas to solve
problems. Have you ever had a tough problem that you couldn't easily come up with a solution
Ior easily? Well you probably did a little brainstorming beIore you came up with a solution.
Brainstorming is the practice oI considering various ideas that will help you solve your puzzle.
Many diIIerent people Irom all walks oI liIe use brainstorming on a daily basis. Nearly every
proIession in the arts requires good brainstorming skills. Whether you are a student, graphic
artist, writer, advertising representative, sales representative, or even a CEO, you must learn to
brainstorm eIIectively.
Brainstorming can be done alone or in groups. The term "think-tank" reIers to a group that
brainstorms. Studies show that group brainstorming is much more productive than doing it alone.
The ideas are more imaginative, original and creative when "hatched" in the company oI a group
oI role models. By spending time with other creative minds, we insure that we will always be
surrounded by Iresh ideas.
II coming up with creative ideas are important Ior your group, you must not rule out any idea no
matter how unusual it may be. While brainstorming, never "shelI" any idea.
Here is a step-by-step guide to group brainstorming:
1. The best way Ior any group to start a brainstorming session is to sit in a circle and take turns
thinking oI a solution to the problem at hand. (Someone should be writing these down) To do
this, the problem must be deIined in very broad terms.
a. II the group wants to think oI a new way to package potato chips, the leader oI the group
should maybe ask the group oI ways to wrap things. Ask them how they would wrap presents or
care packages. Another example oI thinking creatively can be by combining two things that are
totally unrelated.
b. II the group was trying to come up with a new advertising campaign Ior potato chips, maybe
they should deIine the problem as how make a better potato chip or even how a dog Ieels about
potato chips.
2. Keep going around the circle until no one can think oI anything new. (It is a good idea to keep
a pencil and a pad oI paper nearby so that you can write down an idea that you get while it is
someone else's turn.)
. AIter everyone has exhausted their creativity, start discussing the ideas one by one.
4. Do not discard any idea. (All criticism and evaluation should wait until aIter the brainstorming
session has ended.)
5. AIter you have discussed every idea, take a IiIteen or twenty minute break. Hurrying will
hinder creativity. The brain needs time Ior the incubation oI a creative idea.
6. Ask the original question again and begin trying to come up with more new ideas. (Keep in
mind that the combining oI ideas should be encouraged.)
7. We must remember that the quantity oI a multitude oI diverse ideas is much more important
that the quality oI the ideas during a brainstorming session.
8. Explain to the members oI the group that the more wild, unusual, and mind boggling the ideas
the better!
A day or so aIter brainstorming, the entire group should go back over the ideas and see iI this
triggers any new ideas. Many times "sleeping on it" so to speak really helps us to mold our
creative ideas. Discuss any new ideas, the combining oI ideas, as well as any other kind oI
creative thought that has struck a member oI the group.
When brainstorming alone, many people Iind that writing the ideas down helps them to
remember them. Write about whatever may come to your mind. Do not worry about punctuation
and grammar. Just write any and all ideas that pop into your head no matter how silly they seem
at the time. This, aIter all, is how some oI the greatest ideas have come into existence.
AIter ten or IiIteen minutes take a break. Return to brainstorming and write down any and all
ideas again in the same manner. AIter you have run out oI ideas, start exploring each and every
one oI them individually. Don't discard any oI these thoughts, though. The incubation period is
very important Ior cementing creative ideas, so sleep on it!
AIter being away Irom the brainstorming Ior a day or two, come back to the project. Reread the
ideas and see iI anything new comes to you. Start brainstorming again. Take a break about
IiIteen minutes or so. When you Ieel a bit more relaxed start again. By this time, most people
have some really great ideas that present a plausible solution.
Here is a creativity checklist Irom "The Essentials oI Psychology" (seventh edition) by Dennis
Coon:
1. RedeIine (Considering other uses to guard against a Iixation that may block creativity.)
2. Adapt (Asking how could things be changed to aid in the solution oI a problem.)
. ModiIy (Imagine changing everything)
4. MagniIy (Exaggerate everything)
5. MiniIy (Shrink the problem)
6. Substitute (Try substituting one idea or procedure Ior another.)
7. Rearrange (Break the problem into pieces like a puzzle and try to put it back together again.)
8. Reverse (Think about everything in opposite orders and terms.)
9. Combine (We already discussed this.)
When we expose a problem to all oI these diIIerent processes, we will almost ensure that no
creative solution can be easily overlooked or Iorgotten. Use this technique the next time you
have a problem. Your solution may just surprise you. Good luck!
Source:
The Essentials oI Psychology 7th Edition by Dennis Coon


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