Brainstorming

azaquar's picture
Submitted by azaquar on Wed, 18/05/2011 - 10:49

Overview

Brainstorming is also known as: Brainstorm, Storm Ideas, Creativity and brainstorming.

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is a method of producing a lot of ideas in the shortest time. It is used to solve a problem by investigating the causes and possible solutions.

Brainstorming how to use?

Brainstorming is a group composed of 8 to 15 people, preferably in several disciplines, and a facilitator.

The team tries to produce a lot of ideas that are rated on a board visible to everyone.

It is recommended that breaks between each meeting to let the ideas mature in order to review thereafter.

Brainstorming is done in three phases:

  1. Search phase: Participants will express one after the other all their ideas come to mind without restriction. The exercise should be conducted in the discipline: we listen to what the other says and does in no way critical. No idea, however strange it is, must be suppressed. We must express the most ideas: there are more ideas, the better the chances of finding the solution.

  2. Phase of consolidation and combination of ideas: The working group is trying to exploit and improve ideas. You can make analogies to express variables or changes. Some ideas will be completely degraded, and others praised the contrary . But beware! These criticisms do not address the author of the idea, and it will have to keep a sense of humility. The important thing is not who had the idea, but to see what can be learned.

  3. Phase Conclusion: At the end of the year will require the analysis of suspected causes and solutions: identify those areas of the feasible, the area of utopia. The causes and solutions will be identified confronted with the requirements of the company, as well as other tools. We will adopt the best solutions.

Brainstorming Example

Company X often receives complaints regarding the delay of delivery. The director of the Company has designated a team of various department heads of the company and other persons having relation with the subject in order to solve the problem.

The team used brainstorming to solve the problem.

Question: What are the causes of delays in delivery?

Responses by the group:

  • Orders are received late.
  • The realization of orders is poorly programmed.
  • Delay in the receipt of inputs needed to implement the order.
  • The production lines are not prepared in advance.
  • Delay in the administrative process for approval of delivery.
  • The regulation requires that the product spends a period of 15 days in the stores prior to deliver.
  • Unavailability of trucks for delivery.
  • ...

After reviewing the ideas, the team is studying solutions to the causes identified.