Brainstorming Techniques for Innovators
Brainstorming is an essential and unavoidable part of innovation, enabling teams to generate new ideas, tackle complex challenges, and explore creative solutions.
It’s also resource-intensive: It involves people, their time, their attention, and elevated stakes. It should be done well.
Whether you're launching a new product, improving processes, or solving a problem, effective brainstorming helps break through mental blocks and develop actionable insights.
The goal of brainstorming is to use a constrained amount of time to create as many avenues for a solution as possible. To that end, here is a guide outlining proven brainstorming techniques to make your sessions more productive and impactful.
Key Brainstorming Techniques
“HMW” Question Brainstorming
Use “How Might We … ?” questions to generate open-ended options around ways to solve the user’s problems. Focus on generating as many questions as possible about the problem rather than answers.
Example: Reframe a question like "What barriers are preventing customers from using our product?" to “How might we overcome barriers that prevent customers from using our product?”
By asking the right questions, you explore different angles of the issue and open up new perspectives. Group those questions thematically and focus on the most intersting ones.
Hybrid Brainstorming
Combine both individual (asynchronous) and group (real-time) brainstorming.
Individuals first generate ideas on their own and then come together as a group to share, refine, and vote on the best ones.
Example: Team members brainstorm remotely before coming together in a meeting to evaluate the ideas. This is also a good way to involve introvert team members with valuable points of view.
Mind Map Brainstorming
Start with a central topic and branch out ideas related to the core challenge.
This technique is effective for uncovering related concepts and how they interconnect.
Example: Use a mind map to explore the core problem of "increasing customer engagement."
Starbursting
A structured approach using the 5 Ws and 1 H (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How) to analyze a problem.
Helps teams think about all facets of an issue and generate a range of potential solutions.
Example: "Who is most affected by this problem?" or "Why is it happening?"
Crazy 8s
Encourage quick, high-quantity ideation by sketching 8 ideas in 8 minutes.
This fast-paced exercise helps bypass overthinking and encourages fresh perspectives.
Example: Quickly sketching solutions to improve an onboarding process.
Round Robin Brainstorming
Ideas are passed around a group, with each person adding input or building upon the previous suggestion.
Encourages collaboration and critique while refining ideas.
Example: Start with a rough idea and let team members provide improvements or identify potential challenges.
6-3-5 Brainwriting
A structured method where 6 participants generate 3 ideas in 5 minutes across several rounds.
Great for building on the ideas of others and producing a large volume of concepts.
Example: Teams rapidly share and expand on ideas for a product redesign.
Reverse Brainstorming
Instead of asking how to solve a problem, ask how to make it worse.
This helps identify hidden root causes and flips the negative ideas into positive solutions.
Example: "How could we make the user experience more frustrating?"
Silent Circuit
Participants ideate in silence, adding their thoughts on sticky notes or a shared platform without group discussion.
This technique is particularly effective for including introverts or avoiding groupthink.
Example: Each team member silently adds their input on how to improve customer feedback systems.
Brain-netting
Conduct brainstorming entirely online, often asynchronously, to allow for global or remote team collaboration.
Example: Use online tools to gather ideas from team members across different time zones. These can be formal digital tools like Miro or Mural, or simple, shareable and inexpensive technology like Google Sheets.
Tips for Productive Brainstorming
No Bad Ideas: Ensure an open environment where everyone feels safe sharing ideas, no matter how unconventional.
Quantity Over Quality: Start by generating as many ideas as possible before refining or evaluating them.
Assign a Facilitator: While not always necessary, a facilitator can help keep the session focused and ensure all voices are heard.
Use of Digital Tools: For remote or hybrid teams, digital platforms provide spaces for collaborative brainstorming.
Follow-Up Action: Brainstorming is just the beginning. Ensure clear next steps are defined, with responsibilities assigned to each team member.
By integrating these techniques and tips into your brainstorming sessions, you can unlock more creative ideas, foster collaboration, and ensure your team is on the path to innovation.
Reach out for more at innovation@growthinnovationstrategy.com.
