Brainstorming: For Creative Decision Making
A creativity technique designed to generate a large number of ideas.
Brainstorming
- Goal
- Surface diverse ideas by separating idea generation from judgment.
- Flow
- Generate freely → Suspend judgment → Organize → Select later
- Best For
- Idea exploration; Early problem framing; Creative collaboration
Why This Matters
When faced with a problem, many people struggle to generate fresh ideas. They may stick to familiar solutions or limit their thinking to obvious answers. This often blocks innovation and slows progress.
In both personal and business contexts, finding creative approaches is essential for success. Brainstorming offers a way to unlock new perspectives, encourage diverse input, and overcome mental barriers.
What this framework is
Brainstorming is a dynamic group creativity technique aimed at generating a plethora of ideas to solve problems.
Developed by advertising executive Alex F. Osborn in the 1940s, this method was introduced in his book "Your Creative Power." It was designed to enhance the creative output of his team at BBDO (Batton, Barton, Durstine & Osborn).
The essence of brainstorming lies in encouraging participants to think freely, fostering an environment where all ideas are welcomed. This makes brainstorming one of the most effective tools in creative thinking and problem-solving.
Rules of Brainstorming
The brainstorming process is built around four essential rules:
- Focus