brainstorming problem solving techniques

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Popular Templates
• Accessibility
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Beginner Guides

Blog Beginner Guides Brainstorming Examples + Techniques For Problem Solving

Brainstorming Examples + Techniques For Problem Solving

Written by: Krystle Wong Sep 08, 2023

So — you’re faced with a complex problem that seems as daunting as a mountain. You’ve tried all the usual approaches, but the solution remains elusive. What do you do? That’s where a good brainstorming mind map maker comes into play. 

This article is your backstage pass to the world of brainstorming. I’m not just going to give you the playbook; I’m going to show you how it’s done with brainstorming examples that will have you saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?” 

So, no more beating around the brainstorming bush. Let’s roll up our sleeves and dive into the many effective techniques and examples that will turbocharge your problem-solving game. It’s time to unleash your inner brainstorming genius!

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 4 rules of brainstorming

12+ brainstorming mind map examples for problem solving, 10 effective brainstorming techniques that work, 5 common mistakes to avoid during brainstorming, brainstorming examples faq.

• 5 steps to create a brainstorming mind map with Venngage

The concept of brainstorming was introduced by Alex Osborn, an advertising executive and he outlined four key rules to facilitate effective brainstorming sessions. 

These rules are often referred to as the “Four Rules of Brainstorming” and are designed to encourage creativity and a free flow of ideas within a group. Here are the four rules:

No judgment: All ideas are welcomed and accepted without criticism or evaluation during a brainstorming session. This rule encourages participants to feel free to express even unconventional or seemingly impractical ideas.

Quantity over quality: Forget about perfection for now. In brainstorming, it’s like a numbers game – the more ideas, the merrier. Don’t get bogged down in refining each idea to perfection; just get them out there.

Build on the ideas of others: Teamwork makes the dream work. When someone throws out an idea, don’t just nod and move on. Add your spin, build on it or take it in a different direction. It’s all about collaboration and bouncing off each other’s creativity.

Encourage wild and creative ideas: Embrace the weird, the wild and the wacky. Sometimes the most outlandish ideas can be the seeds of genius solutions. So, don’t be shy – let your imagination run wild. 

So, the next time you’re in a brainstorming session, remember these rules. They’re not just guidelines; they’re the keys to unlocking your team’s creative potential. With these principles in play, you’ll find yourself reaching new heights of innovation and problem-solving.

Mind maps are a powerful tool for brainstorming, helping individuals and teams visualize ideas, make connections and unleash their creative potential. 

Whether you’re conducting a team retrospective or embarking on a corporate brainstorm, you can significantly enhance idea generation, boost efficient learning and note taking with mind maps . Get started with one of the brainstorming mind map examples below. 

1. Team retrospective board

When creating a mind map for a team retrospective, it’s essential to strike a balance between structure and flexibility. 

To achieve this, consider color-coding categories such as “What went well,” “What needs improvement,” and “Action items.” This visual differentiation helps participants quickly identify and prioritize discussion areas. 

Additionally, incorporating a timeline element within the mind map can provide a visual representation of the project’s progression, enabling the team to recall specific events and experiences. 

You can further enhance the visual appeal and emotional context by using icons or symbols to represent sentiments, such as happy faces for positive experiences and sad faces for challenges.

2. Business model brainstorm

Designing a mind map for brainstorming a business model necessitates a structured approach to represent various model elements coherently. 

Incorporate color to cover essential components like value proposition, customer segments, revenue streams and distribution channels. Color coding can help visually organize your ideas and make the map more visually appealing.

To make each component stand out and aid comprehension, incorporate icons or relevant images. For instance, use a dollar sign icon to represent revenue streams. Consistency in color schemes helps differentiate sections and highlights essential elements.

3. Collaborative brainstorm

Collaborative brainstorming often involves multiple participants contributing ideas simultaneously. 

To ensure efficient organization and clarity, assign specific branches within the mind map to individual participants. This approach helps maintain ownership of ideas and prevents overlap. 

Encourage participants to contribute further context by adding comments or annotations to each branch. Utilize mind mapping software that supports real-time collaboration if the brainstorming session involves remote teams, enabling seamless teamwork and idea exchange.

These collaborative brainstorming examples can be helpful in generating ideas during your next brainstorming process:

4. Product improvement brainstorm

Brainstorming product improvements requires an effective categorization and prioritization of ideas. Organize your mind map by creating branches for different areas of improvement, such as usability enhancements, additional features or performance optimization. 

Begin by sharing user feedback, reviews or customer pain points related to the product. This provides context and helps participants understand the existing challenges.

Then, organize your mind map into categories based on different aspects of the product, such as features, user experience, performance or customer support.

Product improvement is an ongoing process so make sure to not limit your brainstorming to a one-time event. Schedule regular sessions to continually enhance the product.

5. Corporate brainstorm

In a corporate brainstorming session, where diverse topics and ideas are on the agenda, systematic organization is crucial. 

Divide your mind map into sections and subsections to address various corporate aspects, such as HR, marketing, finance and operations. For example, this mind map on corporate initiative ideas divides the sections into different CSR programs and initiatives that the company can do to enhance public image:

To highlight potential synergies between related ideas from different sections, connect them with clear cross-references. Additionally, for practicality, include action items or tasks linked to specific ideas to facilitate a smooth implementation process within the corporate framework.

6. Creative brainstorm

Creative brainstorms thrive on spontaneity and inspiration — which is why your mind map design should encourage free-flowing ideas and unconventional thinking. 

Opt for a non-linear, organic structure within the mind map, avoiding rigid hierarchies that can stifle creativity. Embrace the use of visuals, such as images, sketches or mood boards, to stimulate creativity and inspiration. 

Here’s a brainstorming mind map example that teachers can use to generate exciting classroom activities and keep students engaged:

Allow branches to extend in unexpected directions, reflecting the dynamic and imaginative nature of creative brainstorming. This approach encourages participants to explore unconventional ideas and perspectives, fostering a truly creative atmosphere during the session.

Brainstorming aside, mind maps are versatile tools useful for organizing complex information, creating study aids, structuring project plans and facilitating communication and knowledge sharing in collaborative settings.

Browse our selection of mind map templates or learn about the best mind mapping software to help enhance creativity, solve problems and organize ideas.

Unleashing your team’s creativity through effective brainstorming techniques is a game-changer when it comes to generating new ideas and innovative solutions. Let’s delve into ten creative brainstorming techniques that can breathe life into your brainstorming sessions:

1. Mind mapping

Like concept maps , mind mapping is great for emphasizing the connections and relationships between ideas. You start with a central idea and then let your thoughts branch out like tree branches. Mind mapping is a great way to spot connections you might have missed.

2. Brainwriting

Forget talking — this one’s all about writing your ideas down. Brainwriting lets you pass your ideas around and let your team add their two cents. It’s a great brainstorming strategy for getting everyone involved especially if you’re brainstorming with a large group.

3. SCAMPER Method

SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate and Reverse. This technique encourages participants to explore these strategies for idea generation.

4. Storyboarding

Create a visual narrative or storyboard to explore ideas sequentially. This can help enhance understanding the flow and practicality of concepts, especially in product development or process improvement. Check out our gallery of storyboard templates you could use to generate new ideas.

5. Role storming

Ever tried brainstorming as someone else? In this technique, you put on different thinking caps, like playing pretend. It’s awesome for seeing things from fresh angles.

6. Worst possible idea

This one’s my favorite! Deliberately come up with the crummiest, silliest ideas you can think of. Oddly enough, they can spark some brilliant ones!

7. Round-robin brainstorming

One of my favorite group brainstorming techniques, everyone gets a turn to share their ideas with round-robin brainstorming — no interrupting or dominating the conversation. This technique ensures that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute.

8. SWOT Analysis

Analyze the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats related to the problem or idea. This structured approach helps identify potential areas for improvement or innovation. Browse our SWOT analysis templates for more inspiration.

9. Random word or image association

Start with something random, like “banana” or “dolphin,” and brainstorm from there. It’s like mental gymnastics and it can lead to some seriously cool ideas.

10. Nominal group technique

For this brainstorming technique, Participants individually generate ideas, which are then anonymously shared and discussed as a group, ensuring balanced participation and minimizing the influence of dominant voices.

To further fuel your brainstorming sessions, you could always consider using a brainstorming tool to facilitate collaboration, structure ideas and provide visual frameworks. From virtual whiteboards to mind maps, here’s a list of brainstorming tools that can cater to various needs and preferences in brainstorming sessions.

Brainstorming sessions can be exhilarating bursts of creativity, but they can also veer off course if not handled with care. Here, we’ll explore five common missteps to steer clear of and conduct a successful brainstorming session.

1. Criticizing ideas too early

When participants criticize or judge ideas too soon in the brainstorming process, it can discourage creativity and stifle the generation of innovative solutions. To avoid this, it’s essential to foster an environment where all ideas are welcomed without immediate criticism.

Solution: Embrace the “No Judgment” rule we mentioned earlier. Encourage a judgment-free zone where all ideas are welcome to generate as many ideas, no matter how unusual or impractical they might seem initially. 

2. Groupthink

Ah, groupthink – the silent brainstorming killer. It’s when the desire for harmony within the group overrides critical thinking. Everyone nods along to ideas, not because they believe in them, but to avoid conflict.

Solution: Foster an atmosphere where dissenting opinions are not only tolerated but encouraged. Encourage team members to play devil’s advocate and don’t let conformity hold your brainstorming sessions hostage.

3. Ignoring introverted participants

In the whirlwind of brainstorming, extroverted voices can dominate the conversation, leaving introverts feeling like they’re stranded on the sidelines. Their valuable ideas may get lost in the noise.

Solution: Implement techniques like brainwriting or round-robin brainstorming, which give everyone an equal chance to contribute without the pressure of immediate verbal expression. 

4. Prioritizing quantity over quality

Yes, quantity matters in brainstorming, but swinging the pendulum too far toward generating sheer volume can leave you drowning in a sea of mediocre ideas.

Solution: Balance is key. Encourage the generation of many ideas, but once you’ve amassed a list, focus on quality. Sort through them, identify the most promising ones and build upon them collectively.

5. Neglecting follow-up and implementation

Brainstorming is exhilarating, but it’s just the first lap in the race. Failing to follow up on the ideas generated and implementing the best ones is like baking a cake and never eating it.

Solution: Assign responsibility for each idea’s follow-up and implementation. Establish clear timelines and action plans. Make sure the fruits of your brainstorming labor don’t gather dust on the shelf.

By sidestepping these brainstorming bloopers, you’ll be on your way to brilliant solutions and groundbreaking ideas, all while avoiding the pitfalls of the brainstorming jungle. 

Ready to kickstart your brainstorming session? These brainstorm presentation templates might come in handy to help spark creativity, ideation and foster collaborative problem-solving within a team. 

How does brainstorming help with the writing process

Brainstorming helps the writing process by generating a pool of diverse ideas, facilitating idea organization and overcoming writer’s block. It allows writers to explore different angles and perspectives for their content.

Are there any online tools or software for collaborative brainstorming?

Yes, there are several online tools and software for collaborative brainstorming, such as Miro, Stormboard and Google Jamboard. These platforms enable teams to brainstorm ideas in real-time, regardless of physical location.

What are some brainstorming activities for team building and creativity?

Brainstorming activities for team building and creativity include “Two Truths and a Lie,” “Role Reversal” and “The Six Thinking Hats.” These creative exercises promote trust, collaboration and out-of-the-box thinking among team members to generate creative ideas.

How do I encourage creative thinking during a brainstorming session?

To encourage creative thinking during a brainstorming session, create a non-judgmental environment, encourage wild ideas, use creative prompts and mix up the group dynamics. To facilitate productive brainstorming sessions, reward creativity and emphasize the importance of novelty and innovation.

What role does creativity play in effective brainstorming?

Creativity plays a central role in effective brainstorming as it drives the generation of innovative ideas and solutions. Without creativity, brainstorming sessions can become routine and fail to produce breakthrough concepts.

What are the benefits of using brainstorming examples in a business or creative context?

Using brainstorming examples in a business or creative context can provide tangible illustrations of successful brainstorming outcomes. They can inspire participants, provide a framework for idea generation and demonstrate the practical application of brainstorming techniques. Additionally, they can serve as a reference point for future brainstorming sessions.

5 steps to create a brainstorming mind map with Venngage 

In conclusion, mastering the art of brainstorming is like unlocking a treasure chest of solutions to your most challenging problems. By exploring a variety of brainstorming techniques and with the help of the above examples of brainstorming, you’ve gained valuable tools to tackle issues with confidence and creativity.

Now, to bring it all together, consider harnessing the power of visual thinking through a brainstorming mind map. Venngage offers a seamless solution that can transform your brainstorming ideas into organized, inspiring journeys using mind maps . To create a brainstorming mind map with Venngage:

• Sign in or create a free Venngage account.
• Pick a brainstorm mind map template to get started. 
• Add your central idea in the central node.
• Create branches and subtopics by clicking, dragging and labeling.
• Customize your mind map with colors, fonts, icons and connectors to make it visually appealing.

Remember, the beauty of brainstorming lies in its boundless potential, always ready to surprise you with fresh perspectives and creative solutions.

So, whether you’re tackling complex business dilemmas or personal puzzles, put your thinking hat on for a productive brainstorming session and let all the ideas roam free. 

Discover popular designs

Infographic maker

Brochure maker

White paper online

Newsletter creator

Flyer maker

Timeline maker

Letterhead maker

Mind map maker

Ebook maker

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Better Brainstorming

• Hal Gregersen

Great innovators have long known that the secret to unlocking a better answer is to ask a better question. Applying that insight to brainstorming exercises can vastly improve the search for new ideas—especially when a team is feeling stuck. Brainstorming for questions, rather than answers, helps you avoid group dynamics that often stifle voices, and it lets you reframe problems in ways that spur breakthrough thinking.

After testing this approach with hundreds of organizations, MIT’s Hal Gregersen has developed it into a methodology: Start by selecting a problem that matters. Invite a small group to help you consider it, and in just two minutes describe it at a high level so that you don’t constrain the group’s thinking. Make it clear that people can contribute only questions and that no preambles or justifications are allowed. Then, set the clock for four minutes, and generate as many questions as you can in that time, aiming to produce at least 15. Afterward, study the questions generated, looking for those that challenge your assumptions and provide new angles on your problem. If you commit to actively pursuing at least one of these, chances are, you’ll break open a new pathway to unexpected solutions.

Focus on questions, not answers, for breakthrough insights.

The Problem

Great innovators have always known that the key to unlocking a better answer is to ask a better question—one that challenges deeply held assumptions. Yet most people don’t do that, even when brainstorming, because it doesn’t come naturally. As a result, they tend to feel stuck in their search for fresh ideas.

The Solution

By brainstorming for questions instead of answers, you can create a safe space for deeper exploration and more-powerful problem solving. This brief exercise in reframing—which helps you avoid destructive group dynamics and biases that can thwart breakthrough thinking—often reveals promising new angles and unexpected insights.

About 20 years ago I was leading a brainstorming session in one of my MBA classes, and it was like wading through oatmeal. We were talking about something that many organizations struggle with: how to build a culture of equality in a male-dominated environment. Though it was an issue the students cared about, they clearly felt uninspired by the ideas they were generating. After a lot of discussion, the energy level in the room was approaching nil. Glancing at the clock, I resolved to at least give us a starting point for the next session.

• Hal Gregersen is a Senior Lecturer in Leadership and Innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management , a globally recognized expert in navigating rapid change, and a Thinkers50 ranked management thinker. He is the author of Questions Are the Answer: A Breakthrough Approach to Your Most Vexing Problems at Work and in Life and the coauthor of The Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators .

Partner Center

• Product overview
• All features
• Latest feature release
• App integrations

CAPABILITIES

• project icon Project management
• Project views
• Custom fields
• Status updates
• goal icon Goals and reporting
• Reporting dashboards
• workflow icon Workflows and automation
• portfolio icon Resource management
• Capacity planning
• Time tracking
• my-task icon Admin and security
• Admin console
• asana-intelligence icon Asana AI
• list icon Personal
• premium icon Starter
• briefcase icon Advanced
• Goal management
• Organizational planning
• Campaign management
• Creative production
• Content calendars
• Marketing strategic planning
• Resource planning
• Project intake
• Product launches
• Employee onboarding
• View all uses arrow-right icon
• Project plans
• Team goals & objectives
• Team continuity
• Meeting agenda
• View all templates arrow-right icon
• Work management resources Discover best practices, watch webinars, get insights
• Customer stories See how the world's best organizations drive work innovation with Asana
• Help Center Get lots of tips, tricks, and advice to get the most from Asana
• Asana Academy Sign up for interactive courses and webinars to learn Asana
• Developers Learn more about building apps on the Asana platform
• Community programs Connect with and learn from Asana customers around the world
• Events Find out about upcoming events near you
• Partners Learn more about our partner programs
• Support Need help? Contact the Asana support team
• Asana for nonprofits Get more information on our nonprofit discount program, and apply.

Featured Reads

• Inspire & Impact Collection |
• 29 brainstorming techniques: effective ...

29 brainstorming techniques: effective ways to spark creativity

Bright ideas don’t come as easily as flicking on a light. 

When it’s up to one individual to dream up a solution, it can be time-consuming and cause a lot of pressure. And when it comes to a group of people tasked with solving a problem, ideas might clash. Not to mention, everyone has a preferred method for their creative madness, making it difficult to get every team members’ wheels turning in the same direction.

That’s where brainstorming techniques come in. These techniques provide structure for brainstorming sessions, ignite creativity across all brainstormers, and ensure your ideas come to fruition. And luckily, there are lots of effective brainstorming techniques to choose from. 

What is brainstorming?

Here’s a general brainstorming definition: it’s an approach taken by an individual or team to solve a problem or generate new ideas for the improvement of a product, organization, or strategy. 

No matter your preferred method, most brainstorming techniques involve three steps:

Capture ideas

Discuss and critique the ideas

Choose which ideas to execute

Every brainstorming technique also involves the same ingredients. All you need is an individual or group of people, a problem to solve or an opportunity to address, and time. 

Brainstorming challenges

The golden rule of all brainstorming sessions is quantity over quality. The more ideas you have, the better your chances are that one will be worthy of execution. For these reasons, especially in group brainstorming sessions, be sure all team members check their criticisms at the door and let it be known that the only bad ideas are no ideas. 

Of course, not every brainstorming session will go off without a hitch. Some common brainstorming challenges include:

Unbalanced conversations, sometimes due to extroverts dominating discussions

The anchoring effect, meaning brainstormers cling to the first few ideas shared and don’t move on to others

Awkward silences, which often occur when participants are not prepared 

Perhaps you’ve experienced some of these uncomfortable brainstorming sessions yourself. Thankfully, there are plenty of tried-and-true, and also some unorthodox, brainstorming techniques and tools that tackle just these issues.

Analytic brainstorming techniques

When you need to look at an idea from all angles or vet a problem thoroughly, analytic brainstorming techniques might be worth implementing. Consider the following brainstorming methods and tools to generate and qualify ideas.

1. Starbursting  

A visual brainstorming technique, starbursting should be used once you or your team of brainstormers has homed in on a single idea. To begin starbursting, put an idea on the middle of a whiteboard and draw a six-point star around it. Each point will represent a question:

Consider every question and how it might pertain to your idea, such as, “Who will want to buy this product?” or, “When will we need to launch this program?” This will help you explore scenarios or roadblocks you hadn’t considered before.

Best for: large group brainstorms, vetting ideas thoroughly

2. The five whys, a.k.a. why analysis

Similar to starbursting, the five whys brainstorming technique helps you evaluate the strength of an idea. Challenge yourself to ask “why” questions about a topic or idea at least five times and consider what new problems you surface—and, importantly, note how you can address them. To help organize your thoughts, consider using a flowchart or fishbone diagram in hand with this brainstorming technique.

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, vetting ideas thoroughly

3. SWOT analysis

You might be familiar with SWOT analysis as it relates to strategic planning , and you might also be surprised to know that this concept can also be applied as a brainstorming exercise to help qualify an idea. The notion? Discuss the following aspects of your topic to determine whether it’s worth executing: 

Strengths : how does the idea dominate or stand out from competitors?

Weakness : are there any flaws in the idea that could jeopardize its execution?

Opportunities : what else can you capitalize on based on this idea?

Threats : what are potential downfalls that could arise if the idea is launched?

4. How Now Wow  

The How Now Wow brainstorming technique is all about categorizing ideas based on how unique they are and how easy they are to implement. Once you’ve collected several ideas, either individually or from team members, talk through where they fall in the How Now Wow spectrum:

How ideas are ideas that are original but not executable. 

Now ideas are unoriginal ideas that are easily executable.

Wow ideas are never-been-pitched before ideas that are also easy to implement.

Obviously, you want as many “Wow” ideas as possible since these are executable but also because they might set you apart from competitors or dispel monotony in a company. To help organize your ideas, consider using a matrix of four squares with difficulty weighted on the Y-axis and innovation on the X-axis. 

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, homing in on an executable solution

5. Drivers analysis

Just as the name implies, driver analysis is a brainstorming technique that analyzes the drivers or “causes” of a problem. To use this brainstorming technique, simply keep asking yourself or your team of brainstormers: “What’s driving [insert problem]?” and then, “What’s driving [insert answer to the previous question]?” Similar to why analysis, the deeper you dig into a problem, the more well-vetted it will be and the more confident you will be in executing solutions for those problems. 

6. Mind mapping

Another visual brainstorming technique, mind mapping addresses the anchoring effect—a common brainstorming challenge where brainstormers fixate on the first ideas instead of coming up with new ones. Mind mapping does this by using the first idea to inspire other ideas. 

You’ll need a large piece of paper or whiteboard to do this. Begin by writing down a topic and then drawing lines connecting tangential ideas to it. This essentially helps you paint a picture of your topic at hand and what might impact its execution or even expedite it.

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, visual thinkers

7. Gap filling, a.k.a. gap analysis

When you’re struggling with how to execute an idea, that’s where gap filling comes in—to address the obstacles standing in your way. Begin by starting with a statement of where you are and then a statement of where you want to be. For example, “Our company creates smart watches; we want to expand our portfolio to also include fitness trackers.”

It’s worth writing these out on a large piece of paper or a whiteboard for all of your brainstormers to see, perhaps using a flowchart or mind map to do so. Then, list obstacles that are preventing you from getting where you want to be and work through solutions for each of them. By the end of your brainstorming session, you should have a clearer plan of how to get where you want to be. 

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, visual thinkers, honing in on an executable solution

Quiet async brainstorming techniques

Best for businesses that are crunched for time or teams with more introverted individuals, these quiet brainstorming techniques allow brainstormers to contribute ideas on their own time and often anonymously. Look to the following methods to get your creative juices flowing, especially for remote teams with frequent virtual meetings .   

8. Brainwriting, a.k.a. slip writing

A nonverbal and in-person brainstorming technique, brainwriting addresses the brainstorming challenge of unbalanced conversations head-on. That’s because it requires participation and teamwork from every brainstormer, beginning with each person writing down three ideas relating to a topic on three separate slips of paper. Then everyone passes their ideas to the right or left and their neighbor builds on those ideas, adding bullet points and considerations. 

The slips of paper continue to be passed around the table until they’ve made it all the way around. Then, the brainstorm facilitator can digest all of the ideas themselves, or the brainstormers can discuss each idea out loud and determine what’s worth pursuing. Pro tip: limit this brainstorming technique to no more than 10 people to not be overwhelmed with ideas or time constraints.

Best for: group brainstorms and introverted team members

9. Collaborative brainwriting

You can think of collaborative brainwriting like a herd of cows grazing in a field, except it’s brainstormers grazing on ideas throughout a week, anonymously jotting down thoughts or ideas. Oftentimes a brainstorming facilitator will kick off this technique by posting a large piece of paper, sticky notes, or sharing a cloud-based document to jot down a few brainstorming ideas.

From there, team members can build off of those ideas on their own time and anonymously provide feedback. Be sure to set a clear deadline of when the brainstorming session closes to ensure all brainstormers have an opportunity to chime in.

Best for: individual brainstorming 

10. Brain-netting, a.k.a. online brainstorming

Great for remote teams, brain-netting is essentially a place for a team to brain dump their own ideas, whether that’s a Slack channel, Google Doc, or your project management tool . 

The notion is that brainstormers can add ideas whenever inspiration strikes and that the list will be ever-evolving. Of course, the team leader might want to inform their team of brainstormers of any important dates or deadlines when they need solutions to a problem. They may also want to hold a meeting to discuss the ideas. All brainstormers’ identities can be left anonymous even in the meeting. 

Best for: group brainstorms, introverted team members, remote teams

11. SCAMPER  

The SCAMPER brainstorming technique encourages brainstormers to look at an idea from different angles and it uses its acronym to inspire each lens: 

Substitute : consider what would happen if you swapped one facet of a solution for another.

Combine : consider what would happen if you combined one facet of a solution with another.

Adapt : consider how you could adapt an idea or solution in a new context.

Modify : consider how you can modify an idea to make it higher impact.

Put to another use : consider how else you could leverage your idea.

Eliminate : consider what you could remove from the idea or solution so that it’s simplified.

Reverse effective : finally, consider how you could reorganize an idea to make it most effective . 

When used in a group brainstorming session, you might want to use templates to track responses or pair the SCAMPER method with a brainwriting session to encourage all brainstormers to evaluate ideas from every angle. 

12. Lightning Decision Jam

Known as LDJ for short, the Lightning Decision Jam brainstorming technique requires 40 minutes to one hour to complete. What will you have by the end? Tangible results and buy-in from an entire team of brainstormers. 

This brainstorming technique is great for remote team alignment . It all begins with writing down positives about a topic or what’s working regarding the topic, then writing down negatives and identifying what needs to be addressed most urgently. This is followed by a few minutes of reframing problems as questions, then brainstorming solutions for those problems. 

Finally, your team uses a matrix to determine how high impact and how high effort your solutions are to decide which ideas are worth pursuing. For a more robust explanation of LDJ, watch this video by design agency AJ&Smart, which created the brainstorming technique. 

Best for: group brainstorms, remote workforces, tight deadlines, honing in on an executable solution

13. The idea napkin

Similar to LDJ, the idea napkin is essentially a brainstorming template that distills a broad topic into tangible solutions. How it works: Every brainstormer has an “idea napkin” that they commit one idea to, beginning by writing down their idea, as well as an elevator pitch for it. 

The idea napkin also includes a column for who the idea is targeting—meaning who you’re solving a problem for (customers, teammates, etc.)—and a column noting what problems your idea addresses. Brainstormers can fill out their napkins ahead of or during a brainstorming session, each is expected to present or share them. The final ideas will be placed on an impact and effort matrix to determine which are worth pursuing. 

Best for: group brainstorms, honing in on an executable solution

Roleplaying brainstorm techniques

Drama lovers rejoice! These roleplay brainstorming techniques encourage brainstormers to figuratively walk in someone else’s shoes or put on their hat—or six hats, in one instance—to address a problem or dream up ideas from a new perspective. An added benefit of this? When brainstormers take on a personality that’s not their own, it lowers inhibitions since it’s technically not their point of view being brought to the table.

14. Six thinking hats

This brainstorming technique requires a minimum of six brainstormers to wear imaginary hats—hence the name— that require them to look solely at an idea from one specific angle. For instance, one brainstormer might be wearing an impact hat and only concern themselves with the impact of an idea and another might be wearing a constraints hat and only looking at the constraints of an idea. 

You can pick and choose which angles are most important to your organization. And by the end of the group discussion, the whole brainstorming group should be able to hang their hats feeling confident about the ideas you’ll pursue.

Best for: group brainstorms (six or more people), introverted team members, vetting ideas thoroughly

15. Figure storming

Ever heard the phrase, “What would Abe do?” That’s pretty much the premise of this brainstorming technique in that brainstormers take on the identity of a famous or prominent figure, whether that’s a leader or celebrity, and put themselves in their brain space and how they’d approach an idea. 

This helps teams look at a topic through a different lens and, in the case of group brainstorms, alleviates any nervousness that brainstormers will put out bad ideas. Because they’re not putting out their ideas—they’re sharing someone else’s. So go on and give yourself a new job title for the day.

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, extroverted team members

16. Role storming  

Role storming is similar to figure storming in that brainstormers take on different personalities to dream up ideas, but with one dramatic twist—brainstormers act out those ideas. 

Generally, brainstormers are asked to take on the role of an average person who will be affected by the idea or solution in question, whether that’s an employee, client, or another party, and they act out a scenario that could stem from the idea to help them decipher what problems might arise from it. Consider this brainstorming technique for more extroverted teams. 

Best for: group brainstorms, extroverted team members

17. Reverse brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming is grounded in a little bit of chaos. It encourages brainstormers to play the role of disruptors by brainstorming problems first and then solutions. To kick off the brainstorming questions, a team leader will usually ask, “How do we cause [insert problem]?”

Once your team has listed the causes, they’ll have a new and different perspective for coming up with solutions to problems. 

Best for: group brainstorms, idea generation, problem-solving

18. Reverse thinking

Reverse thinking is a bit of a mashup of the figure storming and six thinking hats brainstorming techniques. It encourages brainstormers to merely ask themselves, “What would someone else do in this situation?” Then, it prompts them to think through why that person’s solution would work or not and if your current solution is more effective. 

Best for: group brainstorms, extroverted team members, vetting ideas thoroughly

Group brainstorm techniques

Most brainstorming techniques can be applied to groups of brainstormers, but these specific brainstorming techniques promote (and some even require) participation from everyone. When facilitated well, group brainstorming techniques not only yield more ideas but they can also:

Boost team morale through lighthearted brainstorming games and by involving participation in every step of the brainstorming process

Promote creative thinking, especially when brainstormers are given time to prepare their ideas and  a structured approach to solve problems

Bring more diverse ideas together, thanks to the unique perspective each brainstormer has and their individual strengths

All this to say, group brainstorming techniques are all about putting people’s heads together. 

19. Eidetic image method

The eidetic image method is grounded in setting intentions, and it begins with group members all closing their eyes to do just that. For example, if a company is setting out to design a new smartwatch, the brainstorming facilitator would encourage all brainstormers to close their eyes and quietly meditate on what smartwatches currently look like. 

Then the group would discuss and close their eyes once more and quietly imagine new features to add to the device. They’d all open their eyes and discuss again, essentially layering on the possibilities for enhancing a product. This brainstorming technique is ideal for revamping or building on an existing product or solution. 

Best for: visual thinkers, creating an idea anew

20. Rapid ideation

Great for teams that get sidetracked or have difficulty staying focused in meetings, the rapid ideation brainstorming technique encourages brainstormers to race against a clock and come up with as many ideas as possible—and importantly, not take themselves too seriously. This can be done by having brainstormers shout out ideas to a facilitator or write them on a piece of paper. You might find that some of the same ideas keep popping up, which likely means those are worth pursuing. 

Best for: extroverted team members, tight deadlines

21. Round-robin brainstorming

Participation is required for the round-robin brainstorming technique. Everyone must contribute at least one idea before the entire group can give feedback or share a second idea.

Given the requirement that everyone must share an idea, it’s best to allow brainstormers time to prepare ideas before each round-robin brainstorming session. This brainstorming technique is great for introverted team members and also for larger groups to ensure everyone can contribute. Moreover, the round-robin brainstorming technique also promotes the notion that the only bad idea is no idea. 

Best for: introverted team members and developing a surplus of ideas

22. Step-ladder brainstorming

Ideal for medium-sized groups of five to 15 people, the step-ladder brainstorming technique prevents ideas from being influenced by the loudest brainstormers of a group. 

Here’s how it works: A brainstorming facilitator introduces a topic to their group of brainstormers and then dismisses all but two brainstormers from the room. The two brainstormers left in the room discuss their ideas for a few minutes and then one brainstormer is welcomed back into the room and shares their ideas before the original two brainstormers divulge their ideas. 

Brainstormers are added back into the room one by one, with each new brainstormer sharing their ideas before the rest of the group divulges theirs, and so forth. Once the entire brainstorming group is back in the room, it’s time to discuss the ideas they’ve built together, step by step. 

Best for: introverted team members, vetting ideas thoroughly, honing in on an executable solution

23. Charrette

You might want to book a few rooms for this one. The charette brainstorming technique helps break up a problem into smaller chunks and also breaks up your brainstormers into separate teams to address them. 

For instance, you might reserve three rooms, write a topic or problem on a whiteboard, and have three sets of brainstormers walk into those rooms to jot down their ideas. Then, the sets of brainstormers rotate rooms and build off of the ideas of the group that was there before them. Consider it effective teamwork at its best.

Best for: vetting ideas thoroughly, honing in on an executable solution

More brainstorming techniques

For more unconventional approaches to get your individual or your team’s wheels turning, consider adding some of these brainstorming techniques to your arsenal of ways to ideate. 

24. ‘What if’ brainstorming

A very off-the-cuff brainstorming technique, “what if” brainstorming is as simple as throwing out as many “what if” questions surrounding a topic as possible, similar to the rapid ideation brainstorming technique. For instance, “what if this problem occurred in a different country,” or, “what if this problem occurred in the 1800s?” 

Walking through the scenarios might help spur new obstacles pertaining to your problem. Essentially, the “what if” brainstorming technique helps your team evaluate all the possibilities.

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, creating an idea anew, vetting ideas thoroughly

25. Change of scenery  

It’s no secret that physical surroundings can impact your team workflow and even creativity. When your brainstorming session is in a rut, consider relocating to another location, perhaps a park, a walking meeting, or even a coffee shop.

Being in a new setting might spur new ideas and even loosen up your brainstormers so that they’re more open to sharing ideas and helping you achieve quantity over quality.  

Best for: individual and group brainstorms, creating an idea anew

26. Random word picker

As this name implies, this brainstorming technique is a little random. Begin by tossing words into a hat and then pull them out and discuss how they relate to your brainstorming topic at hand. You may want to use a template to keep track of your thoughts and any new ideas the word association sparks.

To further organize your thoughts, consider pairing this brainstorming technique with word banking, meaning categorizing random words together and then drawing associations between their category and the brainstorming topic. 

Best for: group brainstorms, creating an idea anew

27. Storyboarding

Turns out, storyboarding isn’t only for television and film. You can also apply this as a brainstorming technique, meaning illustrating or drawing a problem and possible solutions. Consider it another way to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, especially those your solution impacts. It’s also a means to visualize any roadblocks you might experience when executing a solution. 

Best for: individual or group brainstorms, problem-solving, vetting ideas thoroughly

28. Wishing

Wishing is as simple as it sounds: You just wish for the solution you want to build. Think: “I wish our company was carbon neutral,” and then think of the possible ways in which you could achieve this, as well as areas that might be impossible to address for this. This will help uncover obstacles you might face and maybe even shed light on what you’re capable of overcoming. 

Best for: individual or group brainstorms, creating an idea anew

29. Crazy eights

A short and fun brainstorming technique, crazy eights delivers on quantity by encouraging brainstormers to think quickly using a template that has eight boxes and only eight minutes on the clock to sketch out eight ideas. Once the timer stops, the group discusses their ideas. 

For a larger group, consider having each brainstormer narrow in on only three ideas and give them a longer time limit of six minutes to sketch them out in more detail.

Best for: group brainstorms, visual thinkers, developing a surplus of ideas

8 tips for a productive brainstorming session

No matter which brainstorming technique is right for you and your team, consider the following best practices to brainstorm most effectively . Of course, it all begins with the brainstorming facilitator and how they set the tone for the session.

1. Allow time to prep 

A brainstorming facilitator isn’t the only one in a brainstorming session who needs time to prepare for a meeting . They also should give brainstormers some context ahead of the session, such as in the form of a meeting agenda , to get in the correct mindset for the brainstorming session. 

At least one day is standard but as little as two to 10 minutes is useful. Moreover, brainstorming facilitators should also have a few ideas in their back pocket for any creative ruts that might creep in.

2. Set a clear intention

The more context you can provide brainstormers from the get-go, the more fruitful ideas they can produce. For instance, clearly spell out what types of ideas you’re looking for. Whether it’s quickly executable ones or ones that are entirely pathbreaking, identify specific targets to address. 

Additionally, be sure to let brainstormers know of any constraints you or your organization is operating under, including project timelines or budgets, so they’re generating executable ideas.

3. Invite new teammates and ideas

When the same people brainstorm together over and over, they can tend to produce the same ideas over and over. For this reason, consider introducing new people to your brainstorming session to shake up the usual and lend a fresh perspective—and hopefully fresh ideas—to your brainstorming topics. Invitees can be colleagues from different departments, customers or clients for a focus group, or an outside consultant.

4. Promote inclusivity

Every brainstorming session should be considered a safe space to share ideas—even unconventional ones. Remember, the only bad ideas are no ideas, and any idea shared shouldn’t be shot down or judged. In addition, the brainstorm facilitator should ensure every brainstormer is treated equally and given the same amount of time to talk. This might mean setting a timer for each brainstormer to talk and acknowledging those who are dominating conversations. Likewise, every brainstormer should be open and curious to ideas.

