Rules Of Brainstorming
There is a great way to generate some radical and highly creative ideas. This is done through brainstorming. When you are having a brainstorming session there needs to be an atmosphere of ease and freedom to say whatever you want. When you have an idea, say it without thinking. There cannot be anything to hold anyone back from expressing thoughts or ideas, even if they are a bit wacky or weird. It’s the weird and wacky that usually lead to the most creative solutions.
In order to keep this type of atmosphere, there has to be something to eliminate criticism in any form, negative, positive or just plain nothing, but if it is criticism, it does not have a place in that room. There has to be some rules of brainstorming established prior to the session so that every group member know them. It is also wise to have them written down in advance and handed to each participant as they walk in the room.
The purpose of having a group instead of doing this individually, is to ensure the experience of all the members. When someone has run dry of ideas, there is another one that has some, then another is inspired by the previous idea. This is the purpose, to feed off one another, pulling out the ideas and experiences that may pertain to the topic from someones past.
Brainstorming is a form of mind-mapping, a way to connect thoughts and ideas, creating a travel map that at first heads in every direction. Once you have your map created, then you are able to make a plan.
So, without rules for brainstorming, it can be a bit risky for those in the group. There may some very valuable and yet very strange suggestions that come out, and you may think they are stupid at first, but later may surprise you. But, because of the freedom some may feel and be able to express, there may be others who are not very creative and not have an opportunity to even speak. And there may be the crazy ideas that can be the subject of criticism or ridicule. And because of this, there needs to be a chairperson to keep the everything flowing in a way that no one has their feelings crushed or humiliated.
