Four Steps for Effective Brainstorming

A traditional brainstorming session often leads toward a plethora of wild, and implausible ideas. Simply put, it's about as useful as the Japanese zen sand garden that you received at your last office Christmas party. However, it can be one of the most powerful marketing strategies to find a solution, if done methodically.

A traditional group brainstorming session typically starts with a broad idea, and then the group starts throwing out even the most wild and off-topic ideas. It can be fun, but almost always ends without a logical solution. Ralph Keeney, author of Value-Focused Thinking: A Path to Creative Decision-Making, has devoted his life to decision science, and helping organizations achieve their goals. According to Keeney there are four essential steps to a productive group brainstorming session.

1) Identify the problem

In the initial meeting with your client, it is essential to acquire all business objectives. After analyzing and focusing on the objectives, the problem that needs to be solved should be clear and concise.

2) Identify the objectives of a possible solution.

Approach the goal critically and hone in on what you want to achieve. Describe your problem in multiple ways to form your objectives that should be achieved by the solution. For example, I am currently working on a new jewelry designer's digital media strategy.

The problem: The designer wants to create a product that enables the consumer to recognize it as her signature design, and purchase the jewelry for their next special occasion.

The description: Creating an identifiable piece of jewelry that the consumer would wear to a formal event, holiday party, or special occasion.

The objectives: 1) creating a signature item 2) recognize the item 3) wear the jewelry at their next occasion

Now the brainstorming begins...

3) Be an Individual.

Group brainstorms run the risk of fixating on one individual's solution. Have all participants come into the meeting with their individual solutions. Having done the research before hand will increase productive thought processes, and decrease the wild, and implausible ideas.

4) Meeting of the Minds.

The problem has been stated, the objectives of the solution are clear, and the participants have come up with personal solutions. Finding a solution to the problem during the brainstorming session is set up for success. Targeted creativity can now be implemented, group think has been avoided, and the time was used productively.

Go get your creative juices flowing, and rock your next brainstorm.