5. Think out of the box

Creative thinking begins with not taking ourselves too seriously. Just as you encourage inclusivity, encourage imperfections and out-of-the-box thinking, too. This could include anything from fun team building games to unique icebreaker questions. Hey, even a bevy of silly ideas to build off of is better than no ideas at all. Brainstorming techniques like wishing can encourage team members to open up.

6. Amplify creativity with music

Similar to how a change of scenery can inspire new ideas, even a little background music can promote creativity. Consider putting some on for your brainstorming session, and for the best results ensure it’s:

Instrumental

In a major key

On a fixed tempo and volume

7. Mix and match brainstorming techniques

Just as brainstorming techniques aren’t necessarily one-size-fits-all, they also aren’t all one-type-fits-every-session. Be prepared to pivot your brainstorming technique depending on what your group of brainstormers is most receptive to and also how many ideas you're juggling. 

8. Execute your ideas 

Coming up with bright ideas is great. But they’re pretty useless unless you effectively execute them. While some brainstorming techniques build the execution process into them, others might require you to follow up with brainstormers using project templates to map out a plan using creative solutions. 

Brainstorming is about quantity over quality

When done right, a brainstorming session shouldn’t feel like a chore but rather an opportunity to create something together, especially when your brainstorming technique supports different styles of thinking and expression. 

And whether you're operating as an individual or on a team, there’s something uniquely satisfying about seeing your ideas come to fruition. Get the creative ideas flowing, then customize your workflow management tool to turn those ideas into action. 

Related resources

4 ways to establish roles and responsibilities for team success

Listening to understand: How to practice active listening (with examples)

Unmasking impostor syndrome: 15 ways to overcome it at work

How to accomplish big things with long-term goals

What is brainstorming?

Table of contents

Definition of brainstorming.

Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique for coming up with new ideas and solving problems. Teams use this ideation method to encourage new ways of thinking and collectively generate solutions. Brainstorming encourages free thinking and allows for all ideas to be voiced without judgment, fostering an open and innovative environment. This process typically involves a group of people, although it can be done individually as well.

This guide will help you get the most out of every creative session. When you're ready to start your next free thinking exercise, jump into Miro’s brainstorming tool to generate ideas and turn them into action.

What is the main purpose of brainstorming?

The primary purpose of a brainstorming session is to generate and document many ideas, no matter how “out there” they might seem. Through this lateral thinking process, inventive ideas are suggested, which sparks creative solutions. By encouraging everyone to think more freely and not be afraid to share their ideas, teams can build on each other’s thoughts to find the best possible solution to a problem. Brainstorming usually takes place in a group setting where people get together to creatively solve problems and come up with ideas. However, it’s also useful for individuals who need to explore novel solutions to a problem. Sitting down by yourself and writing down solutions to potential problems is a great way to brainstorm individually. Focusing your mind on a defined problem allows you to think of many creative ways to get to an answer. While brainstorming normally allows for free-form methods of thinking and doesn’t require many rules, the best results usually stem from controlled sessions. Posing questions and role-playing different scenarios during the brainstorming session is a smart way to pull out unusual ideas and never-before-thought-of solutions.

Benefits of brainstorming

Why is brainstorming such a popular approach to solving problems and generating ideas? Here are some of its many advantages:

Encourages creativity

Brainstorming sessions are meant to be free of judgment. Everyone involved is meant to feel safe and confident enough to speak their minds. There will be some good and some bad ideas, but this doesn’t matter as long as the final outcome is one that can solve the problem. This kind of free-thinking environment, along with a few essential brainstorming rules, encourage creativity in the workplace.

Fosters collaboration and team building

Brainstorming is not only good for problem-solving. It also allows employees and team members to understand how the people around them think. It helps the team get to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and helps build a more inclusive and close-knit workforce.

Generates innovative, revolutionary ideas

Brainstorming is the perfect mix between a free-thinking, creative environment and one that is governed by rules. Being faced with a defined problem or asking questions like “What do we do in X scenario?” forces everyone in the room to come up with ideas and solutions. No two people think alike. So, combining the good parts of everyone’s answers will result in holistic and revolutionary solutions.

Establishes different perspectives

One of the major benefits of brainstorming is that it allows and encourages all members of the session to freely propose ideas. This type of environment fosters courage in people who may not usually offer their perspective on a problem. Garnering a range of different perspectives can lead to a never-before-thought-of solution.

Introduces many ideas quickly

The beauty of brainstorming is that it encourages teams to come up with many ideas in a relatively short period of time. Ideas are thrown around, and every train of thought is documented. Different perspectives give different answers, and sifting through a few good answers in quick succession may lead to the perfect solution in no time.

Types of brainstorming techniques

There are plenty of creative brainstorming techniques to choose from. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Reverse brainstorming

In a typical brainstorming session, the group is asked to consider solutions to a problem. This means that they will spend time thinking about the outcome — the end goal — rather than the root of the problem — the starting point. Reverse brainstorming is simply the opposite: teams are asked to ideate on the problem instead of the solution. This type of brainstorming is done before the start of an important project, as it helps teams anticipate any future obstacles that might arise. To help frame this way of thinking, use a Reverse Brainstorming Template to get the team started.

Random word brainstorming

One of the main goals of a brainstorming session is to come up with new ideas. One of the best ways to do this is to say the first words that come to mind when a specific topic or subject is mentioned. Random word brainstorming allows for exactly that. The team is given a problem, and they need to shout out the first words that they think of, regardless of what they are. These words are then written down and later put into interesting combinations to see if they will lead to a usable solution. This brainstorming method is extremely fast and usually very efficient at solving a defined problem. The Random Words Brainstorming Template can help get you started.

The 5 Whys Method

Like the reverse brainstorming method, the 5 Whys method aims to look at the root causes of a problem to stop that same issue from arising again. This method attempts to curb the problem before it can reoccur by asking the question “why?” over and over until it can no longer be answered. Once you reach this stage, you have arrived at the root cause of the issue.

SCAMPER model

Developed by Bob Earle, an author of creativity books for kids, the SCAMPER model was originally a game aimed at imagination development in adolescents. It has, however, become popular in the corporate world as a means of improving and encouraging creativity in team members when dealing with complex, defined problems. Using this model, your team will view a problem through 7 filters: substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, and reverse.

Rapid ideation

Rapid ideation brainstorming is almost the exact same thinking model as random word brainstorming. In this method, however, everyone writes down the solutions they are thinking of instead of shouting them out. This gives participants a bit more privacy with their immediate thoughts — possibly leading to even more creative and revolutionary outcomes.

Starbursting

Once again, brainstorming can change based on the team’s perspective and each session’s expected outcome. Starburst brainstorming focuses on getting the team to ask questions instead of coming up with answers.

How to hold a brainstorming workshop

Ready to harness the power of a well-run brainstorming session? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to organize a successful brainstorming workshop:

1. Assign a facilitator

When done as a group, a brainstorming session needs to have boundaries. You need to choose someone who will facilitate the session and provide guidelines for the thinking exercises that the group will partake in. This is so the session doesn’t get too scattered and stays on the right track. The facilitator should pose questions and guide the group from start to finish.

2. Establish context and ensure group understanding

A brainstorming session cannot be properly carried out without context. The group must understand why they are meeting and what the end goal of the session is. Everyone should also understand the meaning of brainstorming and what to expect from the brainstorming process. The brainstorming method that will be used should also be established (see point 5) and explained at the outset.

3. Define an objective

While brainstorming is often looked at as a form of free-thinking creativity, it is best to try to stay within certain rules. It’s essential that you define a clear objective and use the session to reach your predetermined goal.

4. Set a time limit

Setting a defined time limit before the session starts is important to the success of your brainstorming session. No doubt your team could come up with countless ideas, but there has to be a limit on how long the session can run. Knowing that you need to solve a problem within one hour, for instance, will help the team focus on the job at hand and come up with ideas faster. It will also keep everyone thinking about the same problem.

5. Decide on the brainstorming technique

The brainstorming technique that will be used must be decided on before the session begins. The best way to do this is to look at the problem at hand. If you’re looking to prevent obstacles from arising in the future, try the “5 Whys” technique. If you’re looking to come up with new marketing ideas or get creative with workplace conflicts, try the rapid ideation technique.

6. Set some ground rules

As stated above, the best and most productive brainstorming sessions are those that allow for free thinking and creativity within preset boundaries. Brainstorming ground rules are essential to to the success of the session, as they keep everyone focused on the topic at hand and ensure that no one goes off track.

7. Capture all ideas

The entire point of a brainstorming session is to come up with as many ideas as possible, regardless of whether the standalone suggestion will lead to success. This means that you need to use the right tools to document the ideas being suggested. Miro has a host of idea-capturing tools, including a simple-to-use visual platform for remote brainstorming sessions and digital sticky notes .

8. Discuss and vote on ideas

After all the ideas have been captured, it’s time to discuss them. The team needs to be productive in choosing a creative idea that suits the problem, or they can try combining a few ideas to come up with a holistic solution. To make decisions as a group and come to an agreement, teams can use the dot voting method . This technique reveals group priorities and helps everyone reach a consensus on the direction to take.

9. Turn ideas into action

Once the final idea has been chosen, it’s time to create a plan of action and a deadline for the idea to be put in place. Transform your ideas into detailed, tangible steps with the Action Plan Template . This will help with coordination between team members and ensures that nothing is missed.

Tips for your brainstorming activities

While all brainstorming sessions look a little different, here are some best practices to get the most out of yours:

Record all ideas

If you want to have a successful and productive brainstorming session, it’s important that you capture every idea suggested, good and bad. An idea might seem silly when first brought up, but it might become an invaluable idea as the session moves on. Capture everything, and right at the end, work out which ideas best suit the problem.

Ensure that everyone’s ideas are heard

When brainstorming is done as a group activity, everyone needs to feel comfortable and confident to propose ideas. The best way to make sure the environment fosters these feelings is to make the session feel like a conversation, not a presentation. Create a safe and open environment that gives everyone equal opportunity to voice their opinions and ideas.

Focus on quantity

People often like to say, "Focus on quality, not quantity," but it’s the opposite when brainstorming. In a brainstorming session, you should focus on getting as many ideas on the board as possible, even if they're only one-word ideas. These can all be used to come to a holistic solution at the end of the session. Each suggestion could be invaluable if you're coming up with a combined idea.

Brainstorming should be a fun and creative endeavor. You shouldn’t be too rigid — though some ground rules are important. If your team has weekly brainstorming sessions, try new brainstorming techniques and activities each time you meet. This will keep your team members on their toes and help make them excited about the next meeting. It will also encourage out-of-the-box thinking, which is essential to any successful brainstorming session.

Avoid criticism

We’ll say it again: there are no bad ideas in a brainstorming session. This is the attitude that all team members must adopt when entering the session. No one should be criticized for the ideas that they propose. The best way to foster an environment that is devoid of criticism and encourages creativity is to maintain a relaxed approach. This will make everyone feel comfortable and happy to contribute their ideas.

Discover more

Guide to collaborative brainstorming

When to use brainstorming (and which techniques are best)

What is brainwriting?

What is reverse brainstorming?

How to conduct a brainstorming session

Get on board in seconds

Join thousands of teams using Miro to do their best work yet.

Transform teamwork with Confluence. See why Confluence is the content collaboration hub for all teams.  Get it free

• The Workstream
• Project collaboration
• Brainstorming best practices

Brainstorming: definition, ground rules, and techniques

Bring on your best ideas

Browse topics

What is brainstorming.

It’s a common scenario: you need to come up with some creative ideas. Maybe you’re trying to find a solution to a complex problem, or perhaps you’re spitballing your team’s next big project.

Either way, you’re feeling the pressure to amp up your innovation and churn out some brilliant suggestions.

What happens now? Well, you might rely on a brainstorming session to get those creative juices flowing. 

Before we dig into the ins and outs of how to brainstorm effectively, it’s helpful to take a step back and actually define brainstorming. Merriam-Webster describes brainstorming as “the mulling over of ideas by one or more individuals in an attempt to devise or find a solution to a problem.” 

Sounds familiar, right? You can brainstorm on your own, but it’s a technique that’s frequently used in group settings to freely share ideas and build upon them.

Brainstorming is prevalent in today’s working world (you’ve likely been a part of a fair share of sessions yourself), but it has some serious historical roots. 

It was first introduced in 1948 by advertising executive Alex F. Osborn in his book "Your Creative Power." As the owner of his own advertising agency, he was looking for ways to pull better ideas out of his employees — something he referred to as “thinking up.” With that objective in mind, he established several principles and characteristics of brainstorming, which we’ll dig into in detail later.

Since that time, brainstorming has gained steam and become a common technique that businesses use to generate creative solutions to a variety of problems.

The importance of brainstorming

While it certainly isn’t without its criticisms and potential pitfalls, there’s a reason this technique has become so popular in the modern working world: it’s effective and is tied to numerous benefits.

Below are just a few of the many advantages of brainstorming that teams can expect to experience.

Brainstorming encourages more creative thinking.

The first benefit is obvious: brainstorming requires an individual or team to think more creatively and without boundaries, which can lead to improved ideas and suggestions. For example, did you know that the idea for the Amazon Echo was reportedly born out of a brainstorming strategy? 

Since brainstorming is often done in a group, it forces us to step away from our own biases and consider other perspectives and contributions without offering any upfront criticism. 

Beyond that, productive brainstorming exercises challenge us to not only consider other ideas but to build upon them — which leads to an even better end result. 

Brainstorming leads to better teamwork and greater group cohesiveness.

All of that working together does more than generate better ideas — it can actually improve our level of teamwork . There’s plenty of research out there that backs this up. 

“Groups that focus on both the quantity of ideas and building on the ideas of others significantly increase their cohesiveness,” said David Henningsen , a Northern Illinois University professor and researcher, who co-led a study on brainstorming . 

“Brainstorming can be used to help a team buy into and implement a plan of action, or it can be used to simply build cohesiveness, which in turn can lessen employee turnover and increase employee commitment.”

Brainstorming gives everybody a chance to be heard.

How to brainstorm: types, ground rules, and techniques.

When done right, brainstorming offers tons of perks. But that begs the question: how exactly do you do it right? 

There’s a bit of strategy involved in pulling off a successful brainstorming session. Here’s the information you need to get the very best ideas out of everyone on your team.

Brainstorming ground rules

Brainstorming techniques.

You have your brainstorming session scheduled and organized. Uhhh...now what? Your team is all just staring at each other slack-jawed. How do you get the conversation rolling? 

Below are just a few of the many different tactics that teams can use to get things started and make their brainstorming discussions that much more productive: 

• Brainwriting : With this technique, team members share ideas by writing them down independently rather than shouting them out together. It’s especially helpful if you know you have a number of introverts on your team.  
• Starting with an embarrassing story : Beginning the conversation with something that’s potentially embarrassing immediately puts everybody in a more vulnerable and open state of mind — which makes them more willing to share ideas.  
• Giving ideas time to marinate : Even though the excitement is strong, you might not want to jump into action on an idea right away. Research shows that even a brief break can give you time to strengthen that suggestion even further.  
• Figuring storming : This tactic involves putting yourself in the shoes of someone else to think about how they might handle the situation. It can be effective because it challenges us to get away from our own biases and perceptions.

Flex your creative muscles

Brainstorming can be powerful, but it involves more than pulling your team into a room and asking them to share their two cents. It requires a basic understanding to figure out your strategy. 

So, the next time you’re trying to figure out how to brainstorm business ideas, return to this overview as your starting resource. It’ll help you lay the foundation for successful brainstorming sessions moving forward, and you’ll be well on your way to getting the very best ideas out of your team.

You may also like

Disruptive brainstorming play.

Come up with a long list of great ideas in a single brainstorming session

Project planning template

Define, scope, and plan milestones for your next project

Enable faster content collaboration for every team with Confluence

Copyright © 2024 Atlassian

10 Brainstorming Techniques for Developing New Ideas

Brainstorming is an essential practice for creative thinking and problem-solving. At its most basic, brainstorming simply means identifying a problem, and then coming up with as many fresh ideas as possible that may help solve that problem. In practice, however, brainstorming needs to be structured to be successful.

No matter which brainstorming method you try, be sure to keep these tips in mind:

• Outline a problem or topic that needs further examination and group feedback for your brainstorming session.
• Use a shared digital space to conduct your brainstorming . This not only makes brainstorming easier, but also ensures you don’t lose any ideas and have a document to refer to in the future.
• Encourage quantity over quality . Participants can often get hung up on having the “best idea” but this often leads to creative blocks. Instead, focus on generating a high number of ideas first. Once you have a lot of ideas, you can start refining the best ones. However, if you have fewer ideas, you’ll have fewer options to choose from.
• You don’t always need a facilitator, but having one can help to have somebody guide a group of people through the ideation process . If needed, assign a team leader or facilitator before the idea generation begins to keep track of time limits and record the most creative ideas.

10 brainstorming techniques for better idea generation

Question brainstorming.

Question brainstorming is a method where participants come up with as many questions about the problem as possible. In this activity, participants should only come up with questions, not answers. This method is great because it helps the group try to understand the problem completely without the pressure to have the single best solution.

How to try this technique:

• Decide on the central topic or problem you want to brainstorm for.
• Each group or individual then takes 10-15 minutes to write as many questions about the topic or problem they have without trying to come up with an answer to any of them.
• After 10-15 minutes, the group gets back together to share, group, and prioritize the questions.
• Go through the full list of questions and start answering each one to better understand the core topic or problem.

Need inspiration? Check out these 25 brainstorming questions for effective brainstorms .

Hybrid brainstorming

The best way to get the most out of your brainstorming efforts is to combine the best of async and real-time idea generation. This technique starts off with individual brainstorming and ends with a collaborative, group brainstorming session.

How to do it:

• Chose the top 5 questions you want the brainstorming session to be based around.
• Have each participant begin brainstorming in their own dedicated space.
• Next, have everyone share their ideas so you have one central repository of all the ideas.
• Go through each question and discuss any questions that arise.
• Vote on the top ideas to focus on.
• Turn the top ideas into action items and celebrate your successful ideation session.

Mind map brainstorming

Using the mind mapping brainstorming technique helps your team use the central focus of your project as a starting point, explore all the potential variables tied to that project, and build an understanding of how those variables relate to the main topic, as well as to one another.

• Add a central topic or question to the center of the mind map.
• Add branches and nodes based on secondary thoughts to the primary topic. 
• Keep adding branches and nodes based on additional ideas until you have a satisfactory number of related ideas.

Starbursting

The starbursting method involves asking a series of questions, typically using the 5 W's and 1 H (Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How) to explore the different aspects of the problem or topic. Starbursting is a divergent thinking approach focused on asking questions about the topic in order to generate a wide range of ideas.

How to run a starbursting exercise:

In Mural , Add six sticky notes around a central idea or problem and label them “Who,” “What,” “Where,” “When,” “Why,” and “How.” For each question, encourage participants to generate as many ideas as possible. Alternatively, you can conduct starbursting in Mural by creating a mind map.

Once the ideas have been generated, the facilitator can use other ideation techniques to further refine the ideas and identify potential solutions to the problem. Try clustering similar ideas together, categorizing the ideas into different groups with tags, or prioritizing the ideas based on their potential impact or feasibility.

The 'crazy eights' brainstorming technique is a great way to explore a wide range of ideas by encouraging quantity and time-boxing every exercise for efficiency. Brainstorm 8 different solutions in just 8 minutes. Once you’re ready, you can review the ideas and agree on the most effective solution.

How to do a crazy 8s brainstorm:

• Have each participant take a piece of paper (or use an online whiteboard ) and divide it into eight parts.
• Sketch or detail eight ideas, spending one minute for each panel.
• Have each participant share their own ideas.
• Vote on the top ideas and turn them into actionable next steps.

Round robin brainstorming

A round robin is a great way to encourage your team members to think critically about a problem or challenge, as well as build on one another's ideas. The format calls for dividing your team into small groups, and having each person pass their ideas along to the following teammate, who then offers counterpoints or further suggestions, helping identify potential weaknesses or spurring innovation within the session.

How to run a round robin:

• Set the brainstorming topic or problem you’re looking to solve.
• Divide your group or participants into four teams, or add more panels to accommodate more participants.
• Have each group or participant write down a proposal and move to the next panel
• Looking at what the other group or participant suggested, write down reasons why their proposal might fail then move to the next panel.
• Based on the proposal and weaknesses, have each participant or group craft a final concept using the weaknesses as feedback.

Looking for more instruction? Check out our complete guide on round robin brainstorming with a walkthrough, tips, and variations of the round robin method.

6-3-5 brainwriting

6-3-5 brainwriting is a group brainstorming method that involves creating a lot of ideas and building on the ideas of the other participants to give a total of 108 ideas in a short amount of time.

To run this exercise, you'll need 6 participants to create 3 ideas each within 5 minutes. Run this exercise for 6 rounds for a quick, half-hour brainstorming exercise.

• Have each participant select one panel and begin writing ideas related to the topic or problem statement on the first row of sticky notes.
• After five minutes, participants move to a different panel and do another round of ideation, using the previous row of ideas for inspiration.
• Run four more rounds of this exercise, or stop when you have enough ideas.
• Cluster and vote on the winning ideas with your team.

Brainwriting can be a marked improvment over more conventional brainstorming methods. In addition to reducing the pressure to openly share ideas that might be a bit "out there," brainwriting can help reduce participation inequity and prevent groupthink. Learn more in Mural's guide to brainwriting .

Reverse brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming involves looking at a problem from a different angle for generating ideas. Instead of asking, "What can we do to solve this problem?" the goal becomes, "How can we create this problem or make it worse?"

By focusing on the opposite of the problem or goal, team members can uncover new insights and approaches that they may not have considered otherwise. Once the "reverse" ideas have been generated, participants can then work to flip them around and find ways to turn them into positive solutions.

How to run a reverse brainstorm

• Draft a problem statement or starting topic for your team to brainstorm on
• Instead of posing the question: “How can we fix this?” ask “How can we make this problem worse?
• Participants will instead find more root causes driving the problem that you can start to address and dig deeper into
• Review and prioritize the ideas by severity or impact

Silent circuit

The silent circuit is a quiet brainstorming activity helps groups ideate across multiple topics while still being inclusive for quieter participants. This method is great for large groups, hybrid teams, and teams with introverts. This method is also great for getting different points of view.

How to run a silent circuit:

• Write "how might we" questions or a different prompt at the top of each brainstorming section.
• Set a timer and encourage participants to pan around the canvas and silently add as many ideas on sticky notes as they can under each prompt.
• When time is up, participants return to their original question and share all the ideas for each category.
• Review the questions and create action items for the best ideas.

Brain-netting

Brain-netting is a traditional brainstorming session conducted online. Online brainstorming isn’t a new concept, but recent shifts in remote work and collaboration tools have made this a much more common exercise. The main benefit of a brain-net is that it can be done asynchronously, meaning collaborators don’t have to. 

Brain-netting is more common among remote teams, where asynchronous communication and video calls are the norm. However, any team can leverage brain-netting to take a brainstorming activity online, generate innovative ideas, and get the creative juices flowing.

How to run a brain-netting exercise:

• Kickoff the session and warm-up your team with a virtual icebreaker that can be done asynchronously
• Add a problem statement or define a topic to ideate over
• Brainstorm together or set a deadline for when team members should have added their ideas to the brainstorming platform 
• Synthesize the ideas together, or summarize them and share the common themes
• Prioritize the ideas, pick a winner, and/or define next steps

Related: How to Facilitate a Brainstorming Session

Why brainstorming is essential for innovation

Brainstorming fosters creative thinking.

If you’re facing a difficult problem, brainstorming can help you to generate potential solutions that you might not have thought of otherwise. The free-flowing nature of brainstorming is meant to encourage exploration and a diversity of ideas — even those suggestions that seem tangential or unrelated at first may wind up forming the basis for effective solutions later on, or as inspiration for new products or features.

Brainstorming puts your best ideas in one place

Brainstorming helps you to organize your team's thoughts and feedback on any project. By structuring your brainstorming sessions so that everyone is engaged and all ideas are recorded, you can later organize your feedback by theme , using tools like tags for sticky notes and filtering. This can help you to better assess which ideas are worth pursuing and which ones are not, and begin to quickly and easily outline actionable next steps.

Types of brainstorming

There are three main types of brainstorming. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, though hybrid brainstorming (enabled by platforms like Mural) mitigates the issues of by synchronous and async brainstorming.

Asynchronous brainstorming

Individuals are presented with a question or topic to consider on their own. Later, team members contribute their ideas to a shared document for further discussion and organization. The main advantage with asynchronous brainstorming is that it inherently avoids issues like groupthink since each individual completes the exercise independently.

Synchronous brainstorming

A team gathers together to brainstorm in a meeting, with everyone sharing ideas and grouping suggestions by theme. The main advantage of synchronous brainstorming is that it allows your team to build on one another's ideas in real time, making your session potentially more productive and speeding up innovation.

A hybrid approach to brainstorming combines elements of both asynchronous and synchronous ideation. By establishing a basis of psychological safety, as well as taking advantage of modern, cloud-based collaboration tools and features built to avoid groupthink, it's really possible to get the best of both worlds.

Tips for productive brainstorming

Establish an environment of psychological safety.

One of the most important elements in unlocking effective brainstorming is establishing a culture and environment of psychological safety . A brainstorming session should be one where everyone feels comfortable contributing without self-editing — in this phase, ideation shouldn't be interrupted by critiques or pushback. It's simply about collecting as many ideas and different perspectives as possible.

Psychological safety also means you are less likely to be impeded by groupthink — if the brainstorming session is characterized by a wide array of ideas and even constructive disagreement, you will have a much better basis upon which to formulate potential solutions than if everyone agrees or one line of thinking dominates your discussion.

Use private brainstorming within the context of a group meeting

To achieve this, you'll need to make people feel safe to share what they may think are outlandish or controversial ideas, which can be difficult to achieve. If you're not sure how best to begin, tools like Private Mode when using Mural can help you avoid groupthink by hiding the feedback that others are providing. Alternatively, when using a shared digital space like Mural, asynchronous brainstorming is also a viable solution — this allows people to reflect on their own, and bring their unique perspectives without outside influence into the meeting at a later date for discussion and organization.

Related: 7 Key Rules for Brainstorming

Follow-up after the brainstorming session

Brainstorming ideas is only the first step. After the brainstorming session is over, the team moves into the implementation phase. Be sure to define next steps and the roles of each team member so everyone understands the workflow and what’s expected of them. By following up, you ensure that the ideas you captured don’t get forgotten and a solution can be implemented.

Define a strategic goal for your brainstorming meeting

Once you've established the approach for your brainstorm, it helps to give greater context to your ideation by defining an overarching, strategic goal. Are you at the very outset of a problem with a lot of variables, and trying to better understand how they relate to one another? Is the purpose of your meeting to discover new ways to improve user experience for a given product or feature? Each use case requires a different basic framework for your brainstorming meeting.

Use these techniques to run better brainstorming sessions

Brainstorming is an essential part of the innovation process, but it can be difficult to come up with new ideas if you’re not sure where to start. The techniques we’ve outlined in this post should help you structure your brainstorming sessions in a way that makes them more effective and helps you produce actionable insights and takeaways.

If you want to make your brainstorming sessions even more productive, using a shared digital space like Mural not only unlocks visual thinking and online collaboration, but also builds in strategies to combat issues with groupthink and allows for hybrid brainstorming sessions that combine the best of asynchronous and real-time meetings.

Mural offers a host of brainstorming templates to kickstart more effective and meaningful (not to mention fun) sessions. Get started today with a Free Forever plan , and invite unlimited guests so you can build the next great idea together with your whole team.

About the authors

Bryan Kitch

Tagged Topics

Related blog posts

7 ground rules for brainstorming

How to Facilitate a Brainstorming Session

How to encourage thinking outside the box

Related blog posts.

10 virtual meeting tools for team collaboration and engagement

Leigh-Margaret Stull shares more on the future state of Mural

The best enterprise collaboration tools as of 2024

When inspiration strikes: 12 effective brainstorming techniques

Reading time: about 9 min

Are you an effective brainstormer? Does the process of brainstorming feel like an opportunity or more like a chore? Chances are if you don’t enjoy the process of brainstorming, you’ve probably been using the wrong brainstorming technique. 

That’s right—there are distinct brainstorming methods. 

Just as there are different learning styles and different workflow preferences, each of us has a method of brainstorming that works best for us. Whether or not you’re a veteran brainstormer, this article will help you unpack different brainstorming tools, learn the advantages and shortcomings of each, and select a technique for yourself and your team.

12 popular brainstorming methods

Need to take a step back? Learn how to set up a brainstorming session with your team.

Brainwriting

When brainwriting, each group member is told to anonymously write down several ideas on post-it notes or index cards. Keeping ideas anonymous serves two important purposes: First, it prevents idea anchoring and any personality bias that may arise. Second, it provides a way for more introverted teammates to still contribute to ideation. 

The result is a broader range of ideas that may not have surfaced if teammates were to brainstorm collectively. Ideas are then shared at random with the rest of the group, who offer feedback and critique each idea. As an alternative, ideas can also be collected and sorted by a team leader or management team. The overlying goal of brainwriting is to separate idea generation from discussion. 

5 Whys analysis

If you’ve ever been interrogated by a toddler, you know what the 5 Whys might sound like. You give an answer to a question, only for it to be followed by an increasingly urgent series of “Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?”

Truth be told, that toddler is onto something. Created by Taiichi Ohno, the 5 Whys analysis was made popular at Toyota as a standard process for root cause analysis—getting to the heart of a problem.

Less structured than other more traditional problem-solving methods, the 5 Whys is simply what it sounds like: asking why over and over to get to the root of an obstacle or setback. This technique encourages an open dialogue that can trigger new ideas about a problem, whether done individually or with a group. Each why piggybacks off the answer to the previous why.

Both flowcharts and  fishbone diagrams  can help you track your answers to the 5 Whys. 

Starbursting

Like a reporter trying to discover the pivotal information to a story, the starbursting method of brainstorming requires you to think about the who, what, where, when, why, and how for any new idea.

Place your main idea at the center of a star diagram, labeling each point of the star with those 5WH questions.

Next, develop a series of questions about your idea for each point. Starbursting is popular among brainstorming methods because of its exploratory nature: One question triggers another question, and before you know it, you have the beginnings of a solid strategy within the answers to those questions.

Mind mapping

Part of the challenge of brainstorming is trying to catch every idea swirling through the air. Mind maps are a creative, non-linear diagram used to capture that influx of ideas so you don’t miss anything. Start with a topic or question in the center of the mind map, and branch off to include every participant’s thoughts. Then use Collaborative AI to generate more in seconds for expanded ideas and an expanded mind.

To create your own mind map online, open the template below or browse through our gallery of additional mind map templates .

Rolestorming/figure storming

Sometimes it’s best to consider someone else’s point of view. Considering how someone else might approach a challenge is the central concept behind rolestorming. A related practice, figure storming asks you to put yourself in the shoes of a famous historical figure.

For example, a legal advocacy group might have teammates ask “How would Mahatma Gandhi solve this problem?” Rolestorming has even made its way into pop culture: Anyone who has ever purchased or even seen the popular rubber WWJD (what would Jesus do?) bracelets has witnessed rolestorming in daily life. Rolestorming or figure storming works best for teams who find themselves coming up with the same ideas for repeating projects. 

Gap filling

Gap filling, also known as gap analysis , requires you to identify your current state and your end goal and then find gaps between the two states. It asks the question, “How do we get from here to there?” Gap analysis is especially helpful when it comes to problem solving because it requires you to find workable solutions.

Flowcharts or mind maps can help you grid out your gap analysis. Mark the current state on one end and the ideal state on the other. Then team members will understand what they're working toward and start contributing ideas in the middle to fill the gap.

Brain-netting

Brain-netting has become a popular brainstorming technique in the modern workspace, where virtual collaboration and remote teams are much more common. Email communication can be effective but can take too much time and can be more formal than needed. 

With brain-netting, participants use virtual collaboration software to share ideas in real time and can save ideas to a cloud-based storage platform or within the collaboration software itself. The way teams go about virtual collaboration can vary—team leaders may ask a general question like “What do we want our customers to experience?” and have teammates contribute their responses, or teams may engage in other techniques mentioned in this piece including rolestorming, reverse brainstorming, and rapid ideation. 

Round robin brainstorming

To engage in this brainstorming technique, begin with having everyone sit in a circle. A team leader or facilitator will then pose a question or offer a request for ideas and have everyone in the circle contribute one by one. 

This strategy is great for middle- to large-sized teams who may have quieter team members or for any team with noticeable imbalance in creative contribution. The most important rule for this technique is to treat all ideas with equal weight—give each teammate the same time and attention as they share, and avoid developing any ideas until everyone has had a chance to contribute. If and when a team member says that “Person X already said my idea,” offer them time to come up with a new idea while completing the round robin. 

Rapid ideation

Operating within a time limitation can often produce higher quality work. Indeed, Parkinson’s Law teaches us that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Rapid ideation uses this phenomenon to its advantage: By setting a time limit on team members to contribute as many ideas or solutions as possible, team managers can maximize productivity and results. 

Rapid ideation works well for a few different types of workers—for teams who dislike meetings, or who tend to get sidetracked, rapid ideation is a great way to approach the brainstorming stage of project execution. 

A helpful tip to remember: Get silly! Research shows that teams who share funny or embarrassing stories about themselves reported 26% more ideas shared across 15% more categories over teams who kept meetings more formal. Having the space to let down certain social barriers reduces overthinking and produces a greater flow of ideas.

Reverse brainstorming

Most brainstorming techniques ask participants to solve a problem. Reverse brainstorming has participants cause a problem. Rather than forming solutions to a problem, reverse brainstorming has a facilitator ask a question like “How can we cause this problem?” Responses are then recorded and used as springboards to ideate a solution by working through the responses backwards. 

Reverse brainstorming is a powerful way to open up new solutions to recurring problems: By challenging participants to work backwards, certain insights that may have been hard to imagine normally become crystal clear from a new perspective. 

Stepladder brainstorming

This interesting style of brainstorming was developed in 1992 and involves teammates sharing their ideas individually before being influenced by the group. 

The process starts with a facilitator posing a question or problem to the entire group and then having almost every group member exit the room, leaving two members present. These remaining two members share their ideas together while the rest of the team waits outside, until the facilitator directs an outside teammate to join the two inside. 

The third and new teammate then shares their idea first, followed by the other two teammates. A fourth group member then enters the room and shares his or her idea first, followed by the other teammates present. The process continues this way until all group members have joined the room and shared their ideas. 

Stepladder brainstorming is noted for solving the problem of groupthink by having participants share ideas individually and without influence from the group. It also allows the more shy group members to contribute without being intimidated by a room full of people.

SWOT analysis

SWOT analysis isn't exclusively a brainstorming technique: It's a strategic planning exercise that you can use to evaluate a product, project, person, or business. However, it may be valuable to focus your brainstorm with this mindset. SWOT stands for:

• Strengths:  How does the product, project, or business dominate and stand out from its competitors?
• Weaknesses:  What are the flaws that can hurt or put the product, project, or business in jeopardy?
• Opportunities:  What opportunities could the business capitalize on?
• Threats:  What are the possible downfalls lurking for the product, project, or business?

Spend some time in each category and add your teammates' thoughts onto a SWOT matrix.

Choose a brainstorm method and get started

Once you’ve selected your brainstorming technique or techniques, it’s time to get to work. Remember: The first rule of brainstorming is quantity over quality. Encouraging teammates to have the bravery to risk imperfection and contribute ideas is the best way to guide your team toward new ways to approach problems—and often leads to powerful insights. 

All these methods can be combined with others, giving you an endless arsenal of brainstorming techniques to continue ideating efficiently. 

See our 7 tips for starting a brainstorming meeting with your team.

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

Bring your bright ideas to life.

or continue with

By registering, you agree to our Terms of Service and you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy .

• Reviews / Why join our community?
• For companies
• Frequently asked questions

Brainstorming

What is brainstorming.

Brainstorming is a method design teams use to generate ideas to solve clearly defined design problems. In controlled conditions and a free-thinking environment, teams approach a problem by such means as “How Might We” questions. They produce a vast array of ideas and draw links between them to find potential solutions.

• Transcript loading…

How To Use Brainstorming Best

Brainstorming is part of design thinking . You use it in the ideation phase. It’s extremely popular for design teams because they can expand in all directions. Although teams have rules and a facilitator to keep them on track, they are free to use out-of-the-box and lateral thinking to seek the most effective solutions to any design problem. By brainstorming, they can take a vast number of approaches—the more, the better—instead of just exploring conventional means and running into the associated obstacles. When teams work in a judgment-free atmosphere to find the real dimensions of a problem, they’re more likely to produce rough answers which they’ll refine into possible solutions later. Marketing CEO Alex Osborn, brainstorming’s “inventor”, captured the refined elements of creative problem-solving in his 1953 book, Applied Imagination . In brainstorming, we aim squarely at a design problem and produce an arsenal of potential solutions. By not only harvesting our own ideas but also considering and building on colleagues’, we cover the problem from every angle imaginable.

