creativity is only one small part of the skill set required to run a successful brainstorm or worshop. The perspective of a UK innovation consultancy.

1. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T

2. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Brainstorming The best way to
The most creative workshops aren’t get a good idea is
always the most productive!
to get lots of ideas
A lot of emphasis is placed on the need
for creativity tools when brainstorming, Linus Pauling, American Nobel
whilst these are important, they are by
prize-winning chemist
no means the only ingredient necessary
for a successful brainstorm.
Having the right challenge, the right
people, the right process and fresh
stimulus and are also incredibly
important…
It’s only when all the elements of your
workshop are in complete alignment
that the investment of time, brain-
power and resources you put in – will
produce the genius output you seek.

3. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Challenge
To be really successful a brainstorm
must have an appropriate challenge to
work against and the right agenda to
guide people towards a creative
solution.
Framing the challenge is incredibly
important. Set too directive a challenge
and you will quickly inhibit the team’s
creativity, set too loose a challenge and 5 Golden
you will end up with few relevant
solutions. Always set an open Rules:
challenge and make sure it is defined
in term of the solution’s consumer, not
the solution itself (e.g. a new breakfast
to consume on the move, rather than a
new individually wrapped cereal bar).
1. Problem focus 2. Seek opportunities 3. Be brave 4. Use gut feel 5. Back what excites you

4. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
People
Choosing the right team is absolutely
critical to a successful output.
To maximise creativity you need to
ensure you have a broadly based,
cross-functional team capable of
exploring all the facets of the
challenge. L LABORATIV
CO E
The right mind-set is also key. Your
EN MINDED
delegates need to be open-minded and
willing to explore new and innovative
POSITIVE
ways of addressing your challenge –
rather than obsessed with the
status quo.
OP
Your delegates have to be willing to
invest time in advance of the session CR
OS AL
and happy to give your workshop S - F U N C TI O N
100% of their attention whilst they
are brainstorming.
It is also important that they are
willing to embrace a positive, can-do
approach on the day – rather than
one of guarded caution.

5. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Process
You need to ensure your agenda structure is designed
as a funnel – starting broad and working towards a
consensus point.
Begin by getting people to share their perspectives
on the challenge; then progress to a free ranging,
SHARING
wide-open creative exploration session.
Only once you have thoroughly explored the chal-
EXPLORING
lenge can you start to explore ways of filtering and
prioritising your starter solutions. BROADENING
Allow plenty of time for starter solutions to be evolved
by the teams into detailed conceptual solutions and FILTERING
allow people time to form the bonds that will turn
them into concept champions.
PRIORITISING
Keep range of potential options open. If you try to
progress to the solution too fast you are bound to miss
potentially brilliant solution areas.
Most importantly, work out a detailed timing plan.
Whatever you do, do not allow timings to slip so that
you fail to complete the agenda – however stimulating
the debates you will leave delegates feeling unsatisfied
and incomplete.

6. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Stimulus & Creativity Tools
We open the challenge...
CONSUMER INTERVIEWS
Even the most creative group of
people will produce only mediocre
outputs if they are working with
familiar materials.
A well-framed “open” challenge on its
own may help them spot fresh ways of
dissecting the problem and creating a
new solution.
EXPERT WITNESS COMPETITOR PRODUCTS
However, well planned and pre-sourced
stimulus can be an incredibly powerful
tool encouraging the team to see the
problem from an undreamt of perspective. ...then choose creativity tools to focus the output
Well chosen creativity tools are then
the icing on the cake – allowing
the team to address the challenge by
harnessing their existing shared
knowledge and inspired by the example
of fresh stimulus.

7. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
Top Tips for Better Brainstorming
• Make sure you have a clear objective that engages everyone
• Ensure you’ve framed your objective in an “open” way
• Choose a bright, energetic, positive cross-functional team
• Ensure you have a strong facilitator; open, experienced and
preferably neutral
• Book out a time when everyone can clear minds for at least a day
• Choose a location with plenty of natural light, fresh air and lots space
to move around
• Make sure everyone knows each other, that they are in a space with
people that will encourage their creativity
• Bring along lots of fresh stimulus – no-one has fresh ideas when they
are looking at the same stuff in the same old way
• Plan exercises that encourage thinking stretch in lateral directions
• Start by sharing knowledge; then reframe the challenge; then
explore potential opportunities; and only then explore solutions
• Don’t attempt a final assessment of your thinking until you have
thoroughly reviewed all the concepts…you’ll miss the gems!

8. B R A N D D E V E LO P M E N T
If in doubt, call us….we’ll happily talk
through your needs and prepare a
quote for planning and implementing
a workshop for you
Telephone: +44 (0) 1491 411272