One of the biggest complaints about brainstorming is that it is too slow.
For the most part this is quite true.
If you think of brainstorming as a muscle it is better to exercise more frequently in shorter, sharper sessions.
I think it’s the same with brainstorming.
One way to do this is via Speed Thinking and it’s tool Ideas Blitz.
Here are some ways to use Speed Thinking to accelerate your next brainstorming session:
- Ask people to do a Blitz before they come to the session. Or at least the start phase which is to generate 9 ideas in 2 minutes (the start step).
- Ask them to present their best idea and their most original idea right at the start. If you have say 8 people you start with 16 ideas so the session is off to a great start.
- When the brainstorming session runs out of energy say – Ok lets try Blitzing it. This is a signal for everyone to try and generate 9 new idea in 2 minutes
- If you have a great idea then say now lets run a Blitz and try and make this idea 9 time better.
- At the end of the session when the group has decided on the best idea then develop a 9 point action plan to take this idea from a concept to a specific, actionable plan to move it forward.