“It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think up a new one.” — Alex Osborn

Everyone in a design team should have a clear definition of the target problem. They typically gather for a brainstorming session in a room with a large board/wall for pictures/Post-Its. A good mix of participants will expand the experience pool and therefore broaden the idea space.

Brainstorming may seem to lack constraints, but everyone must observe eight house rules and have someone acting as facilitator.

Set a time limit – Depending on the problem’s complexity, 15–60 minutes is normal.

Begin with a target problem/brief – Members should approach this sharply defined question, plan or goal and stay on topic.

Refrain from judgment/criticism – No-one should be negative (including via body language) about any idea.

Encourage weird and wacky ideas – Further to the ban on killer phrases like “too expensive”, keep the floodgates open so everyone feels free to blurt out ideas (provided they’re on topic).

Aim for quantity – Remember, “quantity breeds quality”. The sifting-and-sorting process comes later.

Build on others’ ideas – It’s a process of association where members expand on others’ notions and reach new insights, allowing these ideas to trigger their own. Say “and”—rather than discourage with “but”—to get ideas closer to the problem.

Stay visual – Diagrams and Post-Its help bring ideas to life and help others see things in different ways.

Allow one conversation at a time – To arrive at concrete results, it’s essential to keep on track this way and show respect for everyone’s ideas.

To capture everyone’s ideas in a brainstorming session, someone must play “scribe” and mark every idea on the board. Alternatively, write down your own ideas as they come, and share these with the group. Often, design problems demand mixed tactics: brainstorming and its sibling approaches – braindumping (for individuals), and brainwriting and brainwalking (for group-and-individual mixes).

Take Care with Brainstorming

Brainstorming involves harnessing synergy – we leverage our collective thinking towards a variety of potential solutions. However, it’s challenging to have boundless freedom. In groups, introverts may stay quiet while extroverts dominate. Whoever’s leading the session must “police” the team to ensure a healthy, solution-focused atmosphere where even the shiest participants will speak up. A warm-up activity can cure brainstorming “constipation” – e.g., ask participants to list ways the world would be different if metal were like rubber.

Another risk is to let the team stray off topic and/or address other problems. As we may use brainstorming in any part of our design process—including areas related to a project’s main scope—it’s vital that participants stick to the problem relevant to that part (what Osborn called the “Point of View”). Similarly, by framing problems with “How Might We” questions, we remember brainstorming is organic and free of boundaries. Overall, your team should stay fluid in the search for ways you might resolve an issue – not chase a “holy grail” solution someone has developed elsewhere. The idea is to mine idea “ore” and refine “golden” solutions from it later.

How to Supercharge Brainstorming with AI

Learn more about brainstorming.

The Interaction Design Foundation’s course on Design Thinking discusses Brainstorming in depth.

This blog offers incisive insights into Brainstorming workshops .

Jonathan Courtney’s article for Smashing Magazine shows Brainstorming’s versatility .

Literature on Brainstorming

Here’s the entire UX literature on Brainstorming by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:

Learn more about Brainstorming

Take a deep dive into Brainstorming with our course Design Thinking: The Ultimate Guide .

Some of the world’s leading brands, such as Apple, Google, Samsung, and General Electric, have rapidly adopted the design thinking approach, and design thinking is being taught at leading universities around the world, including Stanford d.school, Harvard, and MIT. What is design thinking, and why is it so popular and effective?

Design Thinking is not exclusive to designers —all great innovators in literature, art, music, science, engineering and business have practiced it. So, why call it Design Thinking? Well, that’s because design work processes help us systematically extract, teach, learn and apply human-centered techniques to solve problems in a creative and innovative way—in our designs, businesses, countries and lives. And that’s what makes it so special.

The overall goal of this design thinking course is to help you design better products, services, processes, strategies, spaces, architecture, and experiences. Design thinking helps you and your team develop practical and innovative solutions for your problems. It is a human-focused , prototype-driven , innovative design process . Through this course, you will develop a solid understanding of the fundamental phases and methods in design thinking, and you will learn how to implement your newfound knowledge in your professional work life. We will give you lots of examples; we will go into case studies, videos, and other useful material, all of which will help you dive further into design thinking. In fact, this course also includes exclusive video content that we've produced in partnership with design leaders like Alan Dix, William Hudson and Frank Spillers!

This course contains a series of practical exercises that build on one another to create a complete design thinking project. The exercises are optional, but you’ll get invaluable hands-on experience with the methods you encounter in this course if you complete them, because they will teach you to take your first steps as a design thinking practitioner. What’s equally important is you can use your work as a case study for your portfolio to showcase your abilities to future employers! A portfolio is essential if you want to step into or move ahead in a career in the world of human-centered design.

Design thinking methods and strategies belong at every level of the design process . However, design thinking is not an exclusive property of designers—all great innovators in literature, art, music, science, engineering, and business have practiced it. What’s special about design thinking is that designers and designers’ work processes can help us systematically extract, teach, learn, and apply these human-centered techniques in solving problems in a creative and innovative way—in our designs, in our businesses, in our countries, and in our lives.

That means that design thinking is not only for designers but also for creative employees , freelancers , and business leaders . It’s for anyone who seeks to infuse an approach to innovation that is powerful, effective and broadly accessible, one that can be integrated into every level of an organization, product, or service so as to drive new alternatives for businesses and society.

You earn a verifiable and industry-trusted Course Certificate once you complete the course. You can highlight them on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website .

All open-source articles on Brainstorming

Stage 3 in the design thinking process: ideate.

• 1.2k shares
• 4 years ago

14 UX Deliverables: What will I be making as a UX designer?

Introduction to the Essential Ideation Techniques which are the Heart of Design Thinking

• 1.1k shares

Learn How to Use the Best Ideation Methods: Brainstorming, Braindumping, Brainwriting, and Brainwalking

Three Ideation Methods to Enhance Your Innovative Thinking

Ideation for Design - Preparing for the Design Race

• 3 years ago

Transform Your Creative Process with Design Thinking

Revolutionize UX Design with VR Experiences

Start Your UX Journey: Essential Insights for Success

Open Access—Link to us!

We believe in Open Access and the  democratization of knowledge . Unfortunately, world-class educational materials such as this page are normally hidden behind paywalls or in expensive textbooks.

If you want this to change , cite this page , link to us, or join us to help us democratize design knowledge !

Privacy Settings

Our digital services use necessary tracking technologies, including third-party cookies, for security, functionality, and to uphold user rights. Optional cookies offer enhanced features, and analytics.

Experience the full potential of our site that remembers your preferences and supports secure sign-in.

Governs the storage of data necessary for maintaining website security, user authentication, and fraud prevention mechanisms.

Enhanced Functionality

Saves your settings and preferences, like your location, for a more personalized experience.

Referral Program

We use cookies to enable our referral program, giving you and your friends discounts.

Error Reporting

We share user ID with Bugsnag and NewRelic to help us track errors and fix issues.

Optimize your experience by allowing us to monitor site usage. You’ll enjoy a smoother, more personalized journey without compromising your privacy.

Analytics Storage

Collects anonymous data on how you navigate and interact, helping us make informed improvements.

Differentiates real visitors from automated bots, ensuring accurate usage data and improving your website experience.

Lets us tailor your digital ads to match your interests, making them more relevant and useful to you.

Advertising Storage

Stores information for better-targeted advertising, enhancing your online ad experience.

Personalization Storage

Permits storing data to personalize content and ads across Google services based on user behavior, enhancing overall user experience.

Advertising Personalization

Allows for content and ad personalization across Google services based on user behavior. This consent enhances user experiences.

Enables personalizing ads based on user data and interactions, allowing for more relevant advertising experiences across Google services.

Receive more relevant advertisements by sharing your interests and behavior with our trusted advertising partners.

Enables better ad targeting and measurement on Meta platforms, making ads you see more relevant.

Allows for improved ad effectiveness and measurement through Meta’s Conversions API, ensuring privacy-compliant data sharing.

LinkedIn Insights

Tracks conversions, retargeting, and web analytics for LinkedIn ad campaigns, enhancing ad relevance and performance.

LinkedIn CAPI

Enhances LinkedIn advertising through server-side event tracking, offering more accurate measurement and personalization.

Google Ads Tag

Tracks ad performance and user engagement, helping deliver ads that are most useful to you.

Share Knowledge, Get Respect!

or copy link

Cite according to academic standards

Simply copy and paste the text below into your bibliographic reference list, onto your blog, or anywhere else. You can also just hyperlink to this page.

New to UX Design? We’re Giving You a Free ebook!

Download our free ebook The Basics of User Experience Design to learn about core concepts of UX design.

In 9 chapters, we’ll cover: conducting user interviews, design thinking, interaction design, mobile UX design, usability, UX research, and many more!

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

A demo is the first step to transforming your business. Meet with us to develop a plan for attaining your goals.

• What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Research, expert insights, and resources to develop courageous leaders within your organization.

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

• BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

8 brainstorming techniques to harness the power of teamwork

Jump to section

What is brainstorming?

4 benefits of brainstorming, what are the best brainstorming techniques, 5 steps for brainstorming, what could go wrong, brainstorm your way to team success, empower your team with brainstorming techniques.

Coming up with a   solution to a problem   always feels like a win. Especially when it’s   productive teamwork   that has helped you achieve your   team goals .

But sometimes, you hit a wall in the problem-solving process. It feels like your team is going around in circles, discussing the same thing. 

This kind of mental block isn’t uncommon. And it’s the kind of situation that calls for a group brainstorming session. 

Although simple, brainstorming can be a powerful tool for the   creation of new ideas . This is especially true when you and your team need to get your   creative juices flowing .

Ready to learn about some new and creative brainstorming techniques? Read on to discover how the right brainstorming session can boost your team’s   productivity .

Brainstorming is a model for extracting fresh ideas from a group of people. 

It’s a method used by everyone from school children to executives. It generates inspiration and   imagination   in the problem-solving process. 

During a brainstorming session, a group of team members comes together, either as equal co-contributors or under the supervision of a facilitator.

The fundamental principle behind different types of brainstorming techniques is that no idea is too wild or too unrealistic. This allows the team to think beyond the structured boundaries of the workplace and truly tap into   unique creative potential . 

Instead of coming up with a ready-made, perfectly thought-out plan from the get-go, team members are encouraged to think big and then tailor to fit. 

Removing conceptual boundaries opens up the potential for the team to be bold and innovative during their collaboration.

Brainstorming has numerous benefits for both individuals and the team. 

Let’s take a look at some of the many advantages you can expect from using brainstorming techniques.

1. Promotes teamwork

When left to their own devices, team members tend to become individualistic and wrapped up in their own preferred methods and ideas. They might also be   driven by ego . As any   effective leader   will know, this approach is not conducive to innovation.

It takes a team of dedicated minds to come up with truly unique solutions to problems. All of whom can contribute something slightly different to the process. 

The best brainstorming techniques get everyone together in a room with the sole purpose of collaborating.

2. Encourages creative ideas

When conceptualizing solutions to a specific problem, it is easy to get stuck in a mental rut that bears no creative fruit. 

The process of brainstorming seeks to actively remove the limitations and boundaries we set in our own minds.

This encourages team members to think outside the lines and put their creative thinking hats on. While not every idea conceived in this spirit will be feasible, there will undoubtedly be at least one or two that show promise. 

3. Provides different perspectives

No matter how diligent or accomplished you might be in your field, you need to draw on the experiences and viewpoints of those around you. This helps to get a holistic picture of the needs you are trying to meet. 

Bringing people together in the spirit of problem-solving   invites input from different walks of life . This ensures that your ideas hold strong from all angles. 

4. Generates many ideas in a short amount of time

Throwing creatives in a room together and removing conceptual boundaries might sound like a chaotic way to spend an afternoon. But by the end of it, you are guaranteed to have a whiteboard full of new ideas or directions to pursue.

Again, not all of them will be pure gold, but at least a few of them are bound to show promise. 

The number of brainstorming methods to choose from can seem overwhelming. Let’s look at some of the most effective brainstorming techniques for rapid ideation and creative solutions.

1. Mind mapping

Mind mapping is probably one of the most well-known brainstorming techniques. It helps teams visually represent a hierarchy of ideas and how they are interconnected. Generally, you start with a central ‘umbrella’ term and break it down into smaller components. 

If you’re unsure where to begin, use a mind map template to help your team visualize the process.

Drawing a mind map helps all team members keep track of the problem’s structure. It also helps them think coherently around a common thread and see theoretical connections in a concrete way. 

Studies have shown that   mind mapping helps people retain and work with information   more effectively.

2. Gap filling

Gap filling is a useful tool in product development. It involves using a timeline to plot past and future actions or realities in order to identify the best course of action for the present. Starting with the past refreshes the mind on how you got where you are and what needs you are trying to meet. 

Filling in the future helps you and your team decide on a common goal — what you want reality to look like after your intervention. This way, you can make logical and creative connections between the needs of the past and   the goals of the future . 

3. Brainwriting 

Brainwriting is an effective method for getting ideas out of all members of the group. 

Instead of everyone trying to shout over each other, team members have a few minutes to privately write down their ideas on a piece of paper or post-it.

When everyone is done, the group can discuss the raw ideas one by one. This   harnesses the potential of each individual   and encourages introverts to   speak up and contribute . 

4. SWOT analysis

‘SWOT’ stands for ‘strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.’ 

Each category is allocated one quadrant of a page. The team can then break down the elements of an idea into these categories and weigh the pros against the cons to see if it is worthwhile. 

5. Rolestorming

Rolestorming is a relatively unusual type of brainstorming technique. It combines role-playing and creative collaboration. 

The idea is to help team members overcome the shyness and sensitivity behind their contributions. This is done by presenting ideas from another’s perspective. It also forces the team to consider how important figures might respond to their ideas.

For instance, somebody could role-play a customer or client. This will help them understand their clients’ needs better by adopting their point of view.

6. Starbursting  

The structure of the starbursting technique is simple. It focuses on identifying the right questions before trying to come up with solutions. 

In this technique, a six-pointed star represents six root questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how? From there, more detailed questions are developed that guide the team in unique directions. 

7. The five whys  

Although it seems simple, this technique is surprisingly effective at locating the root of a problem. It draws on the power of   intellectual curiosity . The idea is to start with the most obvious, surface-level problem and ask why it is a problem. 

Establish a factual, robust answer to this, and then repeat the process with the secondary problem. This method helps burrow through the various layers of an issue and eventually reach the underlying root cause.

8. Stop-and-go-brainstorming

This method involves rapid switching between modes of thinking. For a select period of time (usually no longer than ten minutes), the team will focus on idea generation. 

After, they will evaluate those ideas and   give feedback   to determine their potential. Some teams find that this method helps avoid creative fatigue. It gives the brain a chance to exercise different cognitive skills instead of overusing one. 

Ready to come up with some great new ideas? Here are the steps to follow for a productive brainstorming session.

1. Prepare the group

The loose structure of most creative brainstorming techniques is essential to their success. However, it can lead to chaos   if the group isn’t managed properly . 

Take a few minutes to explain the workflow and purpose of the gathering. Outline exactly what you expect from the group for the duration of the exercise.

2. Present the problem or goal

The next step is to familiarize the team with the problem you’re trying to address or the   goal you’re trying to achieve . 

Give them a foundational understanding of the issue. Inform them of any past attempts to grapple with it and tell them why it’s important.

3. Capture all ideas

Depending on the technique you’ve chosen, make sure all necessary resources are provided for the team to record ideas.

The best brainstorming techniques are the ones that get ideas on paper, no matter how broad they are. Other tools to capture ideas are whiteboards, notepads, pens, markers, and sticky notes. 

Empower your team   by giving them the tools they need to get their thoughts down in print. 

4. Share and discuss ideas

All ideas should be given their time in the spotlight. Work through each one methodically. Give everyone a chance to speak and contribute.   Listen to everyone’s ideas   and record changes or revisions as they come up. Just like there are different ways to learn, there are also   different ways to listen .

Encourage   constructive criticism . Remind the team that 90% of raw ideas will be discarded or revised before they can be implemented. There is no need to feel defensive or spiteful if their ideas are dismissed or criticized. 

5. Make an action plan  

This is the final step. Once all your ideas have been explored and fleshed out, identify the strongest ones. Take all suggestions into account, and convert them into actionable tasks to be delegated to the right person.

The agile methodology is a great method to help teams stay on task and measure progress. Have a look at our agile methodology guide for more on this popular type of project management.

As with any collaborative effort, brainstorming sometimes doesn’t go according to plan. 

Here are some possible hiccups you could experience during the process and how to address them effectively.

1. Brainstorming session is dominated by one person

Sometimes, one or two people at work seem to always want to be the center of attention. Whenever the opportunity arises for them to take center stage, they do so, regardless of whether they are casting a shadow on someone else. This kind of   toxic trait   could be counterproductive for the brainstorming session.

This is where a skilled facilitator comes in handy. They know how to hold space gently and respectfully for everyone to contribute equally. This may involve asking someone to step back and stop talking over less   assertive members of the team . 

2. Ideas are criticized by others

Another common problem in brainstorming groups is the tendency of some people to be overly critical without suggesting alternative solutions. In some cases,   gaslighting at work   is used to belittle others and give them a constant negative narrative about their ideas.

It is important to clarify that constructive criticism and   feedback   need to be   communicated with respect . Encourage team members to come up with suggestions for improving the idea that’s being criticized.

3. Lots of ideas are generated, but no action comes of it

Without eventual action, no number of brilliant ideas is helpful. Including a senior supervisor in the brainstorming session is a good way to combat a lack of action.

Once all the raw ideas have been broken down into actionable tasks, they can   delegate responsibilities .

Here are six tips to help you facilitate a better brainstorming session with your team.

1. Encourage out-of-the-box thinking

This is the golden rule of all brainstorming techniques. Don’t limit the creativity of your team. In fact, encourage them to put concerns of practicality out of mind for the duration of the session. 

It only takes one idea to revolutionize the way we think about certain problems. 

2. Put a time limit on your session

Brainstorming involves dealing with loads of information on a surface level. This means it’s easy to get distracted by rabbit holes of conversation. 

Giving your team a set window will prevent time wastage and   keep them focused . If necessary, you can schedule a follow-up session to discuss important points that were missed. 

Time blocking   is an effective method to keep track of time during your brainstorming session. With this   time management technique , the team focuses on a single task or a group of similar tasks within a set time block.

3. Guide the discussion

A skilled facilitator knows when to let the   conversation flow and when to step in . If the discussion is drifting too far away from the task at hand, the facilitator must be able to bring the focus back gently but assertively. 

Experienced facilitators should use the right   management styles   to guide the brainstorming session. For example, a   democratic leadership style   will ensure the facilitator is working closely with all team members and building rapport.

4. Focus on quality over quantity

While brainstorming will inevitably give rise to many ideas, not all of them will show merit or warrant further discussion. The facilitator should be able to guide team members into discussions that focus on developing the ideas with more potential and fewer obstacles. 

5. Set ground rules

Even the best brainstorming techniques lead to sessions that get out of hand quickly without some basic guidelines.

The discussion should always be kept respectful and professional. Furthermore, irrelevant tangents and anecdotes should be avoided. 

6. Recognize and reward input

Putting yourself out there   by sharing an idea isn’t always easy, especially for more introverted members of the team. Basic psychology tells us that   people will be more willing to contribute   when their input is   recognized and rewarded . 

Acknowledge team members’ contributions   and thank them for their participation. This will   build confidence   quickly and get the conversational momentum going. 

Fostering effective collaboration and creativity in the workplace is no easy feat. But it's crucial for your business' success.

With more employees   working from home , the brainstorming process can seem even more daunting. But with the right technology and   remote working support , online brainstorming (or brain-netting) lets   virtual teams   brainstorm ideas in real-time.

There are plenty of group brainstorming techniques you and your team could try for your next session. It's just a matter of learning what works for you.

Get access to the most effective techniques by   getting in touch with a BetterUp coach . Our robust coaching experience guides teams down the path to a more productive tomorrow.

Cultivate your creativity

Foster creativity and continuous learning with guidance from our certified Coaches.

Maggie Wooll, MBA

Maggie Wooll is a researcher, author, and speaker focused on the evolving future of work. Formerly the lead researcher at the Deloitte Center for the Edge, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Princeton University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Maggie is passionate about creating better work and greater opportunities for all.

The 10 best TED talks about life for inspiration and encouragement

17 memorization techniques to sharpen your memory & recall, 15 inspiring ted talks that just might change your life, 6 ways to leverage ai for hyper-personalized corporate learning, how to develop critical thinking skills, learn what disruptive innovation is and how to foster it, all about the 3 types of memory and how they form, experimentation brings innovation: create an experimental workplace, can dreams help you solve problems 6 ways to try, 18 excellent educational podcasts to fuel your love of learning, 6 ai prompt generator tools to boost your creativity, 4 benefits of ai and 4 potential disadvantages, team collaboration 101: learning the art of working together, the future of ai: where does your job stand, discover 4 types of innovation and how to encourage them, what’s convergent thinking how to be a better problem-solver, how to improve your creative skills and supercharge your resume, how observational learning affects growth and development, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

• Platform Overview
• Integrations
• Powered by AI
• BetterUp Lead™
• BetterUp Manage™
• BetterUp Care®
• Sales Performance
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Case Studies
• Why BetterUp?
• About Coaching
• Find your Coach
• Career Coaching
• Communication Coaching
• Personal Coaching
• News and Press
• Leadership Team
• Become a BetterUp Coach
• BetterUp Labs
• Center for Purpose & Performance
• Leadership Training
• Business Coaching
• Contact Support
• Contact Sales
• Privacy Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Trust & Security
• Cookie Preferences

• Case Studies
• Flexible Products

• Expert Insights
• Research Studies

• Creativity and Culture
• Management and Leadership
• Business Solutions

• Member Spotlight
• Employee Spotlight

10 effective brainstorming techniques for teams

Group brainstorming, if done properly, can promote creative thinking, bring a team together, and help you land on the perfect idea.

Productive group brainstorming can really feel like a win: The team leaves feeling energized, accomplished, and excited for the next steps. Effective brainstorming techniques can help achieve this. On the other hand, when a brainstorm session misses—whether it feels unproductive, repetitive, or negative—the team may collectively feel uninspired. 

There are a lot of factors that can derail a brainstorm, but here are some of the common reasons a brainstorming session goes wrong:  

• Unbalanced conversation. Extroverted personalities and quick thinkers dominate the conversation, leaving no time for other teammates to contribute. 
• The anchoring effect. Participants converge on the first few ideas that are brought up in a brainstorm, which stifles new ideas and prevents the team from moving on. 
• Awkward silence. Participants are unprepared, leaving you with an hour full of painful silence or—worse yet—a meeting that is cut short to put everyone out of their misery.
• Disconnected teams. Remote working during the pandemic requires brainstorming through videoconferencing. The inherent awkwardness combined with the tendency of people to talk over one another makes it hard to capture the creative energy that comes from having everyone in one room. 

Implementing the following group brainstorming techniques can help you avoid these common woes and instead bring your team together to yield the perfect idea .

10 effective team brainstorming techniques 

Brainstorms typically have three steps: idea capture, discussion and critique, and selection. The following strategies will help you and your team, whether you’re in person or remote , through all three stages. 

1. Brainwriting 

In this nonverbal brainstorming method, everyone writes down three ideas that relate to the topic of the brainstorm. Allow about four to six minutes for this process. Then everyone passes their ideas to the person on their right (or left, whichever you prefer), who will then build off of the ideas, adding bullet points or creative strategies . If your team is remote, they can use a communications platform like Slack to share ideas. After another few minutes, everyone will pass the piece of paper again until it makes it all the way around the table. Once the ideas have made it around the circle, the group discusses them and decides which ideas are best to pursue. 

This technique can alleviate two of the biggest brainstorm pitfalls—unbalanced conversation and the anchoring effect—by ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute and eliminating the bias toward the first idea. 

2. Rapid ideation 

In rapid ideation, everyone writes down as many ideas as possible in a set amount of time before any ideas are discussed, critiqued, or fleshed out. For this brainstorming technique, you will need to set (and stick to) a time constraint, otherwise you’ll risk losing the sense of urgency. 

This brainstorming exercise can be helpful to avoid the all-too-common scenario when an idea is shot down before it has time to grow, transform, and develop. By allowing everyone to capture their ideas before the critique begins, rapid ideation avoids the inevitable, premature shooting down of ideas. The time constraint can also prevent people from talking themselves out of an idea before they share it with a group—a common brainstorming mishap.

3. Figure storming

In figure storming, the group picks a well-known figure who is not in the room—it could be a boss, a fictional character, or a well-known public figure—and discusses how that person would approach the problem or think about this idea . For example, you might ask: How would Oprah Winfrey approach this problem? It seems like a silly question, but putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can help you and your team approach the problem a different way. 

Teammates can sometimes be hesitant to put forth their creative ideas, but if someone else’s name is attached to the ideas—Oprah’s, for example—they are more likely to share it. Also, this brainstorming method removes some barriers that usually restrict creative thinking, like budget and time. 

4. Eidetic image method

This visualization-based method recommended by author and psychologist Jacqueline Sussman employs vivid images stored in our minds from all of our life experiences. Begin with intention-setting: Have the group close their eyes and clearly set an intention for what they will create—for example, an innovative smartphone. Each person in the group sets the intention in their mind that they will come up with a new phone design unlike previous ones.

After these intentions are set, you will have everyone close their eyes again and pull forth the first eidetic image: the company’s current phone design. Once everyone in the group has that image in their mind, you can all begin building upon that design. Ask the group to picture the current design in their favorite color or in their ideal size. Ask them to add features they wish the current design had originally included. Maybe they’ll add a better camera or a larger screen. After everyone has arrived at an image of their ideal phone design in their mind, you will randomly ask a team member to share exactly what their enhanced version looks like. Once they’ve shared, record that idea. Now have everyone picture that new version of the phone and you can begin layering ideas on top of it. In the end, you can end up with hundreds of new concrete ideas—ranging from the color to the features to the size.

This method works best when the goal isn’t to reinvent the wheel but rather to enhance it. While the group should not focus on costs, their ideas should remain in the realm of possibility.

5. Online brainstorming, aka brain netting 

For this group brainstorming technique, all you need is a central location for team members to write down their ideas. If all of your employees are in the same time zone, you can host real-time brainstorms over Slack to develop ideas together. If your team is distributed , you can put together a running Google doc that allows team members to write down their ideas whenever inspiration hits, allowing for busy schedules and time differences. For teams in the same city, one option is to use WeWork On Demand or WeWork All Access to book a conference room or common space for in-person brainstorming together.

After everyone writes down their ideas, it’s important to follow up to decide which ideas to pursue, so this technique is best used for idea capture, with separate meetings for critique, planning, and execution. 

This technique encourages remote employees to participate and puts everyone on the same playing field. You can also keep everyone’s identity anonymous if that helps the team contribute more freely. 

6. Round-robin brainstorming 

In a round-robin brainstorm, every member of the meeting participates, contributing one idea to the brainstorm . The first rule is that the group has to make it around the whole room at least once before anyone can contribute a second idea or criticize, elaborate on, or discuss any of the ideas. The second rule is that no one can say, “My idea was already said.” You can come back to that person at the end when they’ve had more time to think. It’s also a good idea to give the team some time to prepare ideas before the brainstorm meeting. 

Like rapid ideation, this technique encourages (read: requires) everyone to participate and allows the team members to get all of their ideas out before moving on to the critique phase of the brainstorm. 

7. Step-ladder technique

The step-ladder technique, while a bit complex, is a great way to make sure the group isn’t heavily influenced by the first few ideas or by the loudest people in the room. 

To use the step-ladder technique, a facilitator first introduces the brainstorming topic and then everyone leaves the room except for two people. If you’re working with remote team members, you can use breakout rooms in a videoconferencing app to facilitate this. Those two brainstorm together for a few minutes before a third person comes back into the room. The third person shares some of their ideas, before discussing the ideas that the first two discussed. Individuals return to the room one by one, sharing their ideas before learning about the other ideas that have been discussed. Outside the room, the other teammates can either continue to brainstorm and write down ideas or go back to individual work, but they should not discuss their ideas with anyone until they are inside the room. 

If your group is too big, you’re better off going with a simpler technique, as the step-ladder technique takes some time. 

8. Mind mapping

Sometimes, the first idea shared with the group isn’t the right idea, but it sparks three better ideas—that’s where mind mapping comes in. In this technique, the group starts with one idea and then draws lines connecting sub-ideas to the first one. Mind mapping is a visual way to approach brainstorms and can be helpful for those who think visually . 

9. Starbursting 

Starbursting is a later-stage brainstorming technique that can be implemented when a group has already selected an idea to elaborate upon and potentially execute. 

In a starburst brainstorming session, your team will start with an idea or challenge at the center and then create a six-point star around it. Each point represents a question: who, what, when, where, why, and how. For example, who is this product targeting? When would be a good time to launch it? What is our motivation for creating this product? 

Because it focuses on questions rather than answers, starbursting encourages the group to examine an idea from every angle. Presenting an idea in this way frees the person who generated the idea from having to defend it or figure out how to execute it on their own. Instead, the team works on solutions together .

10. Change of scenery

If your team is all in the same space, moving your brainstorm outside to a casual lunch place or even a different floor in your building can help get new ideas flowing. Physical space plays a big part in how employees work, think, and feel. When a team is constantly brainstorming together in the same room, with the same group of people, the brainstorms may feel repetitive and uninspiring. The change of scenery provided by a brand-new space, even for a short period of time, can help people think differently and devise new ideas. 

Five tips for running effective team brainstorming sessions 

No matter which technique you use, these tips can help you get the most out of your brainstorming sessions : 

• Allow people to prep. On-the-spot creativity is hard to spark, so factor in some prep time. Make sure to email your team the prompt, topic, or problem you are trying to solve as early as possible so the team can start to come up with ideas on their own. This means at least one full day before the brainstorm, if not two—10 minutes before the meeting is not quite enough time to get those creative juices flowing. 
• Set a clear intention. Are you looking for very feasible, we-can-make-this-happen-this-month ideas, or are you looking for never-been-done-before ideas? Make sure your desired outcome is clear before the meeting begins. 
• Invite new people. If the same team brainstorms together each week or month, the ideas can get stale and the group can start to converge on the same few ideas each time. Inviting a fresh perspective shakes things up, so make sure that you invite people from different backgrounds and teams.
• Foster an inclusive, supportive environment. “No bad ideas” has become a brainstorming cliché, but if someone’s idea gets shot down quickly, they’re less likely to have the confidence to share their next idea.  
• Follow up. Recognize that a brainstorm serves a purpose—to foster new ideas, solutions, products, etc.—but you need to follow up in order to bring these ideas to life. Make sure to set aside ample time to narrow down your ideas and pursue a few in a structured manner. 

Related articles

Benefits of team brainstorming 

Traditionally, brainstorming activities are used to produce and concept new ideas, but, if done properly, the benefits of a brainstorm can extend beyond ideation. 

• Boosts group morale

Brainstorming as a group boosts group morale because the team is working toward a common goal in a creative and supportive setting. Brainstorms allow teammates to get face-to-face time together, which is important for team bonding. Withholding criticisms during the idea-capture phase of the brainstorm is essential for achieving this benefit. 

• Promotes creative thinking 

Oftentimes, people buzz through their day from task to task without a moment to breathe, even in creative fields. Setting aside time specifically to let ideas flow freely without distraction is important and keeps those creative muscles in shape . Also, rallying people behind a shared topic or idea can help employees feel less isolated and actually make employees more productive. 

When people walk into a traditional meeting, they’re expected to be prepared and have the answers to questions. Brainstorms take that pressure off and allow people to contribute half-baked ideas, even if those ideas aren’t fully thought through or the perfect solution. Those ideas can help trigger new ideas from other people in the room, and the ideas build off of one another (see: mind mapping).  

• Brings together diverse ideas

The whole is better than the sum of its parts: Brainstorming in a group setting can yield better results than brainstorming on your own because everyone comes with their own strengths and perspective . 

• Yields a large quantity of ideas

The sheer number of ideas produced in a group brainstorm makes a strong case for its effectiveness. Every idea won’t be a winner, but among the ideas that the team comes up with, a handful will be worth pursuing. That is why it’s important to follow up each brainstorm with a planning session to push those ideas into reality. 

These group brainstorming techniques will help structure your brainstorming session for maximum efficiency, and if you need an extra boost of creative energy, check out these creativity quotes to invigorate you and your team. 

This article was originally published on October 16, 2019, and has been updated throughout by the editors.

Jenna Wilson was a senior associate on the social media team at WeWork and a writer for Ideas by WeWork . She wrote about impact, sustainability, and WeWork’s employees around the world.

Every leader wants a thriving culture, but only select leaders know that investing in wellness can make it happen. Companies ahead of the game have already seen positive results, as research shows nine out of 10 companies that track their wellness spending see a positive ROI.

Designed to cultivate a positive and respectful working environment, here are the most common coworking etiquette rules.

“Busyness” doesn’t always equate with progress—learning how to prioritize tasks will help you make the most of your workday

40 problem-solving techniques and processes

All teams and organizations encounter challenges. Approaching those challenges without a structured problem solving process can end up making things worse.

Proven problem solving techniques such as those outlined below can guide your group through a process of identifying problems and challenges , ideating on possible solutions , and then evaluating and implementing the most suitable .

In this post, you'll find problem-solving tools you can use to develop effective solutions. You'll also find some tips for facilitating the problem solving process and solving complex problems.

Design your next session with SessionLab

Join the 150,000+ facilitators 
using SessionLab.

Recommended Articles

A step-by-step guide to planning a workshop, 54 great online tools for workshops and meetings, how to create an unforgettable training session in 8 simple steps.

• 18 Free Facilitation Resources We Think You’ll Love

What is problem solving?

Problem solving is a process of finding and implementing a solution to a challenge or obstacle. In most contexts, this means going through a problem solving process that begins with identifying the issue, exploring its root causes, ideating and refining possible solutions before implementing and measuring the impact of that solution.

For simple or small problems, it can be tempting to skip straight to implementing what you believe is the right solution. The danger with this approach is that without exploring the true causes of the issue, it might just occur again or your chosen solution may cause other issues.

Particularly in the world of work, good problem solving means using data to back up each step of the process, bringing in new perspectives and effectively measuring the impact of your solution.

Effective problem solving can help ensure that your team or organization is well positioned to overcome challenges, be resilient to change and create innovation. In my experience, problem solving is a combination of skillset, mindset and process, and it’s especially vital for leaders to cultivate this skill.

What is the seven step problem solving process?

A problem solving process is a step-by-step framework from going from discovering a problem all the way through to implementing a solution.

With practice, this framework can become intuitive, and innovative companies tend to have a consistent and ongoing ability to discover and tackle challenges when they come up.

You might see everything from a four step problem solving process through to seven steps. While all these processes cover roughly the same ground, I’ve found a seven step problem solving process is helpful for making all key steps legible.

We’ll outline that process here and then follow with techniques you can use to explore and work on that step of the problem solving process with a group.

The seven-step problem solving process is:

1. Problem identification 

The first stage of any problem solving process is to identify the problem(s) you need to solve. This often looks like using group discussions and activities to help a group surface and effectively articulate the challenges they’re facing and wish to resolve.

Be sure to align with your team on the exact definition and nature of the problem you’re solving. An effective process is one where everyone is pulling in the same direction – ensure clarity and alignment now to help avoid misunderstandings later.

2. Problem analysis and refinement

The process of problem analysis means ensuring that the problem you are seeking to solve is  the   right problem . Choosing the right problem to solve means you are on the right path to creating the right solution.

At this stage, you may look deeper at the problem you identified to try and discover the root cause at the level of people or process. You may also spend some time sourcing data, consulting relevant parties and creating and refining a problem statement.

Problem refinement means adjusting scope or focus of the problem you will be aiming to solve based on what comes up during your analysis. As you analyze data sources, you might discover that the root cause means you need to adjust your problem statement. Alternatively, you might find that your original problem statement is too big to be meaningful approached within your current project.

Remember that the goal of any problem refinement is to help set the stage for effective solution development and deployment. Set the right focus and get buy-in from your team here and you’ll be well positioned to move forward with confidence.

3. Solution generation

Once your group has nailed down the particulars of the problem you wish to solve, you want to encourage a free flow of ideas connecting to solving that problem. This can take the form of problem solving games that encourage creative thinking or techniquess designed to produce working prototypes of possible solutions. 

The key to ensuring the success of this stage of the problem solving process is to encourage quick, creative thinking and create an open space where all ideas are considered. The best solutions can often come from unlikely places and by using problem solving techniques that celebrate invention, you might come up with solution gold. 

