Brainstorming

What is this Tool? 

Brainstorming is the process of bringing together multiple people to respond to a prompt, concept or idea by reviewing and sharing information from diverse perspectives to gain further insight and awareness for new or historical information. Typically sessions are held on either a visual platform such as sticky notes and white board activities, a verbal platform through open ended discussion, or a combination of the two. As stated by Brace and Nusser, "Brainstorming can be an effective process for generating ideas and solutions," (p.36). The objective for brainstorming is to provide an open structure for learners to share ideas and discuss a wide range of options on how to interpret information, discuss options, or come to consensus on action items or next steps. A best practice for facilitating brainstorming sessions is to ask questions of 'what, why, and how'. These questions will allow learners to reflect on their responses and assumptions and begin to dig deeper into the topic from alternate vantage points. 

Relevance to Adult Learning 

In adult education, brainstorming can be an ideal tool to use as it allows learners autonomy to share ideas and perspectives rooted from their own experience. From a motivational standpoint, the elements of autonomy as well as incorporation of experiential learning and reflection creates engagement as it allows individuals equal opportunity to contribute thoughts that can build toward a resolution. In my professional experience, brainstorming has been a way to streamline process improvement by bringing in multiple perspectives (such as management and front line workers) to openly examine current state issues and identify the most effective solution as well as potential challenges to plan for. 

How to Use in Corporate Training

Virtual or In person white board activities: Find a way to have some platform where all members of the learning group can provide insights in the same location and build off one another. This can be done physically with sticky notes on a wall or on a virtual platform with type/text submissions. There can be a wide range of mediums available, but the objective is to get all members to contribute to the prompts provided and reflect and respond to peer feedback. 

Discussion Questions or Prompts: Discussion questions or prompts can be paired with activities such as white boarding, or they can be standalone questions provided to a class in an open forum. Best practice here is to know the objective you want learners to discuss and have a series of questions that can prompt learners thinking to guide them there, or create more room for a different direction based on diverse perspectives.

Why Tree Activities: These can be done virtrually or on physical paper. You can start with a problem statement, objective, etc, then have branches or webs come off that asking the question why and continuing on. A best practice for why tree activities is to ensure participants have time to debrief and reflect on larger groups findings as a whole.

Resources & Examples

Six Creative Ways To Brainstorm Ideas

4 Ways to Improve your Brainstorming

Brainstorming Example 1

Brainstorming techniques for virtual team work