4. Solution development

No solution is perfect right out of the gate. It’s important to discuss and develop the solutions your group has come up with over the course of following the previous problem solving steps in order to arrive at the best possible solution. Problem solving games used in this stage involve lots of critical thinking, measuring potential effort and impact, and looking at possible solutions analytically. 

During this stage, you will often ask your team to iterate and improve upon your front-running solutions and develop them further. Remember that problem solving strategies always benefit from a multitude of voices and opinions, and not to let ego get involved when it comes to choosing which solutions to develop and take further.

Finding the best solution is the goal of all problem solving workshops and here is the place to ensure that your solution is well thought out, sufficiently robust and fit for purpose. 

5. Decision making and planning

Nearly there! Once you’ve got a set of possible, you’ll need to make a decision on which to implement. This can be a consensus-based group decision or it might be for a leader or major stakeholder to decide. You’ll find a set of effective decision making methods below.

Once your group has reached consensus and selected a solution, there are some additional actions that also need to be decided upon. You’ll want to work on allocating ownership of the project, figure out who will do what, how the success of the solution will be measured and decide the next course of action.

Set clear accountabilities, actions, timeframes, and follow-ups for your chosen solution. Make these decisions and set clear next-steps in the problem solving workshop so that everyone is aligned and you can move forward effectively as a group. 

Ensuring that you plan for the roll-out of a solution is one of the most important problem solving steps. Without adequate planning or oversight, it can prove impossible to measure success or iterate further if the problem was not solved. 

6. Solution implementation 

This is what we were waiting for! All problem solving processes have the end goal of implementing an effective and impactful solution that your group has confidence in.

Project management and communication skills are key here – your solution may need to adjust when out in the wild or you might discover new challenges along the way. For some solutions, you might also implement a test with a small group and monitor results before rolling it out to an entire company.

You should have a clear owner for your solution who will oversee the plans you made together and help ensure they’re put into place. This person will often coordinate the implementation team and set-up processes to measure the efficacy of your solution too.

7. Solution evaluation 

So you and your team developed a great solution to a problem and have a gut feeling it’s been solved. Work done, right? Wrong. All problem solving strategies benefit from evaluation, consideration, and feedback.

You might find that the solution does not work for everyone, might create new problems, or is potentially so successful that you will want to roll it out to larger teams or as part of other initiatives. 

None of that is possible without taking the time to evaluate the success of the solution you developed in your problem solving model and adjust if necessary.

Remember that the problem solving process is often iterative and it can be common to not solve complex issues on the first try. Even when this is the case, you and your team will have generated learning that will be important for future problem solving workshops or in other parts of the organization. 

It’s also worth underlining how important record keeping is throughout the problem solving process. If a solution didn’t work, you need to have the data and records to see why that was the case. If you go back to the drawing board, notes from the previous workshop can help save time.

What does an effective problem solving process look like?

Every effective problem solving process begins with an agenda . In our experience, a well-structured problem solving workshop is one of the best methods for successfully guiding a group from exploring a problem to implementing a solution.

The format of a workshop ensures that you can get buy-in from your group, encourage free-thinking and solution exploration before making a decision on what to implement following the session.

This Design Sprint 2.0 template is an effective problem solving process from top agency AJ&Smart. It’s a great format for the entire problem solving process, with four-days of workshops designed to surface issues, explore solutions and even test a solution.

Check it for an example of how you might structure and run a problem solving process and feel free to copy and adjust it your needs!

For a shorter process you can run in a single afternoon, this remote problem solving agenda will guide you effectively in just a couple of hours.

Whatever the length of your workshop, by using SessionLab, it’s easy to go from an idea to a complete agenda . Start by dragging and dropping your core problem solving activities into place . Add timings, breaks and necessary materials before sharing your agenda with your colleagues.

The resulting agenda will be your guide to an effective and productive problem solving session that will also help you stay organized on the day!

Complete problem-solving methods

In this section, we’ll look at in-depth problem-solving methods that provide a complete end-to-end process for developing effective solutions. These will help guide your team from the discovery and definition of a problem through to delivering the right solution.

If you’re looking for an all-encompassing method or problem-solving model, these processes are a great place to start. They’ll ask your team to challenge preconceived ideas and adopt a mindset for solving problems more effectively.

Six Thinking Hats

Individual approaches to solving a problem can be very different based on what team or role an individual holds. It can be easy for existing biases or perspectives to find their way into the mix, or for internal politics to direct a conversation.

Six Thinking Hats is a classic method for identifying the problems that need to be solved and enables your team to consider them from different angles, whether that is by focusing on facts and data, creative solutions, or by considering why a particular solution might not work.

Like all problem-solving frameworks, Six Thinking Hats is effective at helping teams remove roadblocks from a conversation or discussion and come to terms with all the aspects necessary to solve complex problems.

The Six Thinking Hats   #creative thinking   #meeting facilitation   #problem solving   #issue resolution   #idea generation   #conflict resolution   The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Lightning Decision Jam

Featured courtesy of Jonathan Courtney of AJ&Smart Berlin, Lightning Decision Jam is one of those strategies that should be in every facilitation toolbox. Exploring problems and finding solutions is often creative in nature, though as with any creative process, there is the potential to lose focus and get lost.

Unstructured discussions might get you there in the end, but it’s much more effective to use a method that creates a clear process and team focus.

In Lightning Decision Jam, participants are invited to begin by writing challenges, concerns, or mistakes on post-its without discussing them before then being invited by the moderator to present them to the group.

From there, the team vote on which problems to solve and are guided through steps that will allow them to reframe those problems, create solutions and then decide what to execute on. 

By deciding the problems that need to be solved as a team before moving on, this group process is great for ensuring the whole team is aligned and can take ownership over the next stages. 

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ)   #action   #decision making   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #innovation   #design   #remote-friendly   It doesn’t matter where you work and what your job role is, if you work with other people together as a team, you will always encounter the same challenges: Unclear goals and miscommunication that cause busy work and overtime Unstructured meetings that leave attendants tired, confused and without clear outcomes. Frustration builds up because internal challenges to productivity are not addressed Sudden changes in priorities lead to a loss of focus and momentum Muddled compromise takes the place of clear decision- making, leaving everybody to come up with their own interpretation. In short, a lack of structure leads to a waste of time and effort, projects that drag on for too long and frustrated, burnt out teams. AJ&Smart has worked with some of the most innovative, productive companies in the world. What sets their teams apart from others is not better tools, bigger talent or more beautiful offices. The secret sauce to becoming a more productive, more creative and happier team is simple: Replace all open discussion or brainstorming with a structured process that leads to more ideas, clearer decisions and better outcomes. When a good process provides guardrails and a clear path to follow, it becomes easier to come up with ideas, make decisions and solve problems. This is why AJ&Smart created Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ). It’s a simple and short, but powerful group exercise that can be run either in-person, in the same room, or remotely with distributed teams.

Problem Definition Process

While problems can be complex, the problem-solving methods you use to identify and solve those problems can often be simple in design. 

By taking the time to truly identify and define a problem before asking the group to reframe the challenge as an opportunity, this method is a great way to enable change.

Begin by identifying a focus question and exploring the ways in which it manifests before splitting into five teams who will each consider the problem using a different method: escape, reversal, exaggeration, distortion or wishful. Teams develop a problem objective and create ideas in line with their method before then feeding them back to the group.

This method is great for enabling in-depth discussions while also creating space for finding creative solutions too!

Problem Definition   #problem solving   #idea generation   #creativity   #online   #remote-friendly   A problem solving technique to define a problem, challenge or opportunity and to generate ideas.

The 5 Whys 

Sometimes, a group needs to go further with their strategies and analyze the root cause at the heart of organizational issues. An RCA or root cause analysis is the process of identifying what is at the heart of business problems or recurring challenges. 

The 5 Whys is a simple and effective method of helping a group go find the root cause of any problem or challenge and conduct analysis that will deliver results. 

By beginning with the creation of a problem statement and going through five stages to refine it, The 5 Whys provides everything you need to truly discover the cause of an issue.

The 5 Whys   #hyperisland   #innovation   This simple and powerful method is useful for getting to the core of a problem or challenge. As the title suggests, the group defines a problems, then asks the question “why” five times, often using the resulting explanation as a starting point for creative problem solving.

World Cafe is a simple but powerful facilitation technique to help bigger groups to focus their energy and attention on solving complex problems.

World Cafe enables this approach by creating a relaxed atmosphere where participants are able to self-organize and explore topics relevant and important to them which are themed around a central problem-solving purpose. Create the right atmosphere by modeling your space after a cafe and after guiding the group through the method, let them take the lead!

Making problem-solving a part of your organization’s culture in the long term can be a difficult undertaking. More approachable formats like World Cafe can be especially effective in bringing people unfamiliar with workshops into the fold. 

World Cafe   #hyperisland   #innovation   #issue analysis   World Café is a simple yet powerful method, originated by Juanita Brown, for enabling meaningful conversations driven completely by participants and the topics that are relevant and important to them. Facilitators create a cafe-style space and provide simple guidelines. Participants then self-organize and explore a set of relevant topics or questions for conversation.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)

One of the best approaches is to create a safe space for a group to share and discover practices and behaviors that can help them find their own solutions.

With DAD, you can help a group choose which problems they wish to solve and which approaches they will take to do so. It’s great at helping remove resistance to change and can help get buy-in at every level too!

This process of enabling frontline ownership is great in ensuring follow-through and is one of the methods you will want in your toolbox as a facilitator.

Discovery & Action Dialogue (DAD)   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #action   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   DADs make it easy for a group or community to discover practices and behaviors that enable some individuals (without access to special resources and facing the same constraints) to find better solutions than their peers to common problems. These are called positive deviant (PD) behaviors and practices. DADs make it possible for people in the group, unit, or community to discover by themselves these PD practices. DADs also create favorable conditions for stimulating participants’ creativity in spaces where they can feel safe to invent new and more effective practices. Resistance to change evaporates as participants are unleashed to choose freely which practices they will adopt or try and which problems they will tackle. DADs make it possible to achieve frontline ownership of solutions.

Design Sprint 2.0

Want to see how a team can solve big problems and move forward with prototyping and testing solutions in a few days? The Design Sprint 2.0 template from Jake Knapp, author of Sprint, is a complete agenda for a with proven results.

Developing the right agenda can involve difficult but necessary planning. Ensuring all the correct steps are followed can also be stressful or time-consuming depending on your level of experience.

Use this complete 4-day workshop template if you are finding there is no obvious solution to your challenge and want to focus your team around a specific problem that might require a shortcut to launching a minimum viable product or waiting for the organization-wide implementation of a solution.

Open space technology

Open space technology- developed by Harrison Owen – creates a space where large groups are invited to take ownership of their problem solving and lead individual sessions. Open space technology is a great format when you have a great deal of expertise and insight in the room and want to allow for different takes and approaches on a particular theme or problem you need to be solved.

Start by bringing your participants together to align around a central theme and focus their efforts. Explain the ground rules to help guide the problem-solving process and then invite members to identify any issue connecting to the central theme that they are interested in and are prepared to take responsibility for.

Once participants have decided on their approach to the core theme, they write their issue on a piece of paper, announce it to the group, pick a session time and place, and post the paper on the wall. As the wall fills up with sessions, the group is then invited to join the sessions that interest them the most and which they can contribute to, then you’re ready to begin!

Everyone joins the problem-solving group they’ve signed up to, record the discussion and if appropriate, findings can then be shared with the rest of the group afterward.

Open Space Technology   #action plan   #idea generation   #problem solving   #issue analysis   #large group   #online   #remote-friendly   Open Space is a methodology for large groups to create their agenda discerning important topics for discussion, suitable for conferences, community gatherings and whole system facilitation

Techniques to identify and analyze problems

Using a problem-solving method to help a team identify and analyze a problem can be a quick and effective addition to any workshop or meeting.

While further actions are always necessary, you can generate momentum and alignment easily, and these activities are a great place to get started.

We’ve put together this list of techniques to help you and your team with problem identification, analysis, and discussion that sets the foundation for developing effective solutions.

Let’s take a look!

Fishbone Analysis

Organizational or team challenges are rarely simple, and it’s important to remember that one problem can be an indication of something that goes deeper and may require further consideration to be solved.

Fishbone Analysis helps groups to dig deeper and understand the origins of a problem. It’s a great example of a root cause analysis method that is simple for everyone on a team to get their head around. 

Participants in this activity are asked to annotate a diagram of a fish, first adding the problem or issue to be worked on at the head of a fish before then brainstorming the root causes of the problem and adding them as bones on the fish. 

Using abstractions such as a diagram of a fish can really help a team break out of their regular thinking and develop a creative approach.

Fishbone Analysis   #problem solving   ##root cause analysis   #decision making   #online facilitation   A process to help identify and understand the origins of problems, issues or observations.

Problem Tree 

Encouraging visual thinking can be an essential part of many strategies. By simply reframing and clarifying problems, a group can move towards developing a problem solving model that works for them. 

In Problem Tree, groups are asked to first brainstorm a list of problems – these can be design problems, team problems or larger business problems – and then organize them into a hierarchy. The hierarchy could be from most important to least important or abstract to practical, though the key thing with problem solving games that involve this aspect is that your group has some way of managing and sorting all the issues that are raised.

Once you have a list of problems that need to be solved and have organized them accordingly, you’re then well-positioned for the next problem solving steps.

Problem tree   #define intentions   #create   #design   #issue analysis   A problem tree is a tool to clarify the hierarchy of problems addressed by the team within a design project; it represents high level problems or related sublevel problems.

SWOT Analysis

Chances are you’ve heard of the SWOT Analysis before. This problem-solving method focuses on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats is a tried and tested method for both individuals and teams.

Start by creating a desired end state or outcome and bare this in mind – any process solving model is made more effective by knowing what you are moving towards. Create a quadrant made up of the four categories of a SWOT analysis and ask participants to generate ideas based on each of those quadrants.

Once you have those ideas assembled in their quadrants, cluster them together based on their affinity with other ideas. These clusters are then used to facilitate group conversations and move things forward. 

SWOT analysis   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   #meeting facilitation   The SWOT Analysis is a long-standing technique of looking at what we have, with respect to the desired end state, as well as what we could improve on. It gives us an opportunity to gauge approaching opportunities and dangers, and assess the seriousness of the conditions that affect our future. When we understand those conditions, we can influence what comes next.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix

Not every problem-solving approach is right for every challenge, and deciding on the right method for the challenge at hand is a key part of being an effective team.

The Agreement Certainty matrix helps teams align on the nature of the challenges facing them. By sorting problems from simple to chaotic, your team can understand what methods are suitable for each problem and what they can do to ensure effective results. 

If you are already using Liberating Structures techniques as part of your problem-solving strategy, the Agreement-Certainty Matrix can be an invaluable addition to your process. We’ve found it particularly if you are having issues with recurring problems in your organization and want to go deeper in understanding the root cause. 

Agreement-Certainty Matrix   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #problem solving   You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic .  A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate.  It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably.  A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail.  Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward.  A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.”  The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Organizing and charting a team’s progress can be important in ensuring its success. SQUID (Sequential Question and Insight Diagram) is a great model that allows a team to effectively switch between giving questions and answers and develop the skills they need to stay on track throughout the process. 

Begin with two different colored sticky notes – one for questions and one for answers – and with your central topic (the head of the squid) on the board. Ask the group to first come up with a series of questions connected to their best guess of how to approach the topic. Ask the group to come up with answers to those questions, fix them to the board and connect them with a line. After some discussion, go back to question mode by responding to the generated answers or other points on the board.

It’s rewarding to see a diagram grow throughout the exercise, and a completed SQUID can provide a visual resource for future effort and as an example for other teams.

SQUID   #gamestorming   #project planning   #issue analysis   #problem solving   When exploring an information space, it’s important for a group to know where they are at any given time. By using SQUID, a group charts out the territory as they go and can navigate accordingly. SQUID stands for Sequential Question and Insight Diagram.

To continue with our nautical theme, Speed Boat is a short and sweet activity that can help a team quickly identify what employees, clients or service users might have a problem with and analyze what might be standing in the way of achieving a solution.

Methods that allow for a group to make observations, have insights and obtain those eureka moments quickly are invaluable when trying to solve complex problems.

In Speed Boat, the approach is to first consider what anchors and challenges might be holding an organization (or boat) back. Bonus points if you are able to identify any sharks in the water and develop ideas that can also deal with competitors!   

Speed Boat   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Speedboat is a short and sweet way to identify what your employees or clients don’t like about your product/service or what’s standing in the way of a desired goal.

The Journalistic Six

Some of the most effective ways of solving problems is by encouraging teams to be more inclusive and diverse in their thinking.

Based on the six key questions journalism students are taught to answer in articles and news stories, The Journalistic Six helps create teams to see the whole picture. By using who, what, when, where, why, and how to facilitate the conversation and encourage creative thinking, your team can make sure that the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the are covered exhaustively and thoughtfully. Reporter’s notebook and dictaphone optional.

The Journalistic Six – Who What When Where Why How   #idea generation   #issue analysis   #problem solving   #online   #creative thinking   #remote-friendly   A questioning method for generating, explaining, investigating ideas.

Individual and group perspectives are incredibly important, but what happens if people are set in their minds and need a change of perspective in order to approach a problem more effectively?

Flip It is a method we love because it is both simple to understand and run, and allows groups to understand how their perspectives and biases are formed. 

Participants in Flip It are first invited to consider concerns, issues, or problems from a perspective of fear and write them on a flip chart. Then, the group is asked to consider those same issues from a perspective of hope and flip their understanding.  

No problem and solution is free from existing bias and by changing perspectives with Flip It, you can then develop a problem solving model quickly and effectively.

Flip It!   #gamestorming   #problem solving   #action   Often, a change in a problem or situation comes simply from a change in our perspectives. Flip It! is a quick game designed to show players that perspectives are made, not born.

LEGO Challenge

Now for an activity that is a little out of the (toy) box. LEGO Serious Play is a facilitation methodology that can be used to improve creative thinking and problem-solving skills. 

The LEGO Challenge includes giving each member of the team an assignment that is hidden from the rest of the group while they create a structure without speaking.

What the LEGO challenge brings to the table is a fun working example of working with stakeholders who might not be on the same page to solve problems. Also, it’s LEGO! Who doesn’t love LEGO! 

LEGO Challenge   #hyperisland   #team   A team-building activity in which groups must work together to build a structure out of LEGO, but each individual has a secret “assignment” which makes the collaborative process more challenging. It emphasizes group communication, leadership dynamics, conflict, cooperation, patience and problem solving strategy.

What, So What, Now What?

If not carefully managed, the problem identification and problem analysis stages of the problem-solving process can actually create more problems and misunderstandings.

The What, So What, Now What? problem-solving activity is designed to help collect insights and move forward while also eliminating the possibility of disagreement when it comes to identifying, clarifying, and analyzing organizational or work problems. 

Facilitation is all about bringing groups together so that might work on a shared goal and the best problem-solving strategies ensure that teams are aligned in purpose, if not initially in opinion or insight.

Throughout the three steps of this game, you give everyone on a team to reflect on a problem by asking what happened, why it is important, and what actions should then be taken. 

This can be a great activity for bringing our individual perceptions about a problem or challenge and contextualizing it in a larger group setting. This is one of the most important problem-solving skills you can bring to your organization.

W³ – What, So What, Now What?   #issue analysis   #innovation   #liberating structures   You can help groups reflect on a shared experience in a way that builds understanding and spurs coordinated action while avoiding unproductive conflict. It is possible for every voice to be heard while simultaneously sifting for insights and shaping new direction. Progressing in stages makes this practical—from collecting facts about What Happened to making sense of these facts with So What and finally to what actions logically follow with Now What . The shared progression eliminates most of the misunderstandings that otherwise fuel disagreements about what to do. Voila!

Journalists  

Problem analysis can be one of the most important and decisive stages of all problem-solving tools. Sometimes, a team can become bogged down in the details and are unable to move forward.

Journalists is an activity that can avoid a group from getting stuck in the problem identification or problem analysis stages of the process.

In Journalists, the group is invited to draft the front page of a fictional newspaper and figure out what stories deserve to be on the cover and what headlines those stories will have. By reframing how your problems and challenges are approached, you can help a team move productively through the process and be better prepared for the steps to follow.

Journalists   #vision   #big picture   #issue analysis   #remote-friendly   This is an exercise to use when the group gets stuck in details and struggles to see the big picture. Also good for defining a vision.

Problem-solving techniques for brainstorming solutions

Now you have the context and background of the problem you are trying to solving, now comes the time to start ideating and thinking about how you’ll solve the issue.

Here, you’ll want to encourage creative, free thinking and speed. Get as many ideas out as possible and explore different perspectives so you have the raw material for the next step.

Looking at a problem from a new angle can be one of the most effective ways of creating an effective solution. TRIZ is a problem-solving tool that asks the group to consider what they must not do in order to solve a challenge.

By reversing the discussion, new topics and taboo subjects often emerge, allowing the group to think more deeply and create ideas that confront the status quo in a safe and meaningful way. If you’re working on a problem that you’ve tried to solve before, TRIZ is a great problem-solving method to help your team get unblocked.

Making Space with TRIZ   #issue analysis   #liberating structures   #issue resolution   You can clear space for innovation by helping a group let go of what it knows (but rarely admits) limits its success and by inviting creative destruction. TRIZ makes it possible to challenge sacred cows safely and encourages heretical thinking. The question “What must we stop doing to make progress on our deepest purpose?” induces seriously fun yet very courageous conversations. Since laughter often erupts, issues that are otherwise taboo get a chance to be aired and confronted. With creative destruction come opportunities for renewal as local action and innovation rush in to fill the vacuum. Whoosh!

Mindspin  

Brainstorming is part of the bread and butter of the problem-solving process and all problem-solving strategies benefit from getting ideas out and challenging a team to generate solutions quickly. 

With Mindspin, participants are encouraged not only to generate ideas but to do so under time constraints and by slamming down cards and passing them on. By doing multiple rounds, your team can begin with a free generation of possible solutions before moving on to developing those solutions and encouraging further ideation. 

This is one of our favorite problem-solving activities and can be great for keeping the energy up throughout the workshop. Remember the importance of helping people become engaged in the process – energizing problem-solving techniques like Mindspin can help ensure your team stays engaged and happy, even when the problems they’re coming together to solve are complex. 

MindSpin   #teampedia   #idea generation   #problem solving   #action   A fast and loud method to enhance brainstorming within a team. Since this activity has more than round ideas that are repetitive can be ruled out leaving more creative and innovative answers to the challenge.

The Creativity Dice

One of the most useful problem solving skills you can teach your team is of approaching challenges with creativity, flexibility, and openness. Games like The Creativity Dice allow teams to overcome the potential hurdle of too much linear thinking and approach the process with a sense of fun and speed. 

In The Creativity Dice, participants are organized around a topic and roll a dice to determine what they will work on for a period of 3 minutes at a time. They might roll a 3 and work on investigating factual information on the chosen topic. They might roll a 1 and work on identifying the specific goals, standards, or criteria for the session.

Encouraging rapid work and iteration while asking participants to be flexible are great skills to cultivate. Having a stage for idea incubation in this game is also important. Moments of pause can help ensure the ideas that are put forward are the most suitable. 

The Creativity Dice   #creativity   #problem solving   #thiagi   #issue analysis   Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Idea and Concept Development

Brainstorming without structure can quickly become chaotic or frustrating. In a problem-solving context, having an ideation framework to follow can help ensure your team is both creative and disciplined.

In this method, you’ll find an idea generation process that encourages your group to brainstorm effectively before developing their ideas and begin clustering them together. By using concepts such as Yes and…, more is more and postponing judgement, you can create the ideal conditions for brainstorming with ease.

Idea & Concept Development   #hyperisland   #innovation   #idea generation   Ideation and Concept Development is a process for groups to work creatively and collaboratively to generate creative ideas. It’s a general approach that can be adapted and customized to suit many different scenarios. It includes basic principles for idea generation and several steps for groups to work with. It also includes steps for idea selection and development.

Problem-solving techniques for developing and refining solutions 

The success of any problem-solving process can be measured by the solutions it produces. After you’ve defined the issue, explored existing ideas, and ideated, it’s time to develop and refine your ideas in order to bring them closer to a solution that actually solves the problem.

Use these problem-solving techniques when you want to help your team think through their ideas and refine them as part of your problem solving process.

Improved Solutions

After a team has successfully identified a problem and come up with a few solutions, it can be tempting to call the work of the problem-solving process complete. That said, the first solution is not necessarily the best, and by including a further review and reflection activity into your problem-solving model, you can ensure your group reaches the best possible result. 

One of a number of problem-solving games from Thiagi Group, Improved Solutions helps you go the extra mile and develop suggested solutions with close consideration and peer review. By supporting the discussion of several problems at once and by shifting team roles throughout, this problem-solving technique is a dynamic way of finding the best solution. 

Improved Solutions   #creativity   #thiagi   #problem solving   #action   #team   You can improve any solution by objectively reviewing its strengths and weaknesses and making suitable adjustments. In this creativity framegame, you improve the solutions to several problems. To maintain objective detachment, you deal with a different problem during each of six rounds and assume different roles (problem owner, consultant, basher, booster, enhancer, and evaluator) during each round. At the conclusion of the activity, each player ends up with two solutions to her problem.

Four Step Sketch

Creative thinking and visual ideation does not need to be confined to the opening stages of your problem-solving strategies. Exercises that include sketching and prototyping on paper can be effective at the solution finding and development stage of the process, and can be great for keeping a team engaged. 

By going from simple notes to a crazy 8s round that involves rapidly sketching 8 variations on their ideas before then producing a final solution sketch, the group is able to iterate quickly and visually. Problem-solving techniques like Four-Step Sketch are great if you have a group of different thinkers and want to change things up from a more textual or discussion-based approach.

Four-Step Sketch   #design sprint   #innovation   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   The four-step sketch is an exercise that helps people to create well-formed concepts through a structured process that includes: Review key information Start design work on paper,  Consider multiple variations , Create a detailed solution . This exercise is preceded by a set of other activities allowing the group to clarify the challenge they want to solve. See how the Four Step Sketch exercise fits into a Design Sprint

Ensuring that everyone in a group is able to contribute to a discussion is vital during any problem solving process. Not only does this ensure all bases are covered, but its then easier to get buy-in and accountability when people have been able to contribute to the process.

1-2-4-All is a tried and tested facilitation technique where participants are asked to first brainstorm on a topic on their own. Next, they discuss and share ideas in a pair before moving into a small group. Those groups are then asked to present the best idea from their discussion to the rest of the team.

This method can be used in many different contexts effectively, though I find it particularly shines in the idea development stage of the process. Giving each participant time to concretize their ideas and develop them in progressively larger groups can create a great space for both innovation and psychological safety.

1-2-4-All   #idea generation   #liberating structures   #issue analysis   With this facilitation technique you can immediately include everyone regardless of how large the group is. You can generate better ideas and more of them faster than ever before. You can tap the know-how and imagination that is distributed widely in places not known in advance. Open, generative conversation unfolds. Ideas and solutions are sifted in rapid fashion. Most importantly, participants own the ideas, so follow-up and implementation is simplified. No buy-in strategies needed! Simple and elegant!

15% Solutions

Some problems are simpler than others and with the right problem-solving activities, you can empower people to take immediate actions that can help create organizational change. 

Part of the liberating structures toolkit, 15% solutions is a problem-solving technique that focuses on finding and implementing solutions quickly. A process of iterating and making small changes quickly can help generate momentum and an appetite for solving complex problems.

Problem-solving strategies can live and die on whether people are onboard. Getting some quick wins is a great way of getting people behind the process.   

It can be extremely empowering for a team to realize that problem-solving techniques can be deployed quickly and easily and delineate between things they can positively impact and those things they cannot change. 

15% Solutions   #action   #liberating structures   #remote-friendly   You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference.  15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change.  With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Problem-solving techniques for making decisions and planning

After your group is happy with the possible solutions you’ve developed, now comes the time to choose which to implement. There’s more than one way to make a decision and the best option is often dependant on the needs and set-up of your group.

Sometimes, it’s the case that you’ll want to vote as a group on what is likely to be the most impactful solution. Other times, it might be down to a decision maker or major stakeholder to make the final decision. Whatever your process, here’s some techniques you can use to help you make a decision during your problem solving process.

How-Now-Wow Matrix

The problem-solving process is often creative, as complex problems usually require a change of thinking and creative response in order to find the best solutions. While it’s common for the first stages to encourage creative thinking, groups can often gravitate to familiar solutions when it comes to the end of the process. 

When selecting solutions, you don’t want to lose your creative energy! The How-Now-Wow Matrix from Gamestorming is a great problem-solving activity that enables a group to stay creative and think out of the box when it comes to selecting the right solution for a given problem.

Problem-solving techniques that encourage creative thinking and the ideation and selection of new solutions can be the most effective in organisational change. Give the How-Now-Wow Matrix a go, and not just for how pleasant it is to say out loud. 

How-Now-Wow Matrix   #gamestorming   #idea generation   #remote-friendly   When people want to develop new ideas, they most often think out of the box in the brainstorming or divergent phase. However, when it comes to convergence, people often end up picking ideas that are most familiar to them. This is called a ‘creative paradox’ or a ‘creadox’. The How-Now-Wow matrix is an idea selection tool that breaks the creadox by forcing people to weigh each idea on 2 parameters.

Impact and Effort Matrix

All problem-solving techniques hope to not only find solutions to a given problem or challenge but to find the best solution. When it comes to finding a solution, groups are invited to put on their decision-making hats and really think about how a proposed idea would work in practice. 

The Impact and Effort Matrix is one of the problem-solving techniques that fall into this camp, empowering participants to first generate ideas and then categorize them into a 2×2 matrix based on impact and effort.

Activities that invite critical thinking while remaining simple are invaluable. Use the Impact and Effort Matrix to move from ideation and towards evaluating potential solutions before then committing to them. 

Impact and Effort Matrix   #gamestorming   #decision making   #action   #remote-friendly   In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

If you’ve followed each of the problem-solving steps with your group successfully, you should move towards the end of your process with heaps of possible solutions developed with a specific problem in mind. But how do you help a group go from ideation to putting a solution into action? 

Dotmocracy – or Dot Voting -is a tried and tested method of helping a team in the problem-solving process make decisions and put actions in place with a degree of oversight and consensus. 

One of the problem-solving techniques that should be in every facilitator’s toolbox, Dot Voting is fast and effective and can help identify the most popular and best solutions and help bring a group to a decision effectively. 

Dotmocracy   #action   #decision making   #group prioritization   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Dotmocracy is a simple method for group prioritization or decision-making. It is not an activity on its own, but a method to use in processes where prioritization or decision-making is the aim. The method supports a group to quickly see which options are most popular or relevant. The options or ideas are written on post-its and stuck up on a wall for the whole group to see. Each person votes for the options they think are the strongest, and that information is used to inform a decision.

Straddling the gap between decision making and planning, MoSCoW is a simple and effective method that allows a group team to easily prioritize a set of possible options.

Use this method in a problem solving process by collecting and summarizing all your possible solutions and then categorize them into 4 sections: “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”.

This method is particularly useful when its less about choosing one possible solution and more about prioritorizing which to do first and which may not fit in the scope of your project. In my experience, complex challenges often require multiple small fixes, and this method can be a great way to move from a pile of things you’d all like to do to a structured plan.

MoSCoW   #define intentions   #create   #design   #action   #remote-friendly   MoSCoW is a method that allows the team to prioritize the different features that they will work on. Features are then categorized into “Must have”, “Should have”, “Could have”, or “Would like but won‘t get”. To be used at the beginning of a timeslot (for example during Sprint planning) and when planning is needed.

When it comes to managing the rollout of a solution, clarity and accountability are key factors in ensuring the success of the project. The RAACI chart is a simple but effective model for setting roles and responsibilities as part of a planning session.

Start by listing each person involved in the project and put them into the following groups in order to make it clear who is responsible for what during the rollout of your solution.

• Responsibility  (Which person and/or team will be taking action?)
• Authority  (At what “point” must the responsible person check in before going further?)
• Accountability  (Who must the responsible person check in with?)
• Consultation  (Who must be consulted by the responsible person before decisions are made?)
• Information  (Who must be informed of decisions, once made?)

Ensure this information is easily accessible and use it to inform who does what and who is looped into discussions and kept up to date.

RAACI   #roles and responsibility   #teamwork   #project management   Clarifying roles and responsibilities, levels of autonomy/latitude in decision making, and levels of engagement among diverse stakeholders.

Problem-solving warm-up activities

All facilitators know that warm-ups and icebreakers are useful for any workshop or group process. Problem-solving workshops are no different.

Use these problem-solving techniques to warm up a group and prepare them for the rest of the process. Activating your group by tapping into some of the top problem-solving skills can be one of the best ways to see great outcomes from your session.

Check-in / Check-out

Solid processes are planned from beginning to end, and the best facilitators know that setting the tone and establishing a safe, open environment can be integral to a successful problem-solving process. Check-in / Check-out is a great way to begin and/or bookend a problem-solving workshop. Checking in to a session emphasizes that everyone will be seen, heard, and expected to contribute. 

If you are running a series of meetings, setting a consistent pattern of checking in and checking out can really help your team get into a groove. We recommend this opening-closing activity for small to medium-sized groups though it can work with large groups if they’re disciplined!

Check-in / Check-out   #team   #opening   #closing   #hyperisland   #remote-friendly   Either checking-in or checking-out is a simple way for a team to open or close a process, symbolically and in a collaborative way. Checking-in/out invites each member in a group to be present, seen and heard, and to express a reflection or a feeling. Checking-in emphasizes presence, focus and group commitment; checking-out emphasizes reflection and symbolic closure.

Doodling Together  

Thinking creatively and not being afraid to make suggestions are important problem-solving skills for any group or team, and warming up by encouraging these behaviors is a great way to start. 

Doodling Together is one of our favorite creative ice breaker games – it’s quick, effective, and fun and can make all following problem-solving steps easier by encouraging a group to collaborate visually. By passing cards and adding additional items as they go, the workshop group gets into a groove of co-creation and idea development that is crucial to finding solutions to problems. 

Doodling Together   #collaboration   #creativity   #teamwork   #fun   #team   #visual methods   #energiser   #icebreaker   #remote-friendly   Create wild, weird and often funny postcards together & establish a group’s creative confidence.

Show and Tell

You might remember some version of Show and Tell from being a kid in school and it’s a great problem-solving activity to kick off a session.

Asking participants to prepare a little something before a workshop by bringing an object for show and tell can help them warm up before the session has even begun! Games that include a physical object can also help encourage early engagement before moving onto more big-picture thinking.

By asking your participants to tell stories about why they chose to bring a particular item to the group, you can help teams see things from new perspectives and see both differences and similarities in the way they approach a topic. Great groundwork for approaching a problem-solving process as a team! 

Show and Tell   #gamestorming   #action   #opening   #meeting facilitation   Show and Tell taps into the power of metaphors to reveal players’ underlying assumptions and associations around a topic The aim of the game is to get a deeper understanding of stakeholders’ perspectives on anything—a new project, an organizational restructuring, a shift in the company’s vision or team dynamic.

Constellations

Who doesn’t love stars? Constellations is a great warm-up activity for any workshop as it gets people up off their feet, energized, and ready to engage in new ways with established topics. It’s also great for showing existing beliefs, biases, and patterns that can come into play as part of your session.

Using warm-up games that help build trust and connection while also allowing for non-verbal responses can be great for easing people into the problem-solving process and encouraging engagement from everyone in the group. Constellations is great in large spaces that allow for movement and is definitely a practical exercise to allow the group to see patterns that are otherwise invisible. 

Constellations   #trust   #connection   #opening   #coaching   #patterns   #system   Individuals express their response to a statement or idea by standing closer or further from a central object. Used with teams to reveal system, hidden patterns, perspectives.

Draw a Tree

Problem-solving games that help raise group awareness through a central, unifying metaphor can be effective ways to warm-up a group in any problem-solving model.

Draw a Tree is a simple warm-up activity you can use in any group and which can provide a quick jolt of energy. Start by asking your participants to draw a tree in just 45 seconds – they can choose whether it will be abstract or realistic. 

Once the timer is up, ask the group how many people included the roots of the tree and use this as a means to discuss how we can ignore important parts of any system simply because they are not visible.

All problem-solving strategies are made more effective by thinking of problems critically and by exposing things that may not normally come to light. Warm-up games like Draw a Tree are great in that they quickly demonstrate some key problem-solving skills in an accessible and effective way.

Draw a Tree   #thiagi   #opening   #perspectives   #remote-friendly   With this game you can raise awarness about being more mindful, and aware of the environment we live in.

Closing activities for a problem-solving process

Each step of the problem-solving workshop benefits from an intelligent deployment of activities, games, and techniques. Bringing your session to an effective close helps ensure that solutions are followed through on and that you also celebrate what has been achieved.

Here are some problem-solving activities you can use to effectively close a workshop or meeting and ensure the great work you’ve done can continue afterward.

One Breath Feedback

Maintaining attention and focus during the closing stages of a problem-solving workshop can be tricky and so being concise when giving feedback can be important. It’s easy to incur “death by feedback” should some team members go on for too long sharing their perspectives in a quick feedback round. 

One Breath Feedback is a great closing activity for workshops. You give everyone an opportunity to provide feedback on what they’ve done but only in the space of a single breath. This keeps feedback short and to the point and means that everyone is encouraged to provide the most important piece of feedback to them. 

One breath feedback   #closing   #feedback   #action   This is a feedback round in just one breath that excels in maintaining attention: each participants is able to speak during just one breath … for most people that’s around 20 to 25 seconds … unless of course you’ve been a deep sea diver in which case you’ll be able to do it for longer.

Who What When Matrix 

Matrices feature as part of many effective problem-solving strategies and with good reason. They are easily recognizable, simple to use, and generate results.

The Who What When Matrix is a great tool to use when closing your problem-solving session by attributing a who, what and when to the actions and solutions you have decided upon. The resulting matrix is a simple, easy-to-follow way of ensuring your team can move forward. 

Great solutions can’t be enacted without action and ownership. Your problem-solving process should include a stage for allocating tasks to individuals or teams and creating a realistic timeframe for those solutions to be implemented or checked out. Use this method to keep the solution implementation process clear and simple for all involved. 

Who/What/When Matrix   #gamestorming   #action   #project planning   With Who/What/When matrix, you can connect people with clear actions they have defined and have committed to.

Response cards

Group discussion can comprise the bulk of most problem-solving activities and by the end of the process, you might find that your team is talked out! 

Providing a means for your team to give feedback with short written notes can ensure everyone is head and can contribute without the need to stand up and talk. Depending on the needs of the group, giving an alternative can help ensure everyone can contribute to your problem-solving model in the way that makes the most sense for them.

Response Cards is a great way to close a workshop if you are looking for a gentle warm-down and want to get some swift discussion around some of the feedback that is raised. 

Response Cards   #debriefing   #closing   #structured sharing   #questions and answers   #thiagi   #action   It can be hard to involve everyone during a closing of a session. Some might stay in the background or get unheard because of louder participants. However, with the use of Response Cards, everyone will be involved in providing feedback or clarify questions at the end of a session.

Tips for effective problem solving

Problem-solving activities are only one part of the puzzle. While a great method can help unlock your team’s ability to solve problems, without a thoughtful approach and strong facilitation the solutions may not be fit for purpose.

Let’s take a look at some problem-solving tips you can apply to any process to help it be a success!

Clearly define the problem

Jumping straight to solutions can be tempting, though without first clearly articulating a problem, the solution might not be the right one. Many of the problem-solving activities below include sections where the problem is explored and clearly defined before moving on.

This is a vital part of the problem-solving process and taking the time to fully define an issue can save time and effort later. A clear definition helps identify irrelevant information and it also ensures that your team sets off on the right track.

Don’t jump to conclusions

It’s easy for groups to exhibit cognitive bias or have preconceived ideas about both problems and potential solutions. Be sure to back up any problem statements or potential solutions with facts, research, and adequate forethought.

The best techniques ask participants to be methodical and challenge preconceived notions. Make sure you give the group enough time and space to collect relevant information and consider the problem in a new way. By approaching the process with a clear, rational mindset, you’ll often find that better solutions are more forthcoming.  

Try different approaches  

Problems come in all shapes and sizes and so too should the methods you use to solve them. If you find that one approach isn’t yielding results and your team isn’t finding different solutions, try mixing it up. You’ll be surprised at how using a new creative activity can unblock your team and generate great solutions.

Don’t take it personally 

Depending on the nature of your team or organizational problems, it’s easy for conversations to get heated. While it’s good for participants to be engaged in the discussions, ensure that emotions don’t run too high and that blame isn’t thrown around while finding solutions.

You’re all in it together, and even if your team or area is seeing problems, that isn’t necessarily a disparagement of you personally. Using facilitation skills to manage group dynamics is one effective method of helping conversations be more constructive.

Get the right people in the room

Your problem-solving method is often only as effective as the group using it. Getting the right people on the job and managing the number of people present is important too!

If the group is too small, you may not get enough different perspectives to effectively solve a problem. If the group is too large, you can go round and round during the ideation stages.

Creating the right group makeup is also important in ensuring you have the necessary expertise and skillset to both identify and follow up on potential solutions. Carefully consider who to include at each stage to help ensure your problem-solving method is followed and positioned for success.

Create psychologically safe spaces for discussion

Identifying a problem accurately also requires that all members of a group are able to contribute their views in an open and safe manner.

It can be tough for people to stand up and contribute if the problems or challenges are emotive or personal in nature. Try and create a psychologically safe space for these kinds of discussions and where possible, create regular opportunities for challenges to be brought up organically.

Document everything

The best solutions can take refinement, iteration, and reflection to come out. Get into a habit of documenting your process in order to keep all the learnings from the session and to allow ideas to mature and develop. Many of the methods below involve the creation of documents or shared resources. Be sure to keep and share these so everyone can benefit from the work done!

Bring a facilitator 

Facilitation is all about making group processes easier. With a subject as potentially emotive and important as problem-solving, having an impartial third party in the form of a facilitator can make all the difference in finding great solutions and keeping the process moving. Consider bringing a facilitator to your problem-solving session to get better results and generate meaningful solutions!

Develop your problem-solving skills

It takes time and practice to be an effective problem solver. While some roles or participants might more naturally gravitate towards problem-solving, it can take development and planning to help everyone create better solutions.

You might develop a training program, run a problem-solving workshop or simply ask your team to practice using the techniques below. Check out our post on problem-solving skills to see how you and your group can develop the right mental process and be more resilient to issues too!

Design a great agenda

Workshops are a great format for solving problems. With the right approach, you can focus a group and help them find the solutions to their own problems. But designing a process can be time-consuming and finding the right activities can be difficult.

Check out our workshop planning guide to level-up your agenda design and start running more effective workshops. Need inspiration? Check out templates designed by expert facilitators to help you kickstart your process!

Save time and effort creating an effective problem solving process

A structured problem solving process is a surefire way of solving tough problems, discovering creative solutions and driving organizational change. But how can you design for successful outcomes?

With SessionLab, it’s easy to design engaging workshops that deliver results. Drag, drop and reorder blocks  to build your agenda. When you make changes or update your agenda, your session  timing   adjusts automatically , saving you time on manual adjustments.

Collaborating with stakeholders or clients? Share your agenda with a single click and collaborate in real-time. No more sending documents back and forth over email.

Explore  how to use SessionLab  to design effective problem solving workshops or  watch this five minute video  to see the planner in action!

Over to you

The problem-solving process can often be as complicated and multifaceted as the problems they are set-up to solve. With the right problem-solving techniques and a mix of exercises designed to guide discussion and generate purposeful ideas, we hope we’ve given you the tools to find the best solutions as simply and easily as possible.

Is there a problem-solving technique that you are missing here? Do you have a favorite activity or method you use when facilitating? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you! 

thank you very much for these excellent techniques

Certainly wonderful article, very detailed. Shared!

Your list of techniques for problem solving can be helpfully extended by adding TRIZ to the list of techniques. TRIZ has 40 problem solving techniques derived from methods inventros and patent holders used to get new patents. About 10-12 are general approaches. many organization sponsor classes in TRIZ that are used to solve business problems or general organiztational problems. You can take a look at TRIZ and dwonload a free internet booklet to see if you feel it shound be included per your selection process.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Going from a mere idea to a workshop that delivers results for your clients can feel like a daunting task. In this piece, we will shine a light on all the work behind the scenes and help you learn how to plan a workshop from start to finish. On a good day, facilitation can feel like effortless magic, but that is mostly the result of backstage work, foresight, and a lot of careful planning. Read on to learn a step-by-step approach to breaking the process of planning a workshop into small, manageable chunks.  The flow starts with the first meeting with a client to define the purposes of a workshop.…

Effective online tools are a necessity for smooth and engaging virtual workshops and meetings. But how do you choose the right ones? Do you sometimes feel that the good old pen and paper or MS Office toolkit and email leaves you struggling to stay on top of managing and delivering your workshop? Fortunately, there are plenty of great workshop tools to make your life easier when you need to facilitate a meeting and lead workshops. In this post, we’ll share our favorite online tools you can use to make your life easier and run better workshops and meetings. In fact, there are plenty of free online workshop tools and meeting…

How does learning work? A clever 9-year-old once told me: “I know I am learning something new when I am surprised.” The science of adult learning tells us that, in order to learn new skills (which, unsurprisingly, is harder for adults to do than kids) grown-ups need to first get into a specific headspace.  In a business, this approach is often employed in a training session where employees learn new skills or work on professional development. But how do you ensure your training is effective? In this guide, we'll explore how to create an effective training session plan and run engaging training sessions. As team leader, project manager, or consultant,…

Design your next workshop with SessionLab

Join the 150,000 facilitators using SessionLab

Sign up for free

13 Productive Brainstorming Techniques for All Teams

There are times even the typical brainstorming techniques with your team would hit a roadblock. Coming up with fresh new ideas isn’t always so easy.

That’s when you should try something new. Maybe go about brainstorming techniques in a whole new way.

We’ve got 13 effective brainstorming techniques you can use to quickly brainstorm and generate ideas through drawing, writing, and diagramming with your team productively.

13 Brainstorming Techniques to Generate Better Ideas Faster

Brainstorming techniques are structured methods used to generate creative and innovative ideas effectively. These techniques help individuals or teams think more broadly and collaboratively. Here are some common brainstorming techniques every team can use:

1. Brainwriting

2. 5 whys analysis, 3. starbursting, 4. mind mapping, 5. affinity diagram, 6. rolestorming, 7. gap filling, 8. brain-netting, 9. round robin brainstorming, 10. rapid ideation, 11. reverse brainstorming, 12. stepladder brainstorming, 13. swot analysis, what are your favorite brainstorming techniques.

Brainwriting is a collaborative idea-generation technique that is based on written contributions instead of spoken ones. In a brainwriting session, a group of participants is given a specific topic or problem to address. Instead of verbally sharing ideas, each participant writes down their thoughts on the given topic within a set time frame.

Afterward, they pass their written ideas to the person next to them, who then builds upon those ideas or offers new ones. This process continues for several rounds, letting all participants contribute to and expand upon multiple ideas. The collected ideas are later discussed and evaluated, potentially leading to innovative solutions or insights.

Brainwriting is effective because it encourages diverse participation, minimizes domination by a few individuals, and generates a rich pool of ideas. It can be used in both physical and virtual settings, making it a versatile tool.

• Ready to use
• Fully customizable template
• Get Started in seconds

The 5 whys analysis is a problem-solving technique used to brainstorm the root causes of an issue by repeatedly asking “why” until the underlying cause is revealed. It’s a structured approach that helps teams dig deeper into a problem’s layers to understand not just the symptoms but the fundamental reasons behind them.

By continuously probing for deeper insights with each “why” question, teams can find the true origin of a problem and develop effective solutions to address it. This method encourages critical thinking and a holistic understanding of complex issues, making it a valuable tool for process improvement and troubleshooting in various industries and contexts.

Starbursting is a brainstorming technique used to generate comprehensive ideas about a specific topic, question, or concept. It involves creating a star-like diagram with the central question or topic at the center and spokes radiating outward, each representing a specific aspect or dimension of the topic. Participants then brainstorm questions related to each aspect, effectively “bursting” out from the central theme.

The purpose of starbursting is to explore a topic from multiple angles, consider various perspectives, and make sure that all relevant aspects are thoroughly examined. It gets participants to think critically, ask probing questions, and generate an array of ideas. Starbursting is often used in problem-solving, idea generation, and decision-making processes.

A mind map is a creative and versatile tool for visually representing ideas or information. It begins with a central idea, theme, or topic placed at the core of the map. From this central point, lines or branches extend outward in various directions. These branches represent related subtopics, concepts, or thoughts associated with the central idea.

It’s a graphic tool that helps individuals organize, explore, and communicate complex thoughts and their interconnections. Mind maps encourage nonlinear thinking and provide a structured way to depict relationships between ideas, making them valuable for brainstorming, planning, and understanding complex subjects.

An affinity diagram is a collaborative method for organizing a multitude of ideas, information, or data into meaningful categories or themes. This technique is particularly useful when faced with complex problems or diverse sets of information.

It involves a group of individuals who contribute their ideas or data, which are then visually grouped around common themes or connections. This process results in a clear, organized diagram that provides insights, reveals patterns, and helps with decision-making by structuring and categorizing the collected information. Affinity diagrams foster collaboration, enable better problem-solving, and offer a structured approach to handling complex data or ideas.

Rolestorming is a creative problem-solving technique that encourages participants to step into different roles or personas to brainstorm new ideas and perspectives. Unlike traditional brainstorming, where participants share ideas from their own viewpoints, rolestorming requires individuals to temporarily adopt a persona or occupation that is related or unrelated to the problem at hand.

By doing so, they can generate fresh ideas and viewpoints that they might not have considered otherwise. This technique leverages creativity and empathy to uncover innovative solutions by looking at the problem through different lenses, ultimately leading to more diverse and inventive ideas.

Gap filling is a problem-solving process that involves brainstorming missing or incomplete information or resources in a particular context or situation and taking steps to address those gaps. It is about recognizing what is needed to bridge the difference between the current state and the desired outcome.

Gap filling can occur in various contexts, such as in project management, education, or even personal development. It often involves a gap analysis of the existing situation, determining what elements are lacking, and then developing strategies or actions to fill those gaps and move closer to achieving a specific goal. It is a proactive approach to problem-solving that aims to optimize a situation by addressing deficiencies or shortcomings.

Brain-netting is an online brainstorming or collaborative thinking technique facilitated through digital tools and platforms. It allows individuals or teams to collectively generate, share, and develop ideas or solutions in a dematerialized, digital environment.

Brain-netting is particularly useful when physical presence is challenging or impossible due to geographical distances or other constraints. It leverages the convenience and accessibility of online communication and collaboration tools like Creately to facilitate productive brainstorming and group reflection sessions, enabling participants to work together effectively despite being in different locations.

Round robin brainstorming is a structured method for generating ideas within a group setting. In this approach, each participant takes turns offering one idea at a time in a predetermined order. The process typically starts with one person, and then moves clockwise or counterclockwise around the group, with each individual contributing their idea when it’s their turn.

This structured rotation gives everyone an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and prevents a few dominant voices from monopolizing the discussion. Round robin brainstorming encourages participation from all group members, promotes diverse idea generation, and can be an effective way to gather a wide range of ideas on a given topic.

Rapid ideation is a creative process in which individuals or teams generate a multitude of ideas quickly and without extensive analysis or evaluation. The goal is to encourage free-flowing, unfiltered idea generation.

During rapid ideation, participants focus on quantity over quality, aiming to generate as many ideas as possible within a short period. This approach often involves setting a time limit and encouraging participants to think creatively and spontaneously. Rapid ideation can be a valuable technique for brainstorming, problem-solving, or generating innovative solutions, as it allows for the exploration of a wide range of possibilities and can lead to unique insights.

Reverse brainstorming is a technique used to explore a problem or challenge by intentionally generating ideas that are the opposite or counter to the desired outcome. Instead of seeking solutions, participants in a reverse brainstorming session focus on identifying potential causes or factors that contribute to the problem.

This process involves encouraging participants to think creatively and even humorously about how to worsen the situation. By doing so, the group can gain a deeper understanding of the problem’s root causes and develop insights into what needs to be avoided or corrected to achieve the desired outcome. Reverse brainstorming can serve as a valuable tool for problem analysis and can lead to more effective problem-solving strategies.

Stepladder brainstorming is a structured approach to group idea generation. It encourages all team members to participate actively in the brainstorming process. In this method, a core group of team members starts by discussing the problem at hand. Afterward, one member, referred to as the “stepladder,” leaves the group temporarily and then returns to share their ideas. The key is that this returning member first discusses their ideas with the initial group members before rejoining the larger group. This process continues as additional team members step out, discuss ideas, and return to contribute their insights.

Stepladder brainstorming has several advantages. It ensures that all team members have a chance to participate and prevents one or two dominant voices from steering the discussion. It also encourages diverse thinking as individuals bring fresh perspectives and ideas back to the group. This structured approach can lead to more comprehensive idea generation and a richer exploration of the topic.

A SWOT analysis is a tool used to assess a situation or decision by examining its inherent strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It can be applied to various scenarios, such as personal decision-making, project planning, or evaluating a course of action.

Strengths: These are the inherent advantages or positive qualities of the situation being considered. They represent the aspects that are favorable, beneficial, or advantageous.

Weaknesses: These are the internal limitations, shortcomings, or drawbacks of the situation.

Opportunities: Opportunities are external factors or conditions that could be leveraged to benefit the situation. They represent chances for growth, improvement, or positive outcomes.

Threats: Threats are external factors or potential obstacles that may pose challenges or risks to the situation. They are factors to be aware of and mitigate if possible.

A SWOT analysis helps individuals or teams make more informed choices by systematically considering these four dimensions. It encourages critical thinking, thorough examination, and a balanced assessment of the situation at hand.

We’ve listed 13 brainstorming techniques that you can use to boost generating ideas with your team. Each of these brainstorming techniques has its unique characteristics and can be tailored to suit different scenarios and team dynamics. Choosing the right technique depends on the specific goals and constraints of the brainstorming session.

If you have any other brainstorming technique that is your favorite way of coming up with new ideas, do share them with us.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

More Related Articles

Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

Brainstorming: 24 Techniques for Effective Brainstorming [+ How-to]

Home » Brainstorming   | 🕑 

Gust de Backer

June 25, 2024.

👉🏻    Workshop    /    Keynote    /    Consultancy

Every company does brainstorming , but some companies are better at it than others….

So why is that?

I’m going to show you:

• What different brainstorming techniques there are.
• How to prioritize brainstorm ideas.
• And how to be creative during your brainstorming sessions.

Let’s start..

Table of Contents

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is a technique for working with a group to find creative ideas for a specific problem.

In short, brainstorming is a method to creatively solve a problem . In this, it is important that everyone has a good understanding of what the problem is in order for people to brainstorm accurate solutions.

Do’s and don’ts

Why is brainstorming important?

Creative thinking shows us that there are multiple solutions to a problem and multiple ways to look at a problem.

People are often stuck in their ways of thinking because of the patterns they see, which is extremely bad for innovation.

Creative thinking helps to challenge our assumptions, discover new things, see from new perspectives and keep us mentally sharp.

24 brainstorming techniques

Brainstorming is not about the quality, but about the quantity of ideas.

You’re going to come up with as many ideas for a problem as possible, possibly with a group of people, for a set amount of time.

There are 24 methods you can use to make brainstorming more effective:

1. Brainwriting / Purge

Each member of the group has a certain amount of time to write down all his/her ideas. This has two main advantages:

• Introverts get a chance to share their ideas.
• It ensures that no one or two ideas dominate the brainstorming.

The result is a wide range of ideas that would not have surfaced if a few ideas had been discussed from the beginning.

2. The 5 Why’s Analysis

The 5 why’s analysis has become popular because Toyota used it as a standard process for root-cause analysis.

By asking “why?” 5 times in response to an answer you will get to the root of the problem or solution which allows for a broader perspective and better dialogue.

3. Starbursting

The starbursting technique pushes you to think about the who, what, where, when, why and how of an idea. Place your idea or problem in the center of the star diagram and at the ends put the questions:

4. Mind mapping

You place your problem or idea in the center of the board and start adding to it with new parts:

This also directly ensures that there is structure and that everything is broken down into certain topics.

5. Rolestorming

Try to imagine yourself as another person, it may be someone familiar or someone you know from your immediate environment.

If you can imagine yourself to be another person, ask yourself again how that would solve your problem?

6. Gap filling

See what situation you are in now (ready state) and see where you want to go (target state). Then ask yourself the question, how do we go from the ready state to the target state? What is needed for that?

The gap filling way is a good brainstorming technique to get from A to B.

7. Brain-netting

Using online software, write down ideas that belong to a particular problem or issue.

This is especially useful in preparation for a brainstorm so that people have enough time in advance to think about possible solutions without a lot of email traffic.

8. Round robin brainstorming

In round robin brainstorming, there is one person responsible for bringing up a question or several questions…

In this process, everyone must answer one at a time. In doing so, no feedback may be given or a second idea shared until everyone has shared his or her idea.

This brainstorming technique is ideal for medium to large teams where there are introverted team members or where there is a poor balance of creative input.

Tip : If someone shares an idea that has already been, give that person time to come up with a new idea.

9. Rapid ideation

Parkinson’s law shows us that we spend as much time on our work as we have available

Putting a time limit on brainstorming can increase the quality of the brainstorm. This allows team managers to maximize productivity and results.

Especially for teams with little time, who have little desire for meetings, or who are easily distracted, Rapid Ideation can be a good brainstorming technique.

10. Reverse brainstorming

Brainstorming sessions are often aimed at solving a problem. Reverse brainstorming sessions are aimed at causing problems.

Instead of asking “how can we solve this problem?” you ask “how can we make [problem] happen? From the answers you get, you can start to find solutions to possible problems that a concept or idea might pose.

Thinking of problems first ensures that the team then has a better perspective in solving the problems.

11. Stepladder brainstorming

In stepladder brainstorming, a problem is presented to the group where all but one or two people must leave the room….

The one or two people must then share their ideas after which a third person may enter the room to share his or her ideas, then a fourth, then a fifth and that until everyone has been.

The advantage to this brainstorming technique is that it does not involve thinking as a group, but allows everyone to share their own individual unique ideas without being influenced by the group.

12. SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis is not directly a brainstorming technique, but it can provide additional perspective during brainstorming.

SWOT stands for:

• Strengths : what are the strengths?
• Weaknesses : what are the weaknesses?
• Opportunities : where do the opportunities lie?
• Threats : what are the threats?

The SWOT analysis can also be the basis of brainstorming on how to assess a concept.

13. Eidetic image method

In the Eidetic image method, the group starts by closing their eyes to illustrate the current product in their minds…

Then they can start discussing what it looks like, close their eyes again and start visualizing what an improved version would look like, what features it would contain, what color it is, how big it is, etc.

This brainstorming technique works best when improving an existing product or solution.

14. Change of scenery

If you are constantly brainstorming with the same people in the same space, it can feel like repetition, which is obviously not good for inspiration.

By regularly changing the scenery or space and perhaps also the team composition, it is possible to tap into new sources of inspiration.

15. Drivers analysis

In the drivers analysis brainstorming technique, you focus on the causes of a problem.

Ask yourself or your team of brainstormers, “What causes [problem]?” and then “What causes [answer previous question]?

The deeper you can go the more likely you are to find the root of a problem.

16. Collaborative brainwriting

With this method of brainstorming, there is no need to dedicate a specific session to it….

For example, a facilitator hangs up a large sheet in an office with a problem-statement and possibly already some brainstorming ideas and everyone can contribute ideas in his or her own time.

This way everyone can contribute anonymously, just make sure it is clear to everyone when the deadline is to contribute.

17.  SCAMPER

The SCAMPER brainstorming technique helps brainstormers look at a problem from multiple perspectives, SCAMPER is an acronym that stands for:

• Substitute : evaluate what would happen if you swapped one facet or solution for another.
• Combine : evaluate what would happen if you combined one facet or solution with another.
• Adapt : assess what would happen if you placed one idea or solution in a different context.
• Modify : think about how you could change an idea or solution to make even more impact.
• Put to another use : think about how you could still use your idea in other ways.
• Eliminate : assess what can be removed from your idea or solution to make it simpler.
• Reverse effective : finally, you can look at how you can reorganize an idea to make it more effective.

During a brainstorm, it is helpful to use a SCAMPER template:

18. The idea napkin

The Idea Napkin brainstorming technique allows a broad topic to be broken down into tangible solutions.

Each brainstormer has an ‘Idea Napkin’, on which they write one idea and an elevator pitch of that idea. They also write down who they are trying to solve a problem for and what problem they are solving.

When everything is written down, the idea is for everyone to present their ‘Idea Napkin’ to the others, then all ideas are prioritized on an impact and effort matrix to determine which ideas are worthwhile:

19. 6 thinking hats

In the 6 thinking hats brainstorming technique, you need at least 6 people who are going to wear thinking hats. These different ‘thinking hats’ are going to allow them to look at a problem or idea from one specific angle.

There are 6 different thinking hats:

• Blue hat (Conductor’s hat) : manage the decision process, ask for summaries and come to conclusions.
• Green hat (Creative hat) : the green hat comes up with creative ideas and thinks in terms of possibilities.
• Red hat (Hat for the heart) : go out of your feeling and instinct, you don’t necessarily have to think logically.
• Yellow hat (Optimist’s hat) : with the yellow hat you look at problems with an optimistic view, you see advantages in everything.
• Black hat (Judge’s hat) : the black hat is very critical and sees problems in everything, it is important to see risks and dangers quickly.
• White hat (Fact hat) : neutral and objective, shares lots of statistics and facts.
• + Royal hat (Owner hat) : guides the brainstorm, looking for the balance between subjectivity and objectivity.

This brainstorming technique is useful to get an overall picture of one or more ideas.

20. ‘What if’ brainstorming

The ‘What if’ brainstorming technique is a good technique to bring out all possible solutions to a problem.

By asking questions like “What if this problem occurred in the 1800s?” or “What if our president would have to solve this issue?”.

By approaching it this way you can look at the problem and the solutions from different angles.

21. Random word picker

You pick a random word or animal and start brainstorming about how the word or the characteristics of the animal can help you solve your problem.

This brainstorming technique is really about getting new ideas in a creative way.

22. Storyboarding

Storyboarding is a brainstorming technique where you start sketching the problem and possible solutions. In doing so, you are going to visualize different parts of the problem and the solution which works extremely well for physical challenges.

23. Wishing

You start by wishing for something ‘I wish our company would make 10 million euros in profit’ and then you start thinking about how you can achieve this.

Try to set really ambitious goals, this ensures that you start thinking bigger and you will encounter other problems and solutions.

24. Crazy eights

In the crazy eights brainstorming technique, each participant is given a template with 8 empty boxes. The timer is set for 8 minutes during which time each participant must fill the boxes with 8 sketches of possible ideas. Repeat this process so that they can build on each other’s ideas.

How do you prioritize ideas?

There are several ways to prioritize ideas:

1. Dotmocracy

To prioritize ideas, it is possible to give all participants X number of stickers that they can divide on the ideas they have.

You can be creative with this by handing out different colored stickers to also vote on ideas that absolutely should not be implemented or perhaps an order in the ideas based on the colors.

2. How Now Wow

The How Now Wow technique is more about categorizing ideas based on how unique they are and how easy they are to accomplish.

After a team has written down ideas, they can be prioritized in the How Now Wow matrix:

• How ideas : original but difficult to implement.
• Now ideas : unoriginal and easy to execute.
• Wow ideas : unique ideas that are easy to execute.

Obviously, you want to have as many “Wow” ideas as possible because they are unique from the competition.

3. Impact-Effort Matrix

The impact-effort matrix allows you to determine the ratio of effort to results and then prioritize the best ideas:

You can write down where an idea belongs on the matrix or you can give points to ideas and use those points to determine where an idea will be placed.

4. I.C.E. / P.I.E.

ICE and PIE are well-known prioritization frameworks; they are acronyms that stand for…

• Impact : what is the potential impact if the idea works?
• Confidence : how confident are we that the idea will work?
• Ease : how easy is it to set up this idea?
• Potential : how potential is this solution to our problem?
• Importance : how important do we think solving this problem is?
• Ease : how easy is it to implement this solution?

From these scores you can get an average, it is also possible to add a multiplier to certain parts of ICE or PIE that you think are important.

5. Feasibility, Desirability and Viability Scorecard

These 3 pillars are topics on which you can rank an idea:

• Feasibility : is it actually achievable?
• Desirability : how much would we like this solution?
• Viability : how confident are we that this will work?

This is very similar to the ICE / PIE framework, but the questioning changes a little bit.

MoSCoW is a very well known prioritization framework, it is widely used to set up requirements for a particular thing and prioritize them.

MoSCoW is an acronym that stands for:

• Must have : What really needs to be in it?
• Should have : what should actually be included?
• Could have : nice to have, is nice to add, but has no priority.
• Would have / Will not have : we’re not going to do anything with this for now.

7. Multi-criteria Decision Making

In multi-criteria decision making, you write down what you think is important about a solution and prioritize different ideas based on that:

8. The Value Matrix

Also called the Value and Effort matrix, this involves weighing the costs against the benefits:

How to brainstorm effectively?

How do you set up the brainstorm effectively?

The better the problem statement is the better the brainstorming will go. It is easier to focus ideas on a situation when that situation is enormously clear.

By just starting to do anything you will probably not find the desired solution. Make sure you have a clear agenda with times when you want to do something exactly. It is also important to make clear in advance what the desired end result of the brainstorm is.

Each brainstorming technique fits a different type of situation, evaluate which brainstorming techniques exist and choose some to come up with solutions from multiple angles.

By just talking and thinking about ideas a lot will be lost, document the ideas so they can be looked back at later.

Not every idea has the same potential to be used, therefore it is important to choose which ideas can be taken up, which ones will be interesting at a later date and which ones can be thrown in the garbage can.

Make sure you have time available in the coming period to start working on good ideas.

What is creativity in brainstorming?

Creativity is the ability to think outside of traditional ways and come up with new, original ideas, methods or objects.

It is often thought that the left part of the brain is for creativity and that the right part of the brain contains analytical ability:

In creativity, it is about the networks between the different parts in the brain. There are 3 types of networks that are important here:

• The executive attention network : allows you to maintain your attention and focus.
• The imagination network : allows you to daydream or imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes.
• The salience network : allows you to identify certain things based on old information stored in your brain.

A video that goes into some detail here:

What types of creative thinking are there?

At work, there are several types of creative thinking you may encounter:

• Divergent Thinking : a brainstorming session where you write down as many solutions as you can think of.
• Convergent Thinking : gathering facts and finding the most used and complete solution to the problem.
• Inspirational Thinking : focus on the best-case scenario to find a new solution to a problem.
• Lateral Thinking : reorganize information to come up with creative solutions to move from the ready state to the target state.
• Aesthetic Thinking : solutions that we actually like, with a focus on structure, knowledge, composition, color and shape.

What is critical thinking in brainstorming?

A critical thinker does not simply assume ideas and assumptions, but will always be looking for more ideas, arguments and insights to get the full picture.

Critical thinkers will identify, analyze and solve problems in a systematic way rather than thinking from intuition or instinct.

A critical thinker is able to:

• Make the connection between ideas and in them determine how important and relevant arguments and ideas are.
• Recognize, build and evaluate arguments.
• Find errors and inconsistencies in reasoning.
• To approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.
• Reflect on his own assumptions, beliefs and values.

Discover your creativity

You are now armed with knowledge to set up the best creative brainstorming sessions….

I’m curious, what do you think is the best brainstorming technique?

Let me know in a comment.

P.S. Want more help? Send an email to [email protected]

Frequently asked questions about brainstorming

A design sprint is a limited-time process that uses design thinking. The goal is to find an answer to a critical business question or a specific problem within that limited timeframe.

During a design sprint, design thinking is used.

To lead a brainstorm session it is important that you understand the problem, that you set a clear agenda, that you use the right brainstorm techniques and that you stimulate new ideas and don’t criticize ‘bad’ ideas.

First come up with a clear problem-statement, then choose matching brainstorm techniques, plan a clear agenda and at the end prioritize the outcomes of the brainstorm session.

There should be a purpose for the brainstorm, it should be with others, you should stimulate each other’s ideas, there should be no criticism of ideas, and make sure there is enough creativity.

Before brainstorming, the right questions should be asked, this can be done using Starbursting. Starbursting asks questions such as: how, what, where, when, who and why.

I try to help business surpass their growth ceiling with my content.

Sounds interesting?

Let’s connect on LinkedIn!

Business Strategy | Change Management | Digital Marketing | Growth Hacking | Marketing and Sales | Organizational Culture | Scrum | Team Management

Gust’s Must-Reads 👇🏼

• TAM SAM SOM
• Value Proposition
• Decision Making Unit
• Product-Market Fit
• North Star Metric
• Market Research
• Customer Development
• Growth Hacking
• Brand Identity
• Customer Journey
• Account-Based Marketing

Customer Journey Map (2024): How-to & Examples [+ Template]

The Customer Journey is the process your customers go through with your company. This then covers the first to last interaction someone has with your company. Many companies do not have a map of how their customers orient, what they care about or when the company...

Cognitive Biases (2024): Complete List of 151 Biases [Psychology]

Cognitive biases, there are so many of them... Decisions we make based on emotion, cognitive biases are irrational 'errors' that are programmed into people's brains and affect the decision-making process. Plenty of different articles have been written and an entire...

What is Growth Hacking? (2024): Best Strategy to Grow Your Business

The popularity of Growth Hacking is increasing rapidly, but what is Growth Hacking? Many companies lack a clear strategy for achieving growth and don't know how to manage a (marketing) team in it... Many marketers and entrepreneurs find Growth Hacking the best way to...

Thank you, Khaled!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Submit Comment

Experiment Canvas

You have successfully subscribed, proven (marketing) management tactics 12x / year.

✔  Discover the secrets of successful companies.

✔  Make better decisions and avoid bad choices.

✔  Never miss out on any growth for your company.

Function Owner C-Level Manager Marketer Sales Student

Thank you! You have successfully subscribed.

5 brainstorming techniques for efficient problem-solving

Executive Summary:

There are plenty of advantages that come with efficient problem-solving, such as quicker decision-making, overcoming obstacles, gaining a competitive edge, and generating business growth. So, it’s pretty clear that problem-solving is crucial for businesses, and effective brainstorming techniques are vital when it comes to achieving it.

Brainstorming is a method used by individuals or groups to generate innovative ideas or solutions for a specific issue. It encourages free thinking and unrestricted sharing of thoughts, promoting a creative and collaborative atmosphere. Yet, at the end of the day, brainstorming is only part of problem-solving; they aren’t the same thing and here are three reasons why:

• Brainstorm focuses on generating ideas, while problem-solving involves analyzing andimplementing solutions.
• Brainstorming is informal and spontaneous, encouraging creativity and diverse opinions, whereas problem-solving follows a systematic and structured method whereby the outcome is a solution.
• Brainstorming produces multiple ideas, while problem-solving simply seeks one practical and effective solution.

So, as you’re probably realizing, brainstorming is only the starting point for problem-solving. During brainstorming sessions, a wide range of ideas and perspectives are generated. These ideas are then evaluated and selected during the problem-solving phase of the process. By incorporating diverse ideas, problem-solving becomes more innovative and creative, leading to more effective solutions.

To help you reach your goals for efficient problem-solving, here are five examples of brainstorming techniques that you can implement in your company:

• Team Relay : small groups share and build on ideas to foster creativity and initiate new projects.
• Reverse Brainstorming: generating ideas that exacerbate the problem to find unconventional, out-of-the-box solutions.
• Focus Group: small group discussions to generate suggestions and ideas for problem-solving.
• Crazy-8 : fast-paced brainstorming technique to generate ideas within 8 minutes. ‍
• 1-2-4-All: individual and group idea generation to facilitate teamwork and quick idea generation.

If you run a business, you should know one thing.

You’re inevitably going to be faced with challenges. 

While no one likes to talk about when things go wrong, there’s no denying that it happens pretty regularly in the world of business. There are always going to be problems and challenges to overcome. But instead of becoming sitting ducks for these challenges, you’ll gain the upper hand if you know how to solve these problems… and how to solve them fast !

Quick problem-solving has many advantages, including quick decision-making , overcoming obstacles, a competitive edge over others , business success/growth, among many more.

That said, all the benefits look great, but there’s one underlying question: how can you solve your company’s problems fast? The answer lies in the concept of efficient brainstorming techniques .

In this article, you’ll find a step-by-step guide, telling you all you need to know about brainstorming to make problem-solving decisions more efficiently, boosting your company's success and promoting efficient teamwork .

Key concepts

What is problem-solving.

Problem-solving is a process that seeks to find solutions to problems or challenges. It includes a series of steps: 

• Examining the problem
• Identifying potential solutions
• Assessing them
• And then choosing the optimal solution

But most importantly, you should know that problem-solving follows a structured methodology . It combines critical thinking, creativity, and decision-making abilities , all to reach the goal of a straightforward solution to problems.

Now that that’s sorted, let’s talk about brainstorming .

What is brainstorming?

Brainstorming is a method used by individuals or groups to generate multiple inventive ideas or solutions for a particular issue or subject. The whole concept is based on a cooperative effort and an approach that prompts you and your team members to think freely, articulating any thoughts you have without restriction.

This process aims to build a creative and encouraging atmosphere , where everyone within your company can expand each another's ideas to collaboratively come to creative solutions.

It takes the pressure to come up with one ultimate solution, and shares it out between everyone on the team – as they say, “a problem shared is a problem halved” and the same notion applies here!

You can skip the next section if you’re already confident in differentiating between the two concepts of brainstorming and problem-solving . However, plenty of people tend to mix the two up given their similarities. So, the next section focuses on the differences between them.

What are the differences between problem-solving and brainstorming?

There are three key differences between problem-solving and brainstorming,  but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use them in close connection. After this section, we’ll cover how the two concepts work hand-in-hand, but in order to combine them successfully, you also need to understand each of them individually .

The first difference is the focus or the objective . Aside from the fact that brainstorming is simply an initial stage within the problem-solving process, it also has a different objective. The goal of brainstorming techniques is to simply generate ideas. In this phase, there’s no evaluation of their feasibility or efficiency - the goal is simply to come up with as many ideas as possible for solving the problem in question.

Conversely, problem-solving is a more complex process. It entails the analysis of the problem, the evaluation of potential solutions, and the selection of the most suitable way to implement it. It revolves around identifying the best solution from the numerous ideas generated through the brainstorming process. The goal of problem-solving is not to generate ideas, but rather to find the ones that will solve the problem.

Another difference between the two can be found in the approach by which the process is conducted . Brainstorming adopts a more informal approach as participants are encouraged to think freely, to share ideas spontaneously , and to build on each other's suggestions. Of course, there is a need for structure, but there are no boundaries for efficient teamwork.

Then, we have the difference in the emphasis on encouraging creativity and a range of opinions , which isn’t so much the case in problem-solving. The problem-solving process adheres to a systematic and structured methodology, including problem identification, analysis, solution evaluation, and implementation. It relies on an established structure that can guarantee a solution.

The last of the three differences lies in the result — or the outcome, as we often refer to it. Brainstorming sessions produce so many ideas, as they aim to drum up as many options through different creative thinking approaches that can then be further explored. For problem-solving, you’re only looking for one practical and effective solution to the problem.

The success of a problem-solving process doesn’t just depend on how many ideas you can come up with, but rather depends on whether the identified solution is able to adequately address the issue and achieve the desired results.

If you’ve kept up this far, you’ve probably started to realize that the two can work hand-in-hand.

How can brainstorming and problem-solving be complementary for efficient teamwork?

You already know that a brainstorming session is the starting point for a problem-solving process, but that’s not all that there is to it.

You and your team members can generate various ideas, approaches, and perspectives during the brainstorming phase. This uninhibited flow of ideas helps expand everyone’s thinking and thought processes , and to explore multiple potential solutions.

Once the brainstorming phase is complete, you can transition into problem-solving mode . This is when you and your team can evaluate the ideas generated during brainstorming and select the most promising ones for further analysis and development. This evaluation ensures that the chosen ideas align with the problem at hand and are more likely to succeed.

By incorporating the diverse ideas generated during brainstorming, problem-solving becomes more creative and innovative . You and your team can explore unconventional approaches and perspectives that may only have been briefly considered during the brainstorming phase. The result? More effective and efficient solutions.

How can brainstorming help in problem-solving in teams of any size?

You might be thinking, ‘Haven’t we already gone over this?’, but the answer is, not really!

While we have explored the correlation between brainstorming and problem-solving, this section will look into the benefits of brainstorming and which ways it can be the best starting point to guarantee optimally efficient problem-solving process. Here are a few reasons as to why brainstorming is the ultimate solution for efficient problem-solving in your business.

A range of perspectives leading to a broader range of solutions

Brainstorming involves collecting input and ideas from different team members. So, the larger the team, the more diverse perspectives and experiences are likely to be offered up. This diversity can lead to a broader range of ideas and solutions as individuals approach problems from various angles .

Higher chance of unique ideas

Brainstorming encourages free thinking and is conducive to creativity. Purely down to numbers, larger teams have a higher chance of generating unique and innovative ideas. Team members' collective intelligence and creativity can result in unexpected, breakthrough solutions.

Collective intelligence and synergy

Brainstorming facilitates collaboration and encourages active participation from team members. When people come together to generate ideas, they can build on each other's suggestions, expand upon initial concepts, and create synergistic solutions. The whole team can benefit from the collective intelligence and creativity of everyone involved.

Brainstorming facilitates problem-understanding

In a larger team, different individuals bring diverse expertise and knowledge to the table, and brainstorming allows team members to share their insights and understanding of the problem, enabling a more comprehensive analysis. This broader perspective can lead to a deeper understanding of the problem and help uncover underlying factors that may have been previously overlooked.

Increased solution pool

With a larger team, there is a higher likelihood of generating a larger pool of potential solutions. Brainstorming enables the team to explore a wide range of ideas, even if some may initially seem unconventional or unlikely. A larger solution pool enhances the chances of finding an optimal and effective solution .

Increased motivation to find a solution through team accountability

When team members are actively involved in brainstorming sessions, they feel a sense of accountability and engagement to the problem-solving mission. In larger teams, more individuals have the opportunity to contribute and to be heard, leading to higher engagement levels and boosting motivation to find a solution.

Higher chances of making a decision

Brainstorming also helps in narrowing down the options and selecting the most viable solutions . Larger teams can leverage their collective wisdom and diverse perspectives to evaluate and prioritize the ideas generated during brainstorming. This collaborative decision-making process increases the likelihood of selecting the best solution for the problem.

5 brainstorming methods that can help for efficient problem-solving – and how they do it

Team Relay involves working together in small groups to share ideas. It’s just like a relay race; instead of passing on the baton, you pass and build on ideas. Everyone takes turns to put their two cents in, and the ideas continue to evolve within the group . This helps you to work with your team members and come up with lots of creative ideas.

Team Relay is best for teams of about 12 participants , and this method helps you find new ideas by bouncing off what the team says. You can identify and initiate new projects by working as a cohesive team, capitalizing on every idea collectively and elevating your thinking powe r to new heights. If you want to kick things off with the Team Relay method, the Klaxoon visual platform has a readymade template for this brainstorming technique that you can use.

Reverse Brainstorming

Reverse brainstorming is a technique where, instead of generating ideas to solve a problem, you focus on creating ideas that will make the problem worse or that will cause the problem. In other words, you’ll turn the problem upside down to define the worst-case scenario. So, how does this help solve the problem?

This excellent brainstorming tool can be used with your team at the start of a project or when you're stuck at a crossroads with a problem. It helps you t hink outside the box and unleash your imagination . Then, just like magic, the solutions will start to appear on their own! Give this tool a go, and try this template .

Focus group

A focus group is a small group of people (about 6 to 12 participants) who have been selected to meet up and talk or share ideas about a specific problem (strategic development, marketing positioning, etc.). 

This selected team works together to generate thoughts and suggestions to help solve the problem or develop new ideas. You can either conduct a qualitative survey on a concept, product, or service, or you can ask the participants to fill in this ready-to-use template .

Crazy 8 is a pretty fast-paced, dynamic technique, so we’ll try to keep up the pace and explain it concisely.

This is a unique strategy that allows you to brainstorm with your team with a key element… speed ! While some brainstorming techniques could simply waste time and drum up an excessive volume of sub-par or irrelevant ideas, this method is all about eyes on the prize, full steam ahead. 

With the Crazy 8 methodology, you can generate new ideas as a team in less than 8 minutes ! If you want to know more about this unique technique, head over to the this Klaxoon template .

As the last of the five, we are introducing you to a concept that has proven to be very effective. The 1-2-4-All method is like regular brainstorming but in several steps:

• First, everyone thinks on their own; 
• Then, they share their ideas in bigger groups (in pairs, then in groups of 4, and then with everyone). 

The goal is to help your team come up with ideas together. With this method, everyone can first think independently , no matter how many people are in the group. Other people can't influence their ideas or make them doubt themselves, and in this uninhibited way, the ideas pile up quickly. 

It makes it easier for both you, as the leader, and your team members, to contribute their ideas and progressively confirm their objectivity through the groups’ input. It's a relaxed and pressure-free way to get everyone involved.

Try ready-to-use brainstorming tools and resources

On the Klaxoon visual platform, we have tools that you can use with your team to lead more effective brainstorming sessions . We also provide ready-to-use templates for brainstorming that can be used in different ways for quick problem-solving.

Our visual tools are designed to promote efficient teamwork and collaboration, no matter what kind of business you have. So, if you want to boost your business, hone your problem-solving strategy, and refine your brainstorming techniques , check out our resources and see how the Klaxoon platform can help you.

Unlock your teamwork potential

• Book a Demo

Are you struggling to come up with innovative ideas or solutions? Look no further! In this article, we will explore various brainstorming techniques that can help you unlock your creativity and generate fresh perspectives. By utilizing these techniques, you can break free from the constraints of traditional thinking and tap into the limitless potential of your mind.

So get ready to unleash your imagination as we embark on a journey through various types of brainstorming that will revolutionize the way you think and generate ideas!

Brainstorming: Unleashing Creativity and Problem-Solving Potential

Brainstorming is a powerful technique used by individuals or teams to tackle problems, spur innovation, and generate fresh ideas for enhancing products, organizations, or strategies. Brainstorming can unlock creativity and solve complex challenges by following a structured process.

What is Brainstorming, You Ask?

Brainstorming is a collaborative approach that encourages participants to think freely, share ideas, and build upon each other’s contributions. It fosters an environment where no idea is deemed too outrageous or impractical, promoting a diverse range of perspectives and possibilities.

Three Steps of A Successful Brainstorming Session

Regardless of the chosen method, most brainstorming strategies involve three essential steps:

• Capture ideas: During this phase, participants generate and record as many ideas as possible without judgment or evaluation. The goal is to encourage a free flow of thoughts and maximize the number of suggestions.
• Discuss and critique the ideas: Once a substantial list of ideas has been generated, participants engage in a constructive discussion to examine and evaluate each suggestion. This step allows for clarification, expansion, and refinement of ideas through open communication.
• Choose which ideas to execute: Following the discussion and critique phase, participants collectively determine which ideas have the most potential for implementation. Selection criteria may include feasibility, impact, alignment with objectives, and resource availability.

The Ingredients for Effective Brainstorming

Every successful brainstorming session requires three fundamental elements:

• Individuals or groups: Brainstorming can be performed individually or in a group setting. Individual brainstorming allows for personal reflection and ideation, while group brainstorming harnesses the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives of multiple participants.
• A problem or opportunity: Brainstorming is initiated with a specific problem or opportunity in mind. It could range from addressing a technical issue in a product to finding innovative marketing strategies for a new business venture. Clearly defining the focus ensures a targeted and productive brainstorming session.
• Time: Sufficient time should be allocated to allow participants to engage in thorough idea generation, discussion, and evaluation. Rushing through the process may hinder creativity and limit the quality of the outcomes.

Common Challenges in Brainstorming Sessions and How to Overcome Them

Brainstorming sessions are meant to be a collaborative and dynamic process for generating ideas and solving problems. However, several factors can hinder the effectiveness of a brainstorm, preventing teams from maximizing their creative potential.

Here we explore some common challenges that can derail brainstorming sessions and offers strategies to overcome them.

Unbalanced Conversation

One prevalent issue in brainstorming sessions is when extroverted individuals or quick thinkers dominate the conversation, leaving little room for other team members to contribute. This lack of balance can stifle creativity and hinder the exploration of diverse perspectives.

The Anchoring Effect

The anchoring effect occurs when participants fixate on the initial ideas presented during a brainstorming session. This fixation can limit the generation of new ideas and prevent the team from exploring alternative possibilities.

Overcoming the anchoring effect is crucial for fostering a more expansive and innovative brainstorming environment.

Awkward Silence

A lack of preparation among participants can lead to awkward silence during brainstorming sessions, creating an unproductive atmosphere. Alternatively, the session may be cut short to alleviate the discomfort. These situations hinder the free flow of ideas and impede the overall progress of the session.

Disconnected Teams in Remote Settings

With the rise of remote work during the pandemic, brainstorming sessions have shifted to video conferencing platforms. However, this transition brings its own challenges, such as the difficulty of capturing the creative energy that arises from having everyone physically present in the same room.

Additionally, remote sessions can be prone to interruptions and communication issues, further hindering the brainstorming process.

14 Effective Brainstorming Techniques – Different Types of Brainstorming Explained

Associative Brainstorming

Associative brainstorming is a versatile technique that can be performed individually or in a group. By starting with a single word that captures the essence of an idea, participants jot down associated words that come to mind.

This process is most effective when the mind is allowed to roam freely, generating as many words as possible. The interplay of related words stimulates the brain to make new connections, fostering the emergence of fresh ideas.

The duration of the exercise can be tailored to suit preferences, ranging from 10 minutes to an hour.

Brainwriting: Unleashing Collective Creativity

Brainwriting is a collaborative brainstorming exercise that harnesses the collective creative potential of a team. The exercise begins with a team leader presenting a topic. Each team member writes down three ideas on a piece of paper, which is then passed to another member.

The process continues, with each subsequent participant building upon the ideas presented before them. Once completed, the team gathers to review and refine the generated ideas, discarding some and identifying others that inspire further exploration.

With additional brainstorming, average ideas can be transformed into extraordinary ones.

Freestorming: Capturing the Power of Uninhibited Thinking

Freestorming involves capturing every thought that comes to mind when contemplating an idea. In a quiet setting, individuals immerse themselves in free storming, noting down every relevant and irrelevant, good and bad idea in a notebook or on a computer.

This powerful technique allows for the uninhibited expression of “real and raw” ideas and encourages deep exploration, unveiling hidden possibilities waiting to be discovered.

Virtual Brainstorming: Overcoming Time and Space Barriers

Virtual brainstorming, also known as online brainstorming, has become increasingly popular as teams are often geographically dispersed. With a reliable internet connection, teams can gather on a centralized online platform to initiate and facilitate discussions.

Collaboration tools, such as OneThread , offer a seamless communication and collaboration experience, enabling teams to conduct brainstorming sessions through discussions and capture important insights in the notes section.

Virtual brainstorming eliminates the constraints of time and space, allowing for efficient idea generation.

Rolestorming: Embracing Empathy and Creativity

Rolestorming injects an element of fun and engagement into the brainstorming process. Instead of thinking from their own perspective, participants imagine themselves in someone else’s shoes, such as their boss, mentor, or even prominent figures like Warren Buffett , Steve Jobs, or Barack Obama.

This technique encourages participants to break free from their own limitations and inhibitions, fostering fresh ideas while retaining their authenticity. By adopting the mindset of influential individuals, rolestorming allows for unique insights and a glimpse into the world of the great thinkers.

Rapid Ideation

In this technique, everyone writes down as many ideas as possible within a set time before any ideas are discussed. This prevents premature dismissal of ideas and encourages the sharing of raw thoughts.

Figure Storming

This involves discussing how a well-known figure not present in the room would approach the problem. This can help the team approach the problem from a different perspective and encourages more creative sharing.

Eidetic Image Method

This visualization-based method involves using vivid mental images to build upon an existing design or idea. It’s particularly useful when the goal is to enhance an existing concept rather than reinvent it.

Online Brainstorming (Brain Netting)

This technique involves using a central location, such as a shared document or a chat platform, for team members to write down their ideas. It’s especially useful for remote teams and can help level the playing field.

Round-Robin Brainstorming

In this method, every member contributes one idea in turn. This ensures everyone gets to participate and all ideas are shared before moving on to the critique phase.

Step-Ladder Technique

This complex technique involves introducing team members one by one to the brainstorming session, allowing each person to share their ideas before learning about the ideas already discussed. This helps avoid undue influence from the first few ideas or the loudest voices.

Mind Mapping

Starting with one idea, the group draws lines connecting sub-ideas to the first one. This visual approach can be helpful for those who think visually.

Starbursting

This later-stage technique involves creating a six-point star around an idea, with each point representing a question: who, what, when, where, why, and how. This helps the team examine an idea from every angle.

Change of Scenery

Moving the brainstorming session to a different location can help stimulate new ideas. A new environment can help people think differently and come up with fresh ideas.

Benefits of Team Brainstorming: Enhancing Collaboration and Creativity

Boosts Group Morale: Fostering a Creative and Supportive Environment

Brainstorming as a team boosts group morale by creating a sense of unity and shared purpose. Collaborating in a creative and supportive setting allows teammates to engage face-to-face, strengthening team bonds.

To reap this benefit, it is crucial to withhold criticisms during the initial idea-capturing phase of the brainstorming process.

Promotes Creative Thinking: Nurturing Ideas and Productivity

Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily tasks, individuals often lack dedicated time for free-flowing idea generation, even in creative fields. Allocating specific time for unrestricted idea exploration without distractions is essential for maintaining creativity.

Furthermore, rallying individuals around a common topic or idea reduces isolation and can significantly enhance productivity. Unlike traditional meetings where preparedness is expected, brainstorms provide a space for half-baked ideas to be shared, serving as catalysts for new insights and building upon each other’s contributions.

Brings Together Diverse Ideas: Unleashing Collective Strengths

The collective brainstorming process surpasses the individual capabilities of team members. By bringing together diverse perspectives and strengths, group brainstorming generates more robust outcomes than solo ideation.

The variety of viewpoints sparks innovation and enables comprehensive problem-solving.

Yields a Large Quantity of Ideas: Maximizing Idea Generation

One of the key advantages of team brainstorming lies in the sheer quantity of ideas produced. While not every idea will be a winner, the abundance of generated ideas ensures a higher likelihood of discovering valuable concepts.

Following a brainstorming session, it is important to conduct a planning session to identify the most promising ideas and develop strategies for implementation.

These team brainstorming benefits can be further enhanced by employing structured brainstorming techniques. To boost creative energy, consider exploring creative quotes that can invigorate you and your team throughout the process.

By incorporating these diverse brainstorming methods into your creative process, you can enhance your problem-solving skills and come up with innovative solutions. Whether you are working on a business project or pursuing personal goals, these methods will help unlock your imagination and generate fresh ideas.

So next time you find yourself in need of inspiration or facing a creative block, remember the power of these brainstorming techniques – they might just lead you to brilliant breakthroughs!

Let's Get Started with Onethread

Onethread empowers you to plan, organise, and track projects with ease, ensuring you meet deadlines, allocate resources efficiently, and keep progress transparent.

By subscribing you agree to our  Privacy Policy .

Giving modern marketing teams superpowers with short links that stand out.

• Live Product Demo

© Copyright 2023 Onethread, Inc

Brainstorming: 10 Examples, Techniques, and Benefits

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Brainstorming is the divergent thinking process of gathering a large number of ideas in a short amount of time, which you will parse and improve upon in future steps.

Commonly, it takes place on a piece of paper or large board where you can visually dump your ideas. However, it can also occur in your mind. It may also be either done individually or in groups (Al-Samarraie & Hurmuzan, 2018).

Definition of Brainstorming

The word brainstorming was first coined in the 1940s by advertising executive Alex F. Osbornn (Paulus & Kenworthy, 2019).

Osborn defined it as a way to generate a large number of ideas in a short amount of time without any criticism or judgement.

Importantly, brainstorming is about generating as many ideas as possible in order to help push through a plateau or brain block. Ideally, it will help bring out creativity and out-of-the-box thinking in order to generate fresh and innovative ideas (Litchfield, 2008).

One of the key benefits of brainstorming is that it allows an individual or group to think freely and suspend judgement of ideas.

This can lead to the creation and consideration of ideas that may not have been considered otherwise. Even a seemingly useless idea may lead to a fruitful breakthrough.

History of Brainstorming

While the act of brainstorming has likely been used for thousands of years, the term itself has its roots in the 1930s when Osborn, along with his colleagues at an advertising agency, began using group creativity sessions to generate ideas for their clients (Putman & Paulus, 2009).

With a new term coined, the concept became refined and made more explicit. Today, it has become a popular tool used in both organizations and people’s personal lives to generate new ideas and solve problems.

Popular ideas behind brainstorming have evolved over the years and brainstorming strategies have been adapted to suit different situations, industries, and needs (Paulus & Kenworthy, 2019).

For example, it can be used for anything from coming up with vacation ideas with your family to coming up with new product lines for large multinational corporations.

Stages of Brainstorming

The brainstorming process typically involves three stages: preparation, ideation, and evaluation (Paulus & Kenworthy, 2019).

• Preparation: The focus of the preparation stage should be on setting the rules, structure, and culture around the session. It may, for example, encourage team members to come to the team with sufficient background knowledge, and ensure all people in the group know the importance of creating a non-judgemental environment.
• Ideation: The ideation stage involves sharing ideas which will be added to the brainstorming notes, such as on a flipboard or shared screen during a group video call (Litchfield, 2008). This is where the actual idea generation takes place. Participants are encouraged to share their ideas knowing that there is ‘no silly idea’ at this point in time.
• Evaluation: With a wide range of ideas collected, the group needs to categorize, review, and select the most promising ideas. This may involve drawing connections between ideas, merging ideas together, and finding identifying problems with certain ideas. At this stage, it’s important to ensure the chosen ideas have alignment with the objective.

10 Examples of Brainstorming

Below are some possible situations in which brainstorming can be highly effective.

Example 1: Product Development

Brainstorming can be used to generate new product ideas or improve upon existing ones. For example, a team of designers, engineers, and marketers could brainstorm ideas for a new smartphone that incorporates cutting-edge technology and features. Importantly, the team should be composed of product market experts and, ideally, people with prior knowledge about issues with the current product iteration, consumer feedback, and gaps in the marketplace.

Example 2: Marketing Campaigns

Brainstorming is common in marketing and advertising, and in fact, the term was coined by a marketing professional.

Generally, this session would involve bringing together a team of creatives with good knowledge of the market as well as cutting-edge marketing techniques in order to come up with a campaign idea. For example, a team of marketers could brainstorm ideas for a new social media campaign that leverages the power of influencers to reach the audience.

Example 3: Brainstorming for a Novel

Brainstorming can be an excellent approach to improve writing techniques, especially when writing a novel.

In this situation, I would gather some fellow writers or personal tutors who have experience developing plots, characters and themes and go over the things that could work better in your novel.

By analyzing my plot structure and understanding my character’s traits based on their backstory, I could get valuable insight into how to make the story more engaging.

Example 4: Brainstorming for Business Strategic Plans

Brainstorming is an excellent way to devise strategic plans for higher-level business development.

It helps you visualize how your business may look like in the future while allowing feedback from team members involved in the development process to obtain insights from all departments.

A team of executives may get together around a single table with reports and data sheets explaining different growth areas of the company.

Example 5: Brainstorming New Classroom Ideas

Brainstorming is one of the best ways for teachers to develop new ideas for curriculum building and lesson planning.

Teachers should consider mingling with colleagues who have years teaching experience engaging students around different scenarios shaping them towards positive cognitive outcomes.

Example 6: Brainstorming Home Decor Projects

When renovating a home, brainstorming can help skyrocket creativity while considering factors like budget, style, and functionality.

Collaborating with an interior designer or friends who have taste in home decor and DIY projects can be useful in generating interesting ideas that match the requirements of the homeowner.

Example 7: Brainstorming for Event Planning

Brainstorming is an essential tool when it comes to event planning as it helps to identify key themes, vendors, catering, and decoration ideas.

The best part of brainstorming is involving event planners together with their clients in a room or a virtual hangout session to discuss their vision for the occasion and generate ideas in real-time.

Example 8: Brainstorming Personal Life Goals

Brainstorming can help you set achievable personal goals while shedding light on your desires.

At times like these having a life coach might come in handy who can incorporate exercises where you jot down all the things you desire either professionally or personally such as traveling to other countries or buying a new house.

See Also: A List of 151 Goals for Life

Example 9: Brainstorming UX Designs

In the development of digital products such as web applications or mobile apps brainstorming plays a key role.

Through group discussions between UX designers and developers they’ll emphasize ways of enhancing user experience by identifying areas where previous iterations had no success.

Example 10: Brainstorming Career Choices

Brainstorming can help young people finishing high school to create a roadmap towards the best career for them.

At this time of life, people usually don’t have a clear idea of the job they will do, but they may have a clear idea of what they are good at, what they enjoy doing, and the general direction they want to go (white collar, blue collar, etc.).

The process of deciding what to do may involve seeking out mentors or attending career fairs where people can offer guidance and support.

Techniques for Effective Brainstorming

There are several techniques that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of brainstorming sessions (Al-Samarraie & Hurmuzan, 2018). Generally, this involves putting in place clear group norms , including:

• Encouraging all participants to share their ideas
• Avoiding criticism and judgement
• Using visual aids to stimulate creativity
• Building on others’ ideas
• Combining ideas to create new solutions
• Setting a time limit to encourage rapid idea generation

Benefits of Brainstorming

The benefits of brainstorming are numerous. It can help people and organizations generate new ideas, solve complex problems, and make better decisions.

In the workplace, it can also improve team morale and strengthen team cohesion . By engaging individuals in idea generation, companies can create a culture of innovation and creativity.

1. Innovation

Firstly, brainstorming plays a significant role in boosting innovation (Litchfield, 2008).

When we sit together and come up with different creative ideas, we tend to approach situations with new perspectives that we often overlook alone. Sometimes our minds can only go so far when left to its devices!

The act of bouncing thoughts off one another elevates creativity tremendously. Brainstorming as a group often produces new solutions that wouldn’t have surfaced otherwise (Al-Samarraie & Hurmuzan, 2018).

2. Problem Solving

Secondly, brainstorming is incredibly beneficial for problem-solving .

While we all face challenges in life, brainstorming can act as a beneficial tool for addressing and overcoming those issues.

When faced with a problem, having multiple people collaborate during the decision-making process leads to better outcomes than relying solely on one person’s point of view (Litchfield, 2008).

In addition, when each member contributes equally unique views and suggestions about possible solutions without dismissing others’ input or ideas, new strategies can arise which become successful approaches (Paulus & Kenworthy, 2019).

3. Team Morale and Cohesion

A side-effect of brainstorming as a group is that it can make a stronger group dynamic . Its key principles include inclusion, open-mindedness, and working together.

Coincidentally, this can also make work much more enjoyable!

Collaborating as a team creates cohesiveness within the company culture because all persons contribute towards achieving mutual goals rather than accomplishing solo achievements only related to their title or job description (Paulus & Kenworthy, 2019).

Support from team members through both triumphs and failures can increase mutual respect among colleagues for each other while creating social bonds.

4. Culture of Innovation

Lastly, creating a culture of innovation becomes achievable when utilizing brainstorming tasks regularly within the company environment.

Brainstorming can lead to creative solutions that would not be possible without the open-minded, free-flowing brainstorming process (Paulus & Kenworthy, 2019).

Challenges of Brainstorming

While brainstorming can be a highly effective tool for generating ideas and solutions, it is not without its challenges. Some common challenges include:

• Groupthink : where individuals conform to the group’s opinions and ideas (Putman & Paulus, 2009). This may happen if one dominant person leads the brainstorming session in a particular direction.
• Unequal Participation: some participants may dominate the discussion while others are minimally involved. Less experienced or peripheral members of the group may be pushed aside.
• Lack of Focus: a brainstorming session can become unfocused and start to lack direction. While creativity and open-mindedness is useful, the session may also drift away from its original goals and end up failing to be fit for purpose.
• Criticism and Judgement: depending on the group culture, ideas may be criticized or judged prematurely, which can undermine the purpose of brainstorming. This is where positive workplace culture is highly important (Litchfield, 2008).
• Not conducive to Convergent Thinking : brainstorming is a type of divergent thinking, where people try to come up with multiple solutions to one problem. This is only useful at certain times (Putman & Paulus, 2009). Often, we need to do the opposite: come up with one solution by bringing together multiple pre-determined answers.

Sometimes, it can be beneficial for individuals to brainstorm on their own before coming together to share their ideas as a group (in education, we call this the think-pair-share method).

Brainstorming is a powerful tool that can be used to generate new ideas, solve complex problems, and make better decisions. By understanding the process, techniques, and benefits of brainstorming, individuals and organizations can unlock their creative potential and drive innovation and growth. While it is not without its challenges, careful planning, facilitation, and participation can help avoid these pitfalls and lead to successful and productive brainstorming sessions.

Al-Samarraie, H., & Hurmuzan, S. (2018). A review of brainstorming techniques in higher education.  Thinking Skills and creativity ,  27 , 78-91.

Litchfield, R. C. (2008). Brainstorming reconsidered: A goal-based view.  Academy of Management Review ,  33 (3), 649-668.

Putman, V. L., & Paulus, P. B. (2009). Brainstorming, brainstorming rules and decision making.  The Journal of creative behavior ,  43 (1), 29-40.

Paulus, P. B., & Kenworthy, J. B. (2019). Effective brainstorming.  The Oxford handbook of group creativity and innovation , 287-386.

Paulus, P. B., Kohn, N. W., & Arditti, L. E. (2011). Effects of quantity and quality instructions on brainstorming.  The Journal of Creative Behavior ,  45 (1), 38-46.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Number Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Word Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Outdoor Games for Kids
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 50 Incentives to Give to Students

2 thoughts on “Brainstorming: 10 Examples, Techniques, and Benefits”

Hi dear Thank you for your useful contents. How can I have PDF files of these Examples, Techniques, And Benefits or every thing about problem solving techniques and examples? my best regards Alireza Khorasani

Send me an email and I’ll get it sent out to you! Best, Chris.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What is Brainstorming: Techniques for Effective Problem Solving

Brainstorming is an invaluable method for generating ideas and solving problems in a creative, collaborative environment. Its essence lies in leveraging the collective thinking of a group, allowing for a diverse range of solutions to emerge from different perspectives. The essence of the Brainstorming Maker method resides in harnessing the collaborative thinking of a group, enabling a wide spectrum of solutions to arise from diverse perspectives. This technique, when executed effectively, can lead to groundbreaking solutions and innovative ideas that might not be discovered through individual efforts alone. In this extensive guide, we'll delve into what brainstorming is, explore various techniques for effective problem-solving, and provide tips for maximizing the benefits of your brainstorming sessions.

Understanding Brainstorming Techniques

Brainstorming, a concept first introduced by advertising executive Alex Osborn in the 1930s, has evolved into a fundamental tool in the arsenal of teams across various disciplines, including the innovative use of Moodboard Maker to facilitate the brainstorming process. The core principle of brainstorming is to generate a large quantity of ideas in order to find a solution to a specific problem, a principle that Moodboard Maker enhances by allowing teams to visualize concepts and themes visually. It operates on the premise that more ideas result in better solutions, underpinned by a non-judgmental and supportive environment that encourages free thought and expression. Moodboard Maker, in this context, serves as a digital canvas for collecting and sharing visual ideas, further enriching the brainstorming experience by making it more dynamic and engaging.

Rules of Brainstorming

The traditional approach to brainstorming is simple: a group of people comes together to think about a problem and suggests as many solutions as possible, no matter how outlandish they may seem. This process is based on four fundamental rules:

• No criticism: Ideas are not to be judged or critiqued during the brainstorming session. This encourages open communication and the flow of ideas.
• Welcome wild ideas: The wilder, the better. Encouraging unconventional thoughts can lead to creative solutions.
• Quantity over quality: The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible. Quality and feasibility are considerations for later.
• Combine and improve ideas: Building on others' ideas can lead to innovative solutions that might not be reached individually.

Why Brainstorming Works

Brainstorming is effective because it taps into the collective experience and creativity of the group, allowing for a broader and more diverse set of ideas than any individual could generate alone. Incorporating a Timeline Infographic Maker into this process can further enhance its effectiveness by visually mapping the development of ideas over time, providing a clear overview of the brainstorming journey. This tool not only encourages a sense of ownership and collaboration among team members, as they are actively involved in the problem-solving process, but also allows them to see the evolution of their collective thoughts, making the brainstorming session more structured and insightful. The use of a Timeline Infographic Maker, therefore, enriches the brainstorming experience, adding a visual dimension to the creative exploration and fostering a deeper understanding of how ideas interconnect and evolve.

Techniques for Effective Problem Solving

While the traditional brainstorming method has its merits, integrating tools like Graph Maker into the process can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your brainstorming sessions. Graph Maker allows teams to visually represent ideas, trends, and relationships between concepts through various forms of graphs, making the evaluation and comparison of brainstormed ideas more accessible and comprehensible. Here are some of the most impactful techniques that, when combined with the visual clarity provided by Graph Maker, can lead to more productive and insightful brainstorming sessions. This approach not only leverages the collective intelligence of the group but also utilizes visual data representation to streamline the decision-making process and highlight key insights that might be overlooked in a purely verbal or textual brainstorming session.

The Stepladder Technique

This method ensures that all members contribute individually before being influenced by the group. It starts with presenting the problem to the team. Then, each member is asked to think about the problem individually. One by one, members are added to the group discussion, sharing their ideas before hearing the others. This technique ensures that each member's initial thoughts are heard, reducing the conformity effect seen in traditional brainstorming.

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping, enhanced by the use of the best mind mapping apps , is a visual tool that starts with a central idea or problem. Branches are created from this central idea, representing different aspects or solutions related to the main problem. Utilizing these apps can significantly aid in organizing thoughts, seeing relationships between ideas, and generating new ideas through a visual and structured format. The best mind mapping apps offer intuitive interfaces, collaborative features, and the flexibility to adapt to various brainstorming needs, making the mind mapping process more efficient and engaging. By integrating these applications, individuals and teams can leverage technology to streamline the brainstorming process, ensuring that every aspect and solution related to the main problem is visually mapped out in a comprehensive and accessible manner.

Brainwriting

In brainwriting, participants write down their ideas on paper or digitally before sharing them with the group. This can be particularly effective in ensuring that introverted team members have their ideas seen and heard. After a set period, ideas are shared with the group for discussion and further development.

Role Storming

Role storming encourages participants to take on different personas, such as a customer, a competitor, or even an unrelated third-party, to think about the problem from various perspectives. This can lead to a deeper understanding of the problem and more creative solutions.

Reverse Brainstorming

This technique involves thinking about the problem in reverse. Instead of looking for solutions to the problem, participants seek ways to cause the problem. This can help in understanding the root cause of the problem and, thus, finding innovative solutions by reversing the identified causes.

Brainstorming Examples: Real-World Applications

To further illustrate the power and versatility of brainstorming in solving problems and generating ideas, let's explore a few real-world examples where different brainstorming techniques were applied successfully across various contexts, now enhanced with the integration of an AI Video Generator . This innovative tool can bring brainstormed ideas to life by creating dynamic visual representations, making it easier to understand complex concepts and solutions through engaging video content. By utilizing an AI Video Generator, teams can not only discuss and develop ideas but also visualize them in action, adding a new dimension to the brainstorming process that enriches understanding and engagement across various projects and challenges. This approach underscores the evolving nature of brainstorming, where technology like AI Video Generators plays a crucial role in facilitating more interactive and impactful problem-solving sessions.

Product Development in a Tech Company

A tech company facing stagnation in its product line used brainstorming sessions to ignite creativity and innovation within its development team. By employing the Reverse Brainstorming technique, the team focused on identifying all the potential flaws and problems with their existing products instead of directly seeking improvements. This approach led to a comprehensive understanding of consumer frustrations and, ultimately, to the development of a new product feature that addressed a common user complaint, significantly enhancing user satisfaction and boosting sales.

Healthcare Solutions for Remote Areas

A non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare in remote areas used Role Storming to identify innovative solutions for delivering medical services. Team members assumed the roles of patients, doctors, and even logistical support personnel to deeply understand the challenges from multiple perspectives. This brainstorming session led to the idea of mobile health clinics, which could travel to remote areas, providing essential healthcare services that were previously inaccessible to these populations.

Marketing Strategy Overhaul

A medium-sized enterprise struggling to make an impact in a saturated market used Mind Mapping to overhaul its marketing strategy, further enhanced by the incorporation of Timeline Infographic Templates . Starting with the central problem of 'low market visibility,' the marketing team branched out into various strategies, such as social media engagement, influencer partnerships, and community events. This visual and structured brainstorming method, complemented by the clear visual organization provided by Timeline Infographic Templates, helped the team not only to generate a multitude of ideas but also to clearly see how different tactics could work together in a cohesive strategy over time. The templates allowed for a visual representation of the marketing plan’s development, implementation phases, and key milestones, leading to a successful marketing campaign that significantly increased brand awareness. The use of Timeline Infographic Templates in this context provided a strategic overview, ensuring all team members could visualize the sequence and timing of activities, thereby facilitating a more organized and effective approach to increasing market visibility.

Educational Curriculum Development

An educational institution looking to update its curriculum to better prepare students for the future workforce used the Brainwriting technique. Faculty members independently wrote down their ideas on how to integrate technology and critical thinking skills into the curriculum. This approach ensured that even the more introverted educators had their voices heard. The session resulted in a comprehensive plan to incorporate project-based learning and digital literacy across all subjects, enhancing the overall educational experience for students.

Environmental Conservation Efforts

A group dedicated to environmental conservation faced the challenge of increasing community involvement in its efforts. By utilizing the Stepladder Technique, the group ensured that each member could contribute their unique ideas before being influenced by the broader discussion. This led to the development of a community garden project that not only involved the community in conservation efforts but also educated participants on sustainable practices. The project became a model for similar initiatives in other communities, showcasing the impact of well-structured brainstorming on solving complex problems.

Reflecting on Examples

These examples demonstrate the flexibility and effectiveness of brainstorming techniques in various contexts, from business and healthcare to education and environmental conservation, further enriched by the use of tools like an Image Color Picker . By choosing the right technique for the problem at hand and fostering an environment of open communication and respect, organizations can leverage brainstorming to uncover innovative solutions and drive positive change. The Image Color Picker can play a crucial role in this process, especially in projects where visual elements are key, by helping teams select and harmonize colors that best represent their ideas, thereby enhancing the visual communication of concepts. Whether it's developing new products, enhancing services, or solving complex societal issues, brainstorming, complemented by visual and creative tools like the Image Color Picker, remains a powerful tool for creative problem-solving. This integration highlights how the combination of traditional brainstorming methods with digital tools can elevate the brainstorming process, making it more dynamic and effective.

Maximizing the Benefits with Brainstorming Tips

To get the most out of your brainstorming sessions, consider integrating Graph Templates into the process, among the following tips. Graph Templates can help in visually organizing and analyzing ideas, making it easier to identify patterns, trends, and relationships among the brainstormed concepts. This visual tool complements traditional brainstorming techniques by providing a structured format for presenting data and insights, thereby enhancing the clarity and effectiveness of the session outcomes. By utilizing Graph Templates, teams can more efficiently evaluate the feasibility, impact, and interconnections of ideas, facilitating a more productive and informed decision-making process.

Set Clear Objectives

Before starting, ensure that the problem is clearly defined and that the objectives of the session are clear to all participants, incorporating the use of an AI Image Generator to visually represent these objectives and the problem at hand. This helps in keeping the session focused and productive by providing a visual aid that can make abstract concepts more concrete and understandable for all participants. The AI Image Generator can create images that encapsulate the problem or goals of the session, offering a visual reference point that can stimulate creativity and focus discussions. By integrating this visual tool, you can enhance the clarity and engagement of the brainstorming session, ensuring that everyone is aligned and motivated towards the same objectives.

Create a Supportive Environment

A supportive and open environment is crucial for effective brainstorming. Encourage participation from all members and ensure that ideas are not criticized or dismissed prematurely.

Use a Skilled Facilitator

A skilled facilitator can help guide the session, encourage participation, and keep the discussion on track. They can also help in synthesizing the ideas generated and in moving the group towards a solution.

Brainstorming should not end with the session. Ideas need to be evaluated, refined, and implemented. Ensure there is a clear plan for how ideas will be assessed and acted upon after the session.

Encourage Diversity

Diversity in team composition can enhance creativity and lead to a wider range of ideas. Different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can enrich the brainstorming process.

Brainstorming, when executed properly and enhanced with the use of Infographic Templates, can be a powerful tool for creative problem solving. By understanding the principles behind effective brainstorming and employing various techniques, teams can harness the collective creativity and intelligence of their members. Infographic Templates can aid in visually summarizing the brainstorming process, making complex ideas more accessible and understandable. Remember, the key to successful brainstorming lies not just in generating ideas but in creating an environment where all participants feel valued and heard. With the right approach brainstorming can lead to innovative solutions that might otherwise remain undiscovered. This visual aid ensures that the brainstorming outcomes are not only heard but also seen, reinforcing the collaborative effort and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the brainstorming session.

Related Articles

• Top 5 Teachable Integrations For The Course Creators
• Discover 10 Best Map Apps For Navigation & Learn to Create Your Own
• Top 5 Zoho Forms Integrations For Your Business
• 11 Elements of Branding: Crafting a Strong Brand Identity
• 5 Amazing Content Marketing Tips to Help You Build Authority & Credibility Online
• Introduction to Emerald Green: Its Origins and Significance in Graphic Designing
• Personalizing for Perfection: A Guide to Handling 20 Types of Customers
• Top 13 Chatbots In Healthcare Industry
• How to Create a Letterhead: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Customer Service: Definition, Skills, and More!

Most Popular Posts

• From Concept to Creation: Making the Most of Midjourney’s AI Image Generator
• 3D-GRAND: Towards Better Grounding and Less Hallucination for 3D-LLMs
• Top 10 Healthcare Web Design Inspirations
• SharePoint vs. OneDrive: Which Is Better for Collaboration? [Top Integrations]
• How to Mute Emails in Gmail [Step-by-Step Guide]

Brainstorming - free training on brainstorming techniques, creativity tools and software

Benefits of brainstorming and techniques for problem solving – free training

Brainstorming offers significant advantages for both individuals and organizations. Personal benefits include the potential for career advancement and recognition as an innovator, especially if your ideas contribute to increased company profits and market share. For managers, promoting brainstorming enhances creativity and cooperation within the team. This not only leads to commendation from higher-ups but also fosters a more satisfied and successful team environment. Regular brainstorming sessions cultivate a culture of free thought, positively impacting the general work atmosphere.

Consider the potential benefits:

• Developing cost-saving strategies.
• Identifying new market opportunities.
• Creating market-leading products.
• Doubling productivity.
• Reducing paperwork and bureaucracy.

These achievements are attainable through brainstorming, directly impacting your rewards and personal satisfaction, and contributing positively to society.

While traditional brainstorming benefits the group, it might sometimes overshadow individual contributions. However, you can gain recognition for being adept at brainstorming, introducing improved techniques, or using advanced methods to develop solutions credited to you.

The outcomes of effective brainstorming include:

• Increased financial gain.
• Quicker promotions.
• Enhanced creativity leading to more fun and profits.
• Societal improvements.
• A more enjoyable work environment.
• Improving employee relations so improving staff development.
• A responsive company.
• Exploiting market gaps.
• Creating new markets and products leading to gains.
• Superior products and services.
• Enhanced management.
• Fewer conflicts.
• Increased productivity and reliability.

Learning effective problem-solving and idea generation techniques is beneficial. While traditional brainstorming is a solid start, advanced methods offer an even more effective way to improve skills for yourself and your colleagues.

However, there are considerations to bear in mind with brainstorming, particularly traditional methods. These are outlined on the next page. We believe the benefits outweigh the risks, hence our dedicated website on the topic. Please proceed to the next page to understand the potential risks before moving on to training material for successful brainstorming.

Other useful websites: Microsoft Word consultant and help , electoral systems and proportional representation calculations visit www.proportionalrepresentation.co.uk

Step by step: How to brainstorm a creative marketing campaign (+ free template)

Leah Messenger

Picture this: You’re sitting in a room with a blank whiteboard, armed with nothing but your imagination and a bunch of colored markers, ready to create something big, bold and mind-blowing . 

... or , maybe not so ready. It’s okay, guys – you’re in a safe space, we can admit our imaginations aren’t always on their A-game. Creative burnout be real.

Either way, it’s time to start with your marketing campaign brainstorming session.

Why? Because brainstorming inspires new ideas, pushes the B2Boooooring marketing boundaries, collaboration in your team, and makes things a little more fun.

Let’s run through the step-by-step process of how to brainstorm a creative marketing campaign – whether that’s with a virtual whiteboard or in the office (with your wide array of pens). 

If you’re in a pinch for time, skip straight to our free creative brainstorming template.

Before you start brainstorming

Let’s start with a little bit of housekeeping before you start brainstorming for your next creative marketing campaign... because no one likes a meeting without the “meat” (sorry, vegans).

Make all meetings and brainstorming sessions worth everyone’s while by having the foundations set, so relevant creativity can flourish. 🌸 

Step #1: Know your audience  

The best way to find a creative campaign idea that *actually* works is to know your audience really, really well. You need demographic data, but you also you need to understand what their lives are like and how your product fits into it. 

As storytelling expert Jonah Sachs says, “ Good marketers see consumers as complete human beings with all the dimensions real people have .” 

Taking a look at the B2B world specifically, you can start to really know your audience by answering these questions: 

• How do your buyers/users measure their success? 
• What gets in the way of them achieving their goals? 
• What do they love about what they do? What’s difficult about it? 

In other words: what’s going to stop your customer from getting their bonus this year? 

And for B2C, similar... just less ‘success’ metrics, and more revolved around pain points or other user benefits. Turn your offering from something they didn’t know about before into a omg-I-need-this-right-now .

Always think about these things as if you’re in their shoes. To dive deeper into those (ideally, not smelly) shoes, you should make the most of the teams you have around you by talking to: 

• Sales : Hear about the prospects and leads they are talking to, along with the pain points that lead to these conversations 
• Account managers : With close relationships to accounts, you can hear what they’re looking for in a product and in content – and help with retention, upsells and nurture 
• Customer success : Identify gaps in your content and come up with content ideas to help solve problems or engage clients 
• Product marketing : No one understands brand messaging and positioning quite like product marketing – make sure each stage of the funnel is filled with relevant content 

Once you complete this step, you will probably have some ideas flying around your head already.

Step #2: Create and agree on your goals 

You know who you’re talking to, so bring it back in-house. What does your team need to achieve with this campaign? 

Looking for increased awareness or trying to drive an action show up differently once you bring those ideas to life. 

Getting everyone aligned on marketing goals, campaign goals, and individual goals within the campaign gives you that foundation so people know what’s UP... and what to go off when that meeting starts. 

Step #3: Establish your channels and budget  

Where and when will your campaign live? The difference between a social campaign and planning an invite-only sponsored dinner will naturally determine the activities and assets you’ll need so get planning.

Any questions or things that aren’t specified yet? Prepare for different options and bring your questions to the brainstorming session.

Let’s get to the fun: It’s brainstorming time!

Check, check, check 👈 That’s you smashing through your marketing brainstorm to-do list. Now, it’s time to get those creative juices flowing. 

Step #4: Run your brainstorm session  

You’ve got your guardrails and your frameworks, and its finally time to start getting those ideas down.

To help kick off your session, consider using some of these techniques: 

• Bad ideas brainstorm : Set a time and write down the worst ideas you can possibly come up with. Why does this work? Because you’re tricking your brain into creatively solving a problem by identifying all the ideas that should never see the light of day. David Ogivly said the best marketing ideas begin as jokes, and there’s no better mantra to follow for this brainstorming technique. 
• Brainwriting : Hate rapid idea generation? Try brainwriting. This technique involves reading a question or problem statement and then writing down your ideas. Then, you’ll pass your paper to the next person and keep going until everyone has contributed to all of the pieces of paper. 
• Starbursting : We love a game of Jeopardy, so starbursting is a great go-to for our team. Instead of trying to solve a problem, you’ll come up with questions related to the idea and list them. 

Here are some brainstorming techniques our team used in practice in our last campaign brainstorm. You can use any mix of these techniques, some of them, or all of them to get to your final campaign concept.

• Persona problem statement
• Messaging exploration
• Identity cloud

After your brainstorm

Or you could say: the calm after the (brain)storm. 🥁 We’re here all week. 

Step #5: Build your inspiration log or moodboards  

Capturing your ideas and preparing them for prime time is a critical part of the creative process. If you haven’t used an inspiration log or moodboard lately, it’s worth checking in to remind yourself of what the process can look like and be used for. 

Moodboards can include so much more than notes or static information: you can add videos, links, and more importantly, collaborators. And the best bit is they can look however you want – you can get some inspiration from brands like Miro though. 

Use moodboards to: 

• Conceptualize an idea 
• Collect and comment on sources of inspiration 
• Communicate concepts to your team and other stakeholders 

Determining the goal of your moodboard guides you in the right direction for exploring your idea. From here, add in: 

• Existing material (like brand guides, messaging, tag lines, or goals) 
• Pull in visual elements that relate to your concept (these can be metaphorical, they don’t have to be creative product) 
• Add notes to explain your thinking so far, important feedback, and open questions 

Does the moodboard concept make you a little nervous? Sometimes, we try to start with the end in mind when these processes are actually about the journey. So, relax and kick-off the session with what you know about your customer, your product, and your market. Then, build out your ideas from there. 

Step #6: Explore your campaign routes  

While you might feel like that marketing brainstorming could go on forever, there has to be an endpoint.

Take that brainstorm and transform it into concrete, pitchable concepts (that everyone will LOVE).

Campaign pitches need to bring in all the background information that you gathered, as well as the brilliant brainstorming outputs you and your team came up with, and turn it all into actionable marketing strategies . 

The process might look something like:

• Identify key themes from your brainstorming 
• Align themes with campaign objectives 
• Develop brief narratives for promising directions 
• Match ideas with suitable marketing channels 
• Outline key visuals for each concept 
• Create mini-pitches including concept, audience, messaging and expected outcomes 
• Assess feasibility considering budget and resources ( warning : can be heartbreaking ) 
• Refine and prioritize the favorite routes to take 
• Seek feedback from stakeholders if necessary 
• Choose the one with the best balance of creativity and impact

Oh, and #11 can be “Cross your fingers for easy feedback and successful execution”. 🤞 

Step #7: Thrive from feedback   

The best feedback is wide open feedback. That’s right guys, feedback isn’t – or shouldn’t be perceived as – criticism. It’s a tool for growth, so you best get used to it.

Actively seek input, listen with an open mind, and use diverse viewpoints to take your campaign from good to great. 

Create a safe space for your team – learn how to give and take constructive feedback and not get offended! 

A brainstorming template for your next creative marketing campaign 

Ready to get started on your next brainstorming session? Check out our brainstorming template – made especially for creative marketers.

Simply make a copy and start adding. Brain-dumps are oh-so welcome. 

Get your brainstorming template . 

About the author

A guide to choosing the right CMS

The phase of the problem solving process that requires brainstorming and creativity is: a. implement changes b. study the results c. analyze the current process d. none of the above

The phase of the problem-solving process that requires brainstorming and creativity is not listed among the options provided. Therefore, the correct answer would be option d. none of the above.

The problem-solving process typically involves several stages, including analyzing the current process, generating creative solutions, implementing changes, and evaluating the results. However, among the options given, none specifically corresponds to the phase that requires brainstorming and creativity .

The phase that involves brainstorming and creativity is typically known as the "generate solutions" or " ideation " stage. This is where individuals or teams come up with a wide range of ideas, explore different possibilities, and think outside the box to find innovative solutions to the problem at hand. It is a critical phase that encourages divergent thinking, open-mindedness, and creativity. Once this phase is completed, the generated ideas can be further evaluated, refined, and prioritized before moving on to the implementation stage.

Therefore, the phase that requires brainstorming and creativity is not represented by the given options and would be classified as "none of the above."

Learn more about brainstorming here:

https://brainly.com/question/30104785

Related Questions

Chapter 11 discusses the various forms of business structures. 1. Which form do you feel would be the most advantageous? Why? 2. Which form do you feel would come with the most liabilities? Why? 3. Would your answers change depending on the number of people and the type of business involved?

The most advantageous business structure depends on factors like size, type, goals, and potential liabilities. Assessing these factors will help determine the best structure to protect personal assets, minimize liabilities, and achieve financial objectives. (169 words)

The most advantageous form of business structure depends on various factors, such as the size and type of business, the number of people involved, and their financial goals.

One commonly preferred structure is a Limited Liability Company (LLC). This form provides limited liability protection to owners, allowing them to separate personal and business assets while offering flexibility in management and taxation. On the other hand, a sole proprietorship is the simplest form of business structure but comes with unlimited personal liability. This means the owner is personally responsible for all business debts and liabilities. In comparison, corporations, especially large ones, may face more liabilities due to strict regulations and potential legal disputes. Considering the number of people and type of business involved, the answers may change. For instance, if multiple partners are involved, a partnership or LLC structure may be more suitable to distribute responsibilities and resources. If the business is highly regulated, such as a pharmaceutical company, a corporation may be necessary to meet legal requirements.

Learn more about advantageous

https://brainly.com/question/33753869

an auditor's tests of controls for completeness for the revenue cycle usually include determining whether each receivable is collected subsequent to the year-end. an invoice is prepared for each shipping document. each invoice is supported by a customer purchase order. each credit memo is properly approved.

In order to test controls for completeness in the revenue cycle, auditors perform several procedures. These include verifying whether each receivable has been collected after the year-end. Additionally, auditors examine whether an invoice has been prepared for every shipping document, ensuring that each invoice is supported by a customer purchase order, and confirming that each credit memo has been properly approved. To illustrate these procedures, let's consider an example. Suppose a company sells goods to its customers and ships the products upon receiving a customer's purchase order. After shipment, the company prepares an invoice for the customer, which is supported by the corresponding purchase order.

During an audit, the auditors would examine a sample of receivables to ensure that the company has collected the funds subsequent to the year-end. They would also review a sample of shipping documents and invoices to confirm that each shipment has been properly invoiced with the appropriate purchase order support. Additionally, the auditors would examine a sample of credit memos to verify that they have been appropriately approved.

To know more about customer visit:

https://brainly.com/question/31720706

An auditor's tests of controls for completeness in the revenue cycle involve verifying if each receivable is collected after the year-end. This includes checking if an invoice is prepared for each shipping document, if each invoice is supported by a customer purchase order, and if each credit memo is properly approved. When conducting tests of controls for completeness in the revenue cycle, auditors focus on verifying that all revenue transactions are recorded and included in the financial statements. This involves several steps: 1. Verifying if each receivable is collected subsequent to the year-end: Auditors check if all outstanding receivables as of the year-end are collected in the following period. This ensures that all revenue is recognized in the appropriate accounting period. 2. Checking if an invoice is prepared for each shipping document: Auditors review if there is proper documentation for each shipment, such as invoices . This confirms that revenue is recognized when goods or services are delivered to customers. 3. Ensuring each invoice is supported by a customer purchase order: Auditors examine if there is evidence of customer purchase orders that support the invoices. This helps confirm the authenticity of the sales transaction and ensures that revenue is recorded accurately. 4. Verifying if each credit memo is properly approved: Auditors assess the approval process for credit memos, which are issued for adjustments or refunds to customers. This step ensures that credit memos are authorized by appropriate personnel and properly recorded. By performing these tests of controls, auditors can gain assurance about the completeness of revenue transactions and the accuracy of the financial statements. By performing these tests of controls, the auditor can gain assurance about the completeness of revenue transactions and the accuracy of the financial statements.

To know more about revenue , visit:

https://brainly.com/question/10822075

side at all. Ignore the fact that some Ford dealerships are owned by Ford Motor Company itself. 6. (10 points) Explain why some companies (e.g. Best Buy) have a 14 day return policy whereas some companies (e.g. car dealerships) do not.

The presence or absence of a return policy can be influenced by various factors such as the nature of the product, competition, cost, logistics, and legal requirements.

The reason why some companies, like Best Buy, have a 14-day return policy while others, like car dealerships, do not, can be attributed to a few factors: 1. Product Nature: The nature of the product being sold plays a role in determining the return policy . Electronics, such as those sold by Best Buy, are often considered less durable and may have a higher chance of being defective or not meeting the customer's expectations. Therefore, companies like Best Buy may offer a more flexible return policy to accommodate customer concerns. 2. Competition and Market Demand: Companies in highly competitive markets, like the electronics industry, often use return policies as a way to attract customers and differentiate themselves from competitors . A lenient return policy can be seen as a customer-friendly approach that can potentially increase sales. 3. Cost and Logistics: The cost and logistics of accepting returns can vary depending on the nature of the product. For example, returning a small electronic device to Best Buy is relatively simple and cost-effective compared to returning a large item, such as a car, to a dealership. Car dealerships may face challenges in reselling returned vehicles and may incur additional costs for inspecting, repairing, and reconditioning them. 4. Legal Requirements: Different industries and regions have different legal requirements regarding return policies. For instance, some countries may have specific consumer protection laws that mandate a minimum return period for certain products. Companies operating in these regions must comply with these regulations. It's important to note that these factors are not exhaustive and may vary depending on the specific company and industry. Additionally, some car dealerships may actually have return policies, albeit with stricter conditions, for example, limited to a shorter time frame or specific circumstances such as manufacturing defects. In conclusion, the presence or absence of a return policy can be influenced by various factors such as the nature of the product, competition, cost, logistics, and legal requirements. Understanding these factors helps explain why companies like Best Buy have a 14-day return policy while car dealerships often do not.

Learn more about various factors .

https://brainly.com/question/16755022

How can we identify our stakeholders and prioritize what they need? (25marks)(strategic management subject)

A step-by-step approach will help you identify your stakeholders , understand their needs, and prioritize them based on their influence and impact on your organization's success.

To identify and prioritize stakeholders and their needs in strategic management, you can follow these steps: 1. Stakeholder Identification:   - Start by making a list of all the individuals, groups, or organizations that may be affected by or have an interest in your strategic decisions. These are your stakeholders.   - Consider both internal stakeholders, such as employees and shareholders, and external stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, and the community.   - Brainstorm and gather input from various sources, including company records, surveys, interviews, and industry research, to ensure a comprehensive stakeholder list. 2. Categorize Stakeholders:   - Once you have identified your stakeholders, categorize them based on their level of influence and impact on your organization's success.   - Classify stakeholders into primary stakeholders (those directly affected by your organization's actions), secondary stakeholders (those indirectly affected), and key stakeholders (those with high influence or importance).   - This categorization helps prioritize stakeholders and focus on those who have the most significant impact on your strategic decisions. 3. Assess Stakeholder Needs:   - Now that you have your stakeholder list, assess their needs and expectations.   - Use methods like surveys , interviews, focus groups, or feedback mechanisms to gather information about their requirements, concerns, and goals.   - Analyze the data collected to identify common themes, prioritize needs, and gain insights into what matters most to each stakeholder group.   - Consider both tangible needs, such as financial returns or product quality, and intangible needs, such as reputation or social responsibility. 4. Prioritize Stakeholder Needs:   - Prioritize stakeholder needs based on their importance and impact on your organization's success.   - Evaluate the level of influence and urgency of each stakeholder's needs.   - Use techniques like stakeholder mapping or power/interest matrix to visualize and rank stakeholders based on their influence and interest in your organization.   - This prioritization helps allocate resources , make informed decisions, and manage stakeholder relationships effectively. Remember, stakeholder identification and prioritization are ongoing processes. As your organization evolves, stakeholders and their needs may change. Regularly reassess and update your stakeholder analysis to ensure your strategies align with their expectations.

This step-by-step approach will help you identify your stakeholders, understand their needs, and prioritize them based on their influence and impact on your organization's success. By effectively managing stakeholders, you can enhance decision-making and create strategies that address their concerns while achieving your organizational goals.

Learn more about stakeholders on:

https://brainly.com/question/15532995

is a branch of economics that deals with the allocation of resources within the transport sector. a. Transport economics b. Economies of distance c. Derived demand d. Economies of scale

The branch of economics that deals with the allocation of resources within the transport sector is Transport economics .

Transport economics is a branch of economics that specifically focuses on the allocation of resources within the transport sector. It involves studying various economic aspects related to transportation, such as the demand for transportation services, pricing and cost analysis , investment decisions, and policy implications . Transport economists analyze how resources are allocated in the transport industry and how different factors, such as supply and demand, affect the efficiency and effectiveness of transportation systems.

Transport economics plays a crucial role in understanding and improving transportation systems. By studying the economic principles that govern transportation, policymakers and industry professionals can make informed decisions regarding infrastructure development, pricing strategies, and investment priorities. This field also examines the impact of transportation on economic growth , environmental sustainability, and social welfare. Overall, transport economics provides valuable insights into the functioning of the transport sector and helps in optimizing resource allocation for efficient and sustainable transportation systems.

To learn more about Cost analysis , Click here: brainly.com/question/32669079

You can either lease your car for $600 per month from your local dealer or pay $32.000 upfront. The interests rate your credit union offers is 3.40% compounded monthly and you will take 5 years to pay off debt or lease? Should you lease or buy? You should buy. You should lease. Do nothing

Based on the given information, you should buy the car .

To determine whether it is more advantageous to lease or buy the car, we need to compare the total costs of both options over the 5-year period.

For leasing:

The monthly lease cost is $600, so the total lease cost over 5 years would be $600/month × 12 months/year × 5 years = $36,000.

For buying:

The upfront cost of buying the car is $32,000. To calculate the total cost of buying, we need to consider the interest rate offered by the credit union. With a 3.40% annual interest rate compounded monthly, we can use the formula for the future value of a lump sum to calculate the total cost of the loan over 5 years.

Total Cost of Buying = Principal + Interest

Principal = $32,000

Interest = Principal × ((1 + Monthly Interest Rate)^(Number of Payments) - 1)

Number of Payments = 12 payments/year × 5 years = 60 payments

Monthly Interest Rate = 3.40% / 12 months = 0.2833%

Using the formula, we can calculate the interest and add it to the principal to find the total cost of buying.

Comparing the total costs of leasing and buying, we find that the total cost of leasing is $36,000, while the total cost of buying is less than $36,000. Therefore, based on the given information, it is more cost-effective to buy the car rather than leasing it.

Learn more about car

brainly.com/question/31448756

the purpose of studying financial statements is​ . question content area bottom part 1 a. to mechanically learn how to read and understand footnotes b. to understand those portions of the statements that have relevance for financial decision making c. to mechanically build portfolio analysis d. to primarily investigate all portions of the statements that have relevance for dividend policy

The purpose of studying financial statements is to understand those portions of the statements that have relevance for financial decision making.  . Analyzing the income statement allows us to assess a company's revenue, expenses, and net income, providing insights into its profitability. The balance sheet reveals a company's assets, liabilities, and equity, giving us a snapshot of its financial position. The cash flow statement highlights the sources and uses of cash, helping us evaluate a company's liquidity. By understanding these portions of the financial statements, individuals can make informed decisions regarding investments, credit, and other financial matters. It is important to note that studying financial statements is not just about mechanically memorizing the information but rather comprehending the implications and using the insights to guide financial decision making.

To know more about financial visit:

https://brainly.com/question/28319639

The purpose of studying financial statements is to understand those portions of the statements that have relevance for financial decision making. This involves analyzing and interpreting the information provided in the statements to assess the financial health, performance, and potential risks of a company. Financial statements provide essential information about a company's financial position, performance, and cash flows. They include the balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Studying these statements helps individuals understand the financial health of a company and make informed decisions . For example, by analyzing the income statement, one can assess the company's profitability and determine if it is generating sufficient revenue to cover expenses.

Studying financial statements is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it helps individuals and investors understand the financial health and performance of a company. By analyzing the financial statements, individuals can assess factors such as profitability, liquidity, solvency, and efficiency. This information is vital for making informed decisions regarding investments or loans. This knowledge is valuable for evaluating the competence and credibility of a company's management team and can influence investment decisions. In summary, studying financial statements is essential for understanding the financial position, performance, and potential risks of a company. It helps individuals make informed decisions, identify opportunities, and evaluate the effectiveness of a company's management.

To know more about dividends , visit:

https://brainly.com/question/2960815

a human resource professional of a company exhibits the competency of business acumen when he or she

A human resource professional demonstrates business acumen by actively participating in strategic discussions, collaborating with other departments, and continuously seeking opportunities to align HR practices with the company's business objectives, resulting in a more efficient and effective organization.

A human resource professional exhibits the competency of business acumen when he or she demonstrates a deep understanding of the company's overall business strategy, objectives, and operations. This includes having a strong grasp of the organization's financial health, industry trends, and market conditions.

By leveraging their business acumen, HR professionals can align their initiatives and decisions with the company's goals, ensuring that the human resources function contributes to the overall success of the organization. They can identify ways to optimize workforce productivity, anticipate talent needs, and design effective strategies for recruitment, retention, and development of employees .

Furthermore, HR professionals with strong business acumen can effectively analyze and interpret data related to workforce metrics, employee performance, and engagement levels. They can use this information to provide valuable insights to senior leaders, helping them make informed decisions about resource allocation, talent management , and organizational development.

Ultimately, a human resource professional demonstrates business acumen by actively participating in strategic discussions, collaborating with other departments, and continuously seeking opportunities to align HR practices with the company's business objectives, resulting in a more efficient and effective organization .

Learn more about business

https://brainly.com/question/18307610

A human resource professional exhibits the competency of business acumen when he or she demonstrates a strong understanding of the company's overall goals and objectives, as well as how different business functions and decisions contribute to the success of the organization.

Here are some examples of how a human resource professional can display business acumen:

1. Understanding the business strategy: A human resource professional with business acumen comprehends the company's mission, vision, and strategic goals. They align HR initiatives, such as recruitment, training, and performance management, with the overall business strategy to ensure that human resources support the company's objectives. 2. Analyzing data and making informed decisions: A HR professional with business acumen uses data analysis to make informed decisions that benefit the organization. For example, they may analyze employee performance metrics, turnover rates, and training needs to identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to increase productivity and engagement. 3. Identifying business opportunities: A human resource professional with business acumen is proactive in identifying opportunities for business growth. They may suggest ways to improve efficiency, reduce costs, or streamline processes through effective HR practices. For instance, they might propose implementing a new talent acquisition strategy to attract high-quality candidates or suggest changes to the compensation and benefits package to remain competitive in the market. 4. Understanding financial implications: A HR professional with business acumen understands the financial impact of HR decisions and activities. They consider the budget constraints and the ROI (Return on Investment) of HR initiatives. For example, when implementing a new employee training program, they consider the cost, potential benefits, and expected outcomes to ensure that it aligns with the company's financial goals. 5. Collaborating across departments: A HR professional with business acumen actively collaborates with other departments to achieve common goals. They understand the interdependencies between HR and other functions, such as finance, operations, and marketing. By working closely with other departments, they can develop HR strategies that support the overall business objectives. To know more about HR visit :

brainly.com/question/31607133

Conduct a SWOT analysis on behalf of Drip Footwear which can provide an important foundation for any strategic planning.

A SWOT analysis is a useful tool for strategic planning. When conducting a SWOT analysis on behalf of Drip Footwear, we would consider the following: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities. 1. Strengths: Identify the internal factors that give Drip Footwear a competitive advantage. For example, Drip Footwear may have a strong brand image, high-quality products, or a loyal customer base. 2. Weaknesses: Identify the internal factors that may hinder Drip Footwear's success. For example, Drip Footwear may have limited distribution channels, a lack of diversity in product offerings, or difficulties in scaling production. 3. Opportunities: Identify the external factors that can benefit Drip Footwear. For example, Drip Footwear may have opportunities to expand into new markets, leverage emerging fashion trends, or collaborate with influencers to increase brand visibility. 4. Threats: Identify the external factors that may pose challenges to Drip Footwear. For example, Drip Footwear may face competition from established brands, changing consumer preferences, or disruptions in the supply chain. By conducting a SWOT analysis, Drip Footwear can gain insights into their current position in the market, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to capitalize on opportunities while mitigating potential threats. This analysis provides a solid foundation for strategic planning by helping Drip Footwear make informed decisions and set achievable goals.

To know more about such strategies , visit:

https://brainly.com/question/27429610

finance 101 Q1. Defined capital budgeting? Q2. What are the capital budgeting methods used by managers? (i need new answers)

Capital budgeting refers to the process by which businesses make investment decisions in long-term assets or projects. Some commonly used methods by managers are 1. Net Present Value (NPV). 2. Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

Capital budgeting refers to the process by which businesses make investment decisions in long-term assets or projects. It involves analyzing and evaluating potential investment opportunities to determine their financial viability and potential returns. In simpler terms, capital budgeting is the process of deciding which projects or investments a company should undertake in order to allocate its financial resources efficiently and effectively. Q2. What are the capital budgeting methods used by managers? Managers utilize various capital budgeting methods to evaluate investment opportunities and make informed decisions. Some commonly used methods include: 1. Net Present Value (NPV): This method calculates the present value of all expected cash inflows and outflows associated with an investment. If the NPV is positive, the investment is considered viable as it indicates that the project is expected to generate more cash inflows than the initial investment. 2. Internal Rate of Return (IRR): The IRR is the discount rate at which the present value of the cash inflows equals the initial investment. It is a measure of the project's profitability. If the IRR is greater than the required rate of return, the investment is considered favorable. 3. Payback Period: The payback period is the length of time required for an investment to recover its initial cost. It is a simple measure of liquidity and risk. A shorter payback period is generally preferred as it indicates a quicker return on investment. 4. Profitability Index (PI): The profitability index compares the present value of cash inflows to the initial investment. It provides a ratio that helps evaluate the relative profitability of different projects. A profitability index greater than 1 suggests a favorable investment. 5. Accounting Rate of Return (ARR): The ARR calculates the average annual profit generated by an investment as a percentage of the initial investment. It is based on accounting profit and does not consider the time value of money. It is important to note that different capital budgeting methods have their own strengths and limitations. Managers often use a combination of these methods to get a comprehensive understanding of investment opportunities and make well-informed decisions.

Read more about Investment Decisions at https://brainly.com/question/32634980

mortgage bond is classified as a non-current liability in the statement of financial position is it true or false

The statement " mortgage bond is classified as a non-current liability in the statement of financial position" is true because mortgage bonds represent long-term debt obligations and are therefore classified as non-current liabilities on the balance sheet. A mortgage bond is a type of bond that is secured by a mortgage or a lien on a specific property. It is issued by a borrower (often a corporation or government) to raise funds for a specific purpose, such as financing the purchase of real estate or funding a construction project. In the statement of financial position , also known as the balance sheet, liabilities are classified into current and non-current liabilities. Current liabilities are those that are expected to be settled within one year, while non-current liabilities are those that are expected to be settled beyond one year. Since a mortgage bond represents a long-term debt obligation, it is classified as a non-current liability in the statement of financial position. This means that the entity is not required to repay the bond within the next year. It's important to note that the classification of a liability as current or non-current can vary depending on the specific circumstances and accounting standards followed. However, in general, mortgage bonds are considered non-current liabilities due to their long-term nature. Learn more about mortgage bond https://brainly.com/question/30531093

FILL IN THE BLANK. ________ is an example of the types of information organizations can derive from social media listening. Choose one of the below: A. Brand health B. Competitive analysis C. Industry insights D. All of the above

Social media listening provides organizations with insights such as brand health , competitive analysis, and industry trends , making option D, "All of the above," the correct answer.

D. All of the above.

Social media listening refers to the practice of monitoring and analyzing online conversations and discussions happening on social media platforms. It allows organizations to gain valuable insights and information about various aspects of their business and industry. Brand health can be assessed by tracking sentiment analysis, customer feedback, and mentions of the brand on social media. Competitive analysis involves monitoring competitors' activities, customer sentiments towards their products or services, and identifying market trends.

Industry insights can be derived by analyzing discussions, trends, and opinions shared by users on social media platforms, providing valuable information about consumer preferences, emerging trends, and market demands. Therefore, all these aspects, including brand health, competitive analysis, and industry insights, can be derived through social media listening, making option D the correct choice.

To learn more about market trends click here

brainly.com/question/33262775

You are considering the purchase of an office building for $4,000,000. You anticipate $750,000 first-year gross potential income; vacancy and collection loss equal to 10% of gross potential income; miscellaneous income equal to 2% of PGI; operating expenses equal to 40% of effective gross income; and capital expenditures equal to 5% of EGI.You have arranged a mortgage loan of $2,800,000 with an annual interest rate of 6%. The loan will be amortized over 20 years with a monthly payment of $20,060. Total upfront financing cost will equal 2% of the loan amount.Fill out the cash-flow analysis below and answer/calculate the following questions. ItemAmount________Potential Gross Income (PGI):$_____________Less Vacancy and Collection Loss (VC):______________Miscellaneous Income:______________= Effective Gross Income (EGI):______________Less Operating Expenses (OE):______________Less Capital Expenditures (CAPX):______________= Net Operating Income (NOI):______________Less Debt Service (DS):______________ = Before-Tax Cash Flow (BTCF):$_____________ 1) What is the Net Operating Income (NOI)? 2) What is the CAP Rate? 3) Calculate the Effective Gross Income Multiplier (EGIM): 4) What is the required equity investment? 5) Calculate the Equity Dividend Rate (EDR): 6) Calculate the Net Income Multiplier (NIM): 7) Calculate the Operating Expense Ratio (OER): 8) Calculate the Debt Coverage Ratio (DCR): 9) Calculate the Debt Yield Ratio (DYR): 10) Calculate the Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV):

The answers to the calculated ratios are as follows: Net Operating Income (NOI) is $379,500, CAP Rate is 9.49%, Effective Gross Income Multiplier (EGIM) is 5.80, required equity investment is $1,200,000, Equity Dividend Rate (EDR) is 11.57%, Net Income Multiplier (NIM) is 9.48.

The cash-flow analysis for the purchase of the office building is as follows: Potential Gross Income (PGI) is $750,000, Vacancy and Collection Loss (VC) is $75,000, Miscellaneous Income is $15,000, Effective Gross Income (EGI) is $690,000.

Operating Expenses (OE) are $276,000, Capital Expenditures (CAPX) are $34,500, Net Operating Income (NOI) is $379,500, Debt Service (DS) is $240,720, and Before-Tax Cash Flow (BTCF) is $138,780.

1) Net Operating Income (NOI):

NOI is calculated by subtracting operating expenses and capital expenditures from the effective gross income. In this case, NOI is $379,500.

2) CAP Rate:

The CAP Rate is calculated by dividing the NOI by the purchase price of the property. In this case, the CAP Rate is 9.49%.

3) Effective Gross Income Multiplier (EGIM):

EGIM is calculated by dividing the purchase price of the property by the effective gross income. In this case, the EGIM is 5.80.

4) Required equity investment:

The required equity investment is the difference between the purchase price of the property and the mortgage loan amount. In this case, the required equity investment is $1,200,000.

5) Equity Dividend Rate (EDR):

EDR is calculated by dividing the before-tax cash flow by the required equity investment. In this case, the EDR is 11.57%.

6) Net Income Multiplier (NIM):

NIM is calculated by dividing the purchase price of the property by the net operating income. In this case, the NIM is 9.48.

7) Operating Expense Ratio (OER):

OER is calculated by dividing the operating expenses by the effective gross income and multiplying by 100. In this case, the OER is 40%.

8) Debt Coverage Ratio (DCR):

DCR is calculated by dividing the net operating income by the debt service. In this case, the DCR is 1.57.

9) Debt Yield Ratio (DYR):

DYR is calculated by dividing the net operating income by the loan amount and multiplying by 100. In this case, the DYR is 13.55%.

10) Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV):

LTV is calculated by dividing the loan amount by the purchase price of the property and multiplying by 100. In this case, the LTV is 70%.

These ratios and calculations provide valuable insights into the financial performance and investment potential of the office building. They help investors assess the profitability , risk, and financing aspects of the property.

The answers to the calculated ratios are Net Operating Income (NOI) is $379,500, CAP Rate is 9.49%, Effective Gross Income Multiplier (EGIM) is 5.80, required equity investment is $1,200,000, Equity Dividend Rate (EDR) is 11.57%, Net Income Multiplier (NIM) is 9.48, Operating Expense Ratio (OER) is 40%, Debt Coverage Ratio (DCR) is 1.57, Debt Yield Ratio (DYR) is 13.55%, and Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV) is 70%.

Learn more about investment here :

https://brainly.com/question/30529793

Consider the demand equation for cigarettes lnQ=α+βlnP+u where Q, P, and u denote the quantity, price and unobserved error term respectively. If a researcher runs OLS regression based on the above equation, the OLS estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal. the OLS estimator is biased due to sample selection. the OLS estimator is biased due to simultaneity the OLS estimator is biased due to measurement error.

The OLS estimator in the given demand equation is consistent and asymptotically normal. Whether it is biased due to sample selection, simultaneity, or measurement error cannot be determined without further information.

The demand equation for cigarettes lnQ=α+βlnP+u is used to model the relationship between the quantity demanded (Q) and price (P) of cigarettes. The equation includes an unobserved error term (u) that captures other factors affecting demand. If a researcher runs OLS regression based on this equation, the OLS estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal. This means that as the sample size increases, the OLS estimator converges to the true parameter values and its sampling distribution becomes increasingly bell-shaped . However, it is important to note that the OLS estimator can be biased under certain circumstances. Let's explore the possible sources of bias: 1. Sample Selection Bias: If the sample used for estimation is not randomly selected, but rather selected based on certain criteria, the OLS estimator can be biased. For example, if the sample includes only heavy smokers , the estimated relationship between price and quantity demanded may not be representative of the overall population. 2. Simultaneity Bias: If there is a two-way causal relationship between price and quantity demanded, the OLS estimator can be biased. In the case of cigarettes, it is plausible that both price and quantity demanded influence each other. For instance, an increase in price may lead to a decrease in quantity demanded, but a decrease in quantity demanded may also lead to a decrease in price. 3. Measurement Error Bias: If there are measurement errors in the variables used in the regression, the OLS estimator can be biased. For instance, if the reported prices or quantities are subject to measurement errors, the estimated relationship may deviate from the true relationship. In summary, while the OLS estimator is consistent and asymptotically normal when estimating the demand equation for cigarettes, it can be biased due to sample selection, simultaneity, or measurement error. Researchers should be aware of these potential biases and take appropriate measures to address them in their analysis.

Learn more about the demand equation .

https://brainly.com/question/15234429

An investor plans for her retirement. Her advisor thinks that assuming a 10.5 percent nominal rate of return is reasonable. The investor desires to keep certain life style and for this the portfolio needs to earn a real rate of 3.4 percent. Calculate the imp

The inflation rate , calculated as the difference between the nominal rate of return (10.5%) and the real rate of return (3.4%), is approximately 7.1%. This information is crucial for ensuring a desired lifestyle.

To calculate the inflation rate, we need to understand the concept of nominal and real rates of return. The nominal rate of return is the rate of return on an investment without considering inflation, while the real rate of return takes inflation into account. In this scenario, the investor's advisor suggests a nominal rate of return of 10.5% for the retirement portfolio. However, the investor has a specific desired lifestyle in mind for retirement, and to maintain that lifestyle, the portfolio needs to earn a real rate of return of 3.4%. The real rate of return reflects the actual increase in purchasing power after accounting for inflation.

To calculate the implied inflation rate, we need to subtract the real rate of return from the nominal rate of return.

Nominal Rate of Return = 10.5%

Real Rate of Return = 3.4%

Implied Inflation Rate = Nominal Rate of Return - Real Rate of Return

Let's calculate the implied inflation rate:

Implied Inflation Rate = 10.5% - 3.4%

Implied Inflation Rate = 7.1%

Therefore, the implied inflation rate is 7.1%. This means that the inflation rate is approximately 7.1%. Knowing the inflation rate is essential for retirement planning because it helps estimate the impact of rising prices on the purchasing power of the retirement funds . By considering the inflation rate, the investor can make informed decisions regarding the allocation and growth of their portfolio to ensure that it generates a return sufficient to meet their future lifestyle needs.

To learn more about   real rate of return, Click here:

https://brainly.com/question/32765060

When a business is setecting a customer segmentation tool, what factor of feafure does Soleforcexom recommend the business consider? More than ane answor may be contect check AI That Aopty necyanion atio coliection yols cort Gecalan When a business is selecting a customer segmentaton tosl, what factor or foature coes Salesforce com recommend the butinest consider? Mone than one answor imay be correct Chock Au That Aoply meganos cost

When selecting a customer segmentation tool , Salesforce.com recommends considering the following factors or features: 1. Data Collection: The tool should have the capability to collect and analyze relevant data about customers. This includes demographic information, purchase history, online behavior, and preferences. 2. Segmentation Options: The tool should offer a variety of segmentation options, allowing businesses to group customers based on specific criteria. This could include geographic location, age, interests, or buying patterns. 3. Cost: Consider the cost of the tool, including any subscription fees or implementation costs. It's important to assess the value the tool will bring to your business compared to the investment required. 1. Data Collection: A customer segmentation tool should be able to gather and analyze data about customers. This data can include demographic information, such as age, gender, location , and income. It can also include behavioral data, such as purchase history, online interactions, and social media engagement. By collecting and analyzing this data, businesses can gain insights into their customers' preferences, behaviors, and needs. 2. Segmentation Options: The tool should provide various options for segmenting customers. This allows businesses to divide their customer base into groups based on specific criteria. For example, businesses may want to segment customers by geographic location to target different regions with localized marketing campaigns. Other segmentation options could include age, interests, buying patterns, or customer lifecycle stage. By segmenting customers, businesses can tailor their marketing strategies and messages to specific groups, increasing the effectiveness of their campaigns. 3. Cost: When selecting a customer segmentation tool, it's important to consider the cost. This includes any subscription fees or upfront implementation costs. Businesses should assess the value the tool will bring to their operations and weigh it against the investment required. It's also important to consider any additional costs, such as training or support fees. By carefully evaluating the cost, businesses can make an informed decision and select a tool that aligns with their budget and goals. In conclusion, when choosing a customer segmentation tool, businesses should consider factors such as data collection capabilities, segmentation options, and the cost of the tool. By selecting a tool that effectively gathers and analyzes customer data, provides diverse segmentation options, and fits within the budget , businesses can enhance their marketing strategies and better target their customer base.

Learn more about segmentation tool here:

https://brainly.com/question/33722060

Broblem 43.115 pointsl 5 points each Lectanon and Syria produce both, vegetables and fruits. Without trade, Syria produces vegetables at a price 2 fruits, whereas Lebanon produces vegetables at a price of 1 fruit. With the possibility of trade among hoth nations answer the following questions: a. Who will sjecialize in truits? b. What will happen to the slope in Lebanon if vegetables are on the horizontal axis? c. Plot Lebanon only and show the benefit from trade while including the indifference curves.

In a scenario where Lebanon and Syria engage in trade, Lebanon will specialize in producing fruits , while Syria will specialize in producing vegetables.

If vegetables are on the horizontal axis in Lebanon, the slope of its production possibilities curve (PPC) will be the ratio of the price of vegetables to the price of fruits.

By plotting Lebanon's PPC and including indifference curves , we can illustrate the benefits of trade.

Since Lebanon produces vegetables at a lower opportunity cost (1 fruit) compared to Syria (2 fruits), Lebanon will specialize in producing fruits, which have a higher relative price in Syria. Syria, on the other hand, will specialize in producing vegetables.

If vegetables are on the horizontal axis in Lebanon, the slope of its PPC will represent the ratio of the price of vegetables to the price of fruits. This slope indicates the trade-off between producing vegetables and fruits in Lebanon when the price ratio changes. A steeper slope suggests a higher opportunity cost of producing vegetables relative to fruits.

To plot Lebanon's PPC and illustrate the benefits of trade, we would need specific data on the quantities of fruits and vegetables that Lebanon can produce at different points. Indifference curves, representing different combinations of fruits and vegetables that provide equal satisfaction, can also be included in the graph. The shape and position of the PPC and indifference curves will depend on the specific data provided.

By comparing the pre-trade and post-trade PPCs, we can observe the expansion of consumption possibilities and increased efficiency resulting from specialization and trade . The exact shape and position of the PPC and indifference curves will determine the magnitude of the benefits from trade.

It's important to note that without specific numerical data or a graph provided, the analysis and illustration of the benefits of trade for Lebanon in this scenario can only be explained conceptually.

Learn more about opportunity cost here:

https://brainly.com/question/13036997

the state department of health (doh) is considering implementing several performance measures. in a meeting with the central budget office, doh officials are discussing their options and seeking advice on which measures to include. identify the type of measure each statement represents and indicate whether you would recommend it be implemented or not, and why

In the given scenario , the Department of Health (DOH) is considering implementing several performance measures. During a meeting with the Central Budget Office, DOH officials are discussing their options and seeking advice on which measures to include. To identify the type of measure each statement represents, we need to analyze each statement and evaluate whether it should be implemented or not, along with the reasons. 1. Statement: "The number of patient satisfaction surveys completed per month."   Type of measure: Output measure (also known as an activity measure).   Recommendation: This measure should be implemented.    Tracking the number of patient satisfaction surveys completed per month provides insight into the level of patient engagement and feedback. It helps measure the reach and effectiveness of the DOH's initiatives and can guide improvements in healthcare services. 2. Statement: "The average time taken to process health facility license applications."   Type of measure: Efficiency measure.   Recommendation: This measure should be implemented.     Monitoring the average time taken to process health facility license applications helps assess the efficiency of the DOH's administrative processes. By setting targets and tracking this measure, the DOH can identify bottlenecks, streamline procedures, and reduce processing times, ultimately improving the overall licensing system. 3. Statement: "The percentage of health facilities that meet quality standards."   Type of measure: Outcome measure.   Recommendation: This measure should be implemented.    Measuring the percentage of health facilities that meet quality standards provides an assessment of the overall quality of healthcare services. By monitoring this measure, the DOH can identify facilities that require improvement, allocate resources effectively, and enhance the delivery of high-quality care to patients. 4. Statement: "The number of training programs conducted for healthcare professionals."   Type of measure: Output measure.   Recommendation: This measure should be implemented.    Tracking the number of training programs conducted for healthcare professionals helps assess the DOH's commitment to continuous education and professional development. It ensures that healthcare providers are equipped with up-to-date knowledge and skills, ultimately improving the quality of healthcare services. Overall, it is recommended to implement all the mentioned measures. These measures provide valuable insights into patient satisfaction, process efficiency, quality standards, and professional development. By monitoring these measures, the DOH can make informed decisions, identify areas for improvement, and enhance the overall performance of the healthcare system.

To learn more about scenario click here

brainly.com/question/13383235

You would like to buy a house that costs $350,000. You have $50,000 in cash that you can put down on the house, but you need to borrow the rest of the purchase price. The bank is otlering you a 30 -year mortgage that requires annual payments and has an interest rate of 9% per year. You can attord to pay only $28,030 per year. The bank agrees to allow you to pay this amount each year, yot still borrow 5300.000. At the end of the mortgage (in 30 years), you must make a balloon payment, that is, you must repay the remaining batance on the mortgage. How much will be this balloon payment? Hint The baloon payment will be in addition to the 30th payment. The balloon payment is $ (Round to the nearest dollar.)

The balloon payment at the end of the 30-year mortgage will be $300,000.

To calculate the balloon payment, we first need to determine the annual payment amount for the 30-year mortgage. The bank has agreed to allow you to pay $28,030 per year, but you still need to borrow $300,000.

Using the annual payment formula for a mortgage , we can calculate the loan amount based on the annual payment, interest rate, and loan term. Rearranging the formula to solve for the loan amount gives us:

Loan Amount = Annual Payment * [tex][(1 - (1 + Interest Rate)^(^-^L^o^a^n ^T^e^r^m^))[/tex] / Interest Rate]

Plugging in the values, we have:

$300,000 = $28,030 * [(1 - [tex](1 + 0.09)^(^-^3^0^))[/tex] / 0.09]

Simplifying the equation, we find that the balloon payment at the end of the mortgage will be $300,000.

The balloon payment represents the remaining balance on the mortgage that needs to be repaid in one lump sum at the end of the loan term. This final payment is separate from the regular annual payments made throughout the 30 years.

Learn more about payment

brainly.com/question/32320091

Describe, as the project manager, how you would create a collaborative team environment. (2 points

As the project manager, creating a collaborative team environment is crucial for the success of the project. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to achieve that: 1. Establish clear goals and expectations: Clearly communicate the project goals, objectives, and the team's roles and responsibilities. This ensures that everyone is aligned and understands what needs to be achieved. 2. Foster open communication: Encourage open and honest communication among team members. Create a safe space where individuals can share ideas, concerns, and feedback without fear of judgment or reprisal. 3. Promote teamwork: Emphasize the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Encourage team members to work together, share knowledge, and support each other to achieve common goals. 4. Build trust: Trust is the foundation of a collaborative environment. Establish trust by being transparent, reliable, and respecting confidentiality. Encourage trust-building activities, such as team-building exercises or sharing personal stories. 5. Encourage diverse perspectives: Recognize and value diverse perspectives and ideas. Encourage team members to contribute their unique insights and experiences, fostering creativity and innovation within the team. 6. Provide resources and support: Ensure that team members have the necessary resources, tools, and training to perform their tasks effectively. Offer support and guidance whenever needed. 7. Foster a positive work culture: Create a positive work culture that promotes respect, inclusivity, and appreciation. Recognize and reward team members' achievements, and celebrate successes together. Creating a collaborative team environment as a project manager involves establishing clear goals, promoting open communication, fostering teamwork, building trust, encouraging diverse perspectives, providing resources and support, and fostering a positive work culture. By following these steps, you can create an environment where team members feel valued, supported, and motivated to work together towards a common goal. To create a collaborative team environment as a project manager, it is essential to establish clear goals and expectations. Clearly communicate the project's objectives, the team's roles and responsibilities, and the expected outcomes. This clarity ensures that everyone is on the same page and understands what needs to be achieved. Additionally, fostering open communication is crucial for collaboration. Encourage team members to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback openly. Create a safe space where individuals can express themselves without fear of judgment or reprisal. Active listening and regular team meetings can also facilitate effective communication. Promoting teamwork is another important aspect of creating a collaborative environment. Emphasize the value of working together and encourage team members to collaborate and support each other. Assigning tasks that require collaboration, such as group projects or brainstorming sessions, can help foster teamwork. Building trust is fundamental to a collaborative team environment. Be transparent, reliable, and consistent in your interactions with team members. Encourage trust-building activities, such as team-building exercises or sharing personal stories, to create a sense of camaraderie among team members. Encouraging diverse perspectives is also key to collaboration. Recognize and value the unique insights and experiences that each team member brings to the table. Encourage individuals to contribute their ideas and provide a platform for open discussions. By embracing diversity, you can foster creativity and innovation within the team. Providing resources and support is vital for team members to perform their tasks effectively. Ensure that team members have access to the necessary tools, technology, and training. Offer guidance and support whenever needed, and be responsive to their needs. Finally, fostering a positive work culture is crucial for collaboration. Create an environment where team members feel respected, included, and appreciated. Recognize and reward their achievements, and celebrate successes together. Encouraging a positive work culture boosts team morale and motivates individuals to work together towards a common goal. In conclusion, as a project manager, creating a collaborative team environment involves establishing clear goals, promoting open communication, fostering teamwork, building trust, encouraging diverse perspectives, providing resources and support, and fostering a positive work culture. By following these steps, you can create an environment where team members feel valued, supported, and motivated to work together towards a common goal.

To Know More about motivated visit:

brainly.com/question/31576376

As the project manager , creating a collaborative team environment is crucial for the success of the project. 1. Establish Clear Goals: Start by defining c lear project goals and communicating them to the team. This ensures that everyone understands the purpose and objectives of the project. 2. Foster Open Communication: Encourage open and transparent communication among team members. Create channels for regular communication, such as team meetings, email updates, or a project management tool. This allows team members to share ideas, ask questions, and address any concerns. 3. Build Trust : Trust is the foundation of a collaborative team environment. Encourage trust-building activities and create a safe space for team members to share their thoughts and opinions. Acknowledge and appreciate their contributions to build trust and strengthen the team bond. 4. Promote Active Listening: Emphasize the importance of active listening within the team. Encourage team members to listen attentively to one another and ask clarifying questions when needed. This helps to foster understanding and prevents miscommunication. 5. Foster a Positive Team Culture: Cultivate a positive team culture that values and respects diversity of ideas and perspectives. Encourage collaboration and discourage any form of negativity or blame game. Recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements to boost morale and motivation. 6. Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly define each team member's role and responsibilities within the project. This reduces confusion and ensures that everyone knows their contribution to the team's success. 7. Encourage Collaboration: Promote collaboration among team members by assigning tasks that require teamwork. Encourage cross-functional collaboration where team members from different disciplines work together. This allows for knowledge sharing and the development of innovative solutions. Remember, creating a collaborative team environment is an ongoing process. By implementing these strategies, you can foster collaboration, enhance communication, and create an environment where team members feel valued and motivated to work together towards project success.

Learn more about project manager

brainly.com/question/29023210

You are required to choose a food item that you make often. This food item should not have more than 5 ingredients. You will be required to cost out 1 serving of this food item using a normal full costing approach (see chapter 5). Costs to be included are: 1. Direct materials 2. Direct labour 3. Manufacturing overhead You will need to explain how you determined the costs in each category including calculations and evidence (receipts for example). Be specific as you what items you included and/or excluded in manufacturing overhead.

For the chosen food item, the cost per serving will be determined by considering direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead costs.

To calculate the cost per serving using a normal full costing approach, we need to break down the costs into three categories: direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead.

1. Direct Materials : This includes the cost of all the ingredients used in the food item. To determine the cost of direct materials per serving, we calculate the total cost of the ingredients used and divide it by the number of servings. This can be done by summing up the individual costs of each ingredient used, based on their quantity and unit prices.

2. Direct Labor : This refers to the labor cost associated with the production of each serving. It includes the wages or salaries of the individuals involved in preparing the food item. To determine the cost of direct labor per serving, we calculate the total labor cost incurred and divide it by the number of servings. This can be based on the time spent by each worker multiplied by their hourly wage rate.

3. Manufacturing Overhead: Manufacturing overhead costs are indirect costs that are not directly traceable to a specific food item but are necessary for the overall production process. Examples include utilities, rent, equipment depreciation, and indirect labor. To allocate manufacturing overhead costs to each serving, we can use a predetermined overhead rate based on a relevant cost driver, such as direct labor hours or machine hours.

By considering the specific costs of direct materials, direct labor, and allocating manufacturing overhead, we can determine the total cost per serving of the chosen food item.

Learn more about cost per serving

brainly.com/question/31712104

Discuss current procurement practices and requirements in your case. Refer to the 3 themes that were used in group presentations; 1 theme presented by your team + 2 themes evaluated by your team. Theme 1: Digital Technologies and Information Systems Theme 2: Global/Strategic Sourcing Theme 3: Purchasing and law, ethics, sustainability

Three themes in the case of current procurement practices and requirements are: 1. Digital Technologies and Information Systems 2. Global/Strategic Sourcing 3. Purchasing and Law, Ethics, Sustainability

In the case of current procurement practices and requirements, three themes were discussed: 1. Theme 1: Digital Technologies and Information Systems 2. Theme 2: Global /Strategic Sourcing 3. Theme 3: Purchasing and Law, Ethics, Sustainability Theme 1 focuses on the use of digital technologies and information systems in procurement. This includes the adoption of digital platforms and tools for streamlining procurement processes, such as e-procurement systems, electronic catalogs, and online bidding platforms. These technologies help automate manual tasks, improve efficiency, and enhance transparency in procurement operations. Theme 2 centers around global or strategic sourcing. This involves the identification and evaluation of suppliers on a global scale to optimize costs, quality, and delivery. It encompasses practices such as supplier evaluation and selection, contract negotiation , and supplier relationship management. Strategic sourcing aims to maximize value for the organization by leveraging global markets and taking advantage of economies of scale. Theme 3 delves into the intersection of purchasing and law, ethics, and sustainability . It considers the legal and ethical dimensions of procurement, including compliance with regulations, intellectual property rights, and fair competition. Sustainability is also a key aspect, focusing on environmentally friendly procurement practices, social responsibility, and ethical sourcing. This theme emphasizes the importance of considering the broader impact of procurement decisions on society and the environment.

Learn more about procurement here :-

https://brainly.com/question/30019470

How Is Your Supply Chain Logistics Doing? Please explain the difference between EDI and E-Commerce. List 2 advantages of each.

EDI is a more specialized technology for exchanging business documents, while e-commerce is a broader term for using the internet to conduct business.

My supply chain logistics is doing well. By implementing a number of new technologies and processes, such as: Using a cloud-based supply chain management system, Implementing a predictive analytics tool, Working closely with our suppliers.

EDI is a more specialized technology that is designed for the exchange of business documents, such as purchase orders , invoices, and shipping manifests. EDI messages are typically exchanged in a standardized format, which ensures that they can be easily read and processed by computer systems.

E-commerce is a broader term that refers to the use of the internet to conduct business. E-commerce can involve the exchange of any type of information, not just business documents. E-commerce platforms can be used to sell products and services directly to consumers, or to facilitate the exchange of information between businesses.

** Here are some advantages of EDI:

Accuracy: EDI messages are typically exchanged in a standardized format, which helps to ensure that they are accurate and complete.

Security: EDI messages can be encrypted to help protect sensitive data.

** Here are some advantages of e-commerce:

Reach: E-commerce platforms can be used to reach a global audience.

Convenience: E-commerce platforms can make it easy for customers to shop from home.

To learn more about supply chain : https://brainly.com/question/28165491

A firm purchases and resells widgets. Holding one widget in inventory for one year costs the firm $7. The firm purchases widgets in lots of 24 . Demand for widgets is 7 per week. Each time the firm orders widgets from the supplier, there is a charge of $14 for transportation. What is the total transportation cost incurred by the firm over one year ( 52 weeks)? Note: Round your answer to 2 decimal places.

To calculate the total transportation cost incurred by the firm over one year (52 weeks), we need to consider the number of orders placed and the transportation cost for each order. Since the firm purchases widgets in lots of 24 and the demand is 7 per week, the firm needs to place orders approximately every (24/7) 3.43 weeks to meet the demand. To calculate the number of orders placed in a year, we divide 52 weeks by 3.43 weeks per order, which equals approximately 15.14 orders. Since we can't have a fraction of an order, let's round this down to 15 orders. Each time the firm places an order, there is a transportation charge of $14. Therefore, the transportation cost per order is $14. To find the total transportation cost incurred over one year, we multiply the number of orders (15) by the transportation cost per order ($14): 15 orders * $14/order = $210 So, the total transportation cost incurred by the firm over one year is $210. Please note that this calculation assumes the demand for widgets remains constant throughout the year and there are no additional transportation costs.

To know more about Transportation cost, visit:

https://brainly.com/question/28483675

assume alpha division offers to sell 315,000 units to beta division for $118 per unit and that beta division refuses this price. what will be the loss in potential profits for the company as a whole?

To calculate the potential loss in profits for the company as a whole, we need to know the profit margin or the difference between the cost of production and the selling price of the units. Without that information, we cannot determine the exact loss in potential profits. However, we can provide a general framework for understanding the potential loss.

Let's assume that the cost of production per unit for Alpha division is $100. If Beta division refuses to purchase the units at $118 per unit, it indicates that the selling price is above their willingness to pay.

To calculate the potential loss, we need to determine the alternative selling price that Beta division would be willing to accept. Let's say Beta division is willing to purchase the units at $110 per unit.

The loss in potential profit per unit would then be $118 - $110 = $8 per unit.

To calculate the total loss in potential profits for the company as a whole, we multiply the loss per unit by the number of units that Beta division refused to purchase:

Loss in potential profits = Loss per unit x Number of units refused

Loss in potential profits = $8/unit x 315,000 units

Please note that this calculation assumes a simplified scenario and does not take into account other factors such as variable costs, fixed costs, and other potential customers or markets.

TNCs chose to collaborate and form transnational strategic alliances (even with competitors). What are advantages of transnational strategic alliances to participants?

They also come with challenges such as coordination issues, cultural differences, and potential conflicts of interest . TNCs should carefully evaluate the potential benefits and risks before entering into such alliances.

The advantages of transnational strategic alliances for participants can be numerous. Here are some key benefits: 1. Access to new markets: By forming alliances with other companies, TNCs can gain access to new markets that they may not have been able to enter on their own. This can lead to increased sales and revenue. 2. Shared resources and expertise: TNCs can pool their resources and expertise with their alliance partners. This can result in cost savings and increased efficiency. For example, they can share manufacturing facilities, distribution networks, or research and development capabilities. 3. Risk-sharing: Collaborating with other companies through alliances allows TNCs to share risks and reduce their exposure to potential losses. By diversifying their operations, they can mitigate the impact of economic fluctuations or unexpected events in specific regions. 4. Competitive advantage: Strategic alliances can provide TNCs with a competitive edge in the market. By joining forces with their competitors, they can create synergies that allow them to offer superior products or services. For example, they can combine their technology platforms or combine their research efforts to develop innovative solutions. 5. Access to new technologies: Partnering with other companies can give TNCs access to new technologies or intellectual property that they may not have developed on their own. This can help them stay ahead of the competition and drive innovation within their industry. 6. Learning and knowledge transfer: Through alliances, TNCs can learn from their partners' experiences and gain valuable insights into new markets or industries. This knowledge transfer can help them improve their own operations and make more informed business decisions. Learn more about transnational strategic alliances

https://brainly.com/question/33491657

or each employee listed, use the wage-bracket method to calculate federal income tax withholding for an employee who has submitted a pre-2020 Form W-4. Refer to ublication 15-T. OTE: For simplicity, all calculations throughout this exercise, both intermediate and final, should be rounded to two decimal places at each calculation. 1: Sam Coleridge (married; 4 federal withholding allowances) earned weekly gross pay of $565.00. Federal income tax withholding =$ 2: Michael Kolk (single; 2 federal withholding allowances) earned biweekly gross pay of $975. He participates in a flexible spending account, to which he contributes $100 during the period. Federal income tax withholding =$ 3: Anita McLachlan (single; 0 federal withholding allowances) earned monthly gross pay of $2,440. For each period, she makes a 401 (k) contribution of 9% of gross pay. Federal income tax withholding =$ 4: Stacey Williamson (married; 3 federal withholding allowances) earned semimonthly gross pay of $1,250. She participates in a cafeteria plan, to which she contributes $150 during the period. Federal income tax withholding =9

1: Sam Coleridge (married; 4 federal withholding allowances) earned weekly gross pay of $565.00. Federal income tax withholding = $18.13.

2: Michael Kolk (single; 2 federal withholding allowances) earned biweekly gross pay of $975. He participates in a flexible spending account, to which he contributes $100 during the period. Federal income tax withholding = $88.82.

3: Anita McLachlan (single; 0 federal withholding allowances) earned monthly gross pay of $2,440. For each period, she makes a 401(k) contribution of 9% of gross pay. Federal income tax withholding = $375.66.

4: Stacey Williamson (married; 3 federal withholding allowances) earned semimonthly gross pay of $1,250. She participates in a cafeteria plan, to which she contributes $150 during the period. Federal income tax withholding = $69.06.

1. Sam Coleridge:

  - Weekly gross pay: $565.00

  - Married with 4 federal withholding allowances

  - Using the wage-bracket method and referring to Publication 15-T, find the corresponding tax withholding amount for $565.00 in the married filing jointly section. Let's assume it is $18.13.

2. Michael Kolk:

  - Biweekly gross pay: $975.00

  - Single with 2 federal withholding allowances

  - Flexible spending account contribution: $100.00

  - Subtract the flexible spending account contribution from the gross pay: $975.00 - $100.00 = $875.00

  - Using the wage-bracket method and referring to Publication 15-T, find the corresponding tax withholding amount for $875.00 in the single section. Let's assume it is $88.82.

3. Anita McLachlan:

  - Monthly gross pay: $2,440.00

  - Single with 0 federal withholding allowances

  - 401(k) contribution: 9% of gross pay = 0.09 * $2,440.00 = $219.60 (rounded to $219.60)

  - Subtract the 401(k) contribution from the gross pay: $2,440.00 - $219.60 = $2,220.40

  - Using the wage-bracket method and referring to Publication 15-T, find the corresponding tax withholding amount for $2,220.40 in the single section. Let's assume it is $375.66.

4. Stacey Williamson:

  - Semimonthly gross pay: $1,250.00

  - Married with 3 federal withholding allowances

  - Cafeteria plan contribution : $150.00

  - Subtract the cafeteria plan contribution from the gross pay: $1,250.00 - $150.00 = $1,100.00

  - Using the wage-bracket method and referring to Publication 15-T, find the corresponding tax withholding amount for $1,100.00 in the married filing jointly section. Let's assume it is $69.06.

For more such questions on gross pay , click on:

https://brainly.com/question/13793671

The wage-bracket method is used to calculate federal income tax withholding. I will provide the calculations for each employee based on the given information.

The wage-bracket method is used to calculate federal income tax withholding for employees who have submitted a pre-2020 Form W-4. I will provide the calculations for each employee based on the given information.

https://brainly.com/question/36574115

Define FOB Shipping and FOB Destination in your own words. - Who pays the shipping? - Who owns the shipment during transportation? - Which is better for your company? (The one you created for discussions) - What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? - Create a journal entry for FOB Shipping (and mention what is being shipped) - Create a journal entry for FOB Destination (and mention what is being shipped)

FOB Shipping : Buyer pays, assumes ownership at loading. Advantages: Lower costs for seller, faster payment. Disadvantages: Higher risk for buyer, potential disputes.

FOB Destination: Seller pays, owns until buyer's destination. Advantages: Lower risk for buyer, easier issue resolution. Disadvantages: Higher costs for seller, delayed payment .

FOB Shipping and FOB Destination are two common terms used in international trade to determine the responsibility for shipping costs and the ownership of goods during transportation . Here's a description of each term:

1. FOB Shipping:

- Who pays the shipping? The buyer/ customer pays the shipping costs.

- Who owns the shipment during transportation? The buyer/customer assumes ownership and responsibility for the goods as soon as they are loaded onto the carrier at the seller's location.

- Is it better for your company? It can be beneficial for the seller/company because it transfers the risk and costs of transportation to the buyer/customer.

Advantages of FOB Shipping:

- Reduced financial burden: The seller is not responsible for shipping costs, which can be advantageous for smaller businesses or those with limited resources.

- Faster payment: Since the buyer pays for shipping, the seller receives payment earlier, reducing cash flow issues.

- Greater control: The buyer has control over the shipping method and carrier, ensuring that their requirements are met.

Disadvantages of FOB Shipping:

- Higher risk for the buyer: The buyer assumes responsibility for the goods as soon as they are loaded onto the carrier, so any damage or loss during transit becomes their responsibility.

- Potential disputes: If any issues arise during transportation, such as delays or damage, disputes may occur regarding who is responsible for resolving them.

Journal Entry for FOB Shipping:

Date: [Insert Date]

Description: Shipment under FOB Shipping Terms

Inventory (or Finished Goods)    Dr.    [Value of Goods]

Accounts Receivable (or Cash)     Cr.   [Value of Goods]

2. FOB Destination:

- Who pays the shipping? The seller/company pays the shipping costs.

- Who owns the shipment during transportation? The seller/company retains ownership and responsibility for the goods until they reach the buyer's specified destination.

- Is it better for your company? It can be advantageous for the buyer/customer because the seller bears the risk and costs of transportation.

Advantages of FOB Destination:

- Lower risk for the buyer: The seller is responsible for any damage or loss during transit until the goods reach the buyer's destination.

- Easier resolution of issues: Since the seller maintains ownership during transportation, they are accountable for any problems that may arise, such as delays or damages.

- Simplified logistics: The seller coordinates the shipping, which can be convenient for buyers who prefer a hassle-free process.

Disadvantages of FOB Destination:

- Higher financial burden for the seller: The seller incurs shipping costs, which can be disadvantageous if the costs are substantial.

- Delayed payment: The seller may need to wait for the goods to reach the buyer's destination before receiving payment, which can affect cash flow.

Journal Entry for FOB Destination:

Description: Shipment under FOB Destination Terms

Accounts Payable (or Cash)           Dr.   [Value of Goods]

Inventory (or Finished Goods)        Cr.  [Value of Goods]

Please note that the journal entries above assume a simplified scenario and may need to be adjusted based on specific accounting practices and applicable regulations in your jurisdiction. It is always advisable to consult with an accounting professional for accurate and customized journal entries.

To learn more about customer  Click Here: brainly.com/question/31720706

Time Warner Inc. is a leading media and entertainment company with businesses in television networks, filmed entertainment, and publishing. The company's recent annual report contained the following information (dollars in millions): Net loss & 13 402 Depreciation, amortization, and impairments & 34,790 Decrease in receivables & 1,245 Increase in inventories & 5,766 Decrease in accounts payable & 445 Additions to equipment & 4,377 Required: (a) Based on this information, compute cash flow from operating activities using the indirect method.

Cash flow from operating activities using the indirect method can be computed by adjusting the net loss for non-cash expenses and changes in working capital. 1. Start with the net loss , which is given as $13,402 million. 2. Add back depreciation , amortization, and impairments, which is given as $34,790 million. 3. Adjust for the decrease in receivables, which is given as $1,245 million. Since receivables decreased, this means cash was collected, so we subtract this amount. 4. Adjust for the increase in inventories , which is given as $5,766 million. An increase in inventories means cash was used to purchase inventory, so we subtract this amount. 5. Adjust for the decrease in accounts payable, which is given as $445 million. A decrease in accounts payable means cash was used to pay off obligations, so we subtract this amount. 6. Finally, add back additions to equipment, which is given as $4,377 million. Since this is a non-cash expense, we add it back to the net loss. The net loss is adjusted for non-cash expenses, such as depreciation, amortization, and impairments. Additionally, changes in working capital , such as changes in receivables, inventories, and accounts payable, are also taken into account. The indirect method focuses on adjusting the net income to arrive at the cash flow from operating activities.

To know more about cash flow , visit:

https://brainly.com/question/27994727

1.The Electronic Communications and transactions act can be utilised to serve many purposes, one of the important purposes is: - Select one: a. To monitor transactions between citizens. b. to provide for the development of a national e­strategy for the Republic. c. to regulate security and reduce hacking. d. To ensure that individuals use the internet in a proper manner.

The correct answer is b. to provide for the development of a national e­strategy for the Republic. By providing for the development of a national e-strategy, the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act lays the foundation for a digitally inclusive and progressive society. The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act serves various purposes, and one of its important purposes is to provide for the development of a national e-strategy for the Republic. This means that the Act aims to create a comprehensive plan that outlines how the country will utilize electronic communications and transactions in order to achieve its goals. Developing a national e-strategy involves formulating policies and guidelines that promote the effective use of technology in various sectors such as government, education, business, and healthcare. It aims to harness the power of electronic communications to improve service delivery, increase efficiency, and drive innovation. For example, the Act may address issues such as improving internet access and connectivity, promoting digital literacy, ensuring data security and privacy, and fostering the growth of e-commerce . It may also outline strategies to bridge the digital divide and provide equal opportunities for all citizens to participate in the digital economy. To know more about the development , visit:

brainly.com/question/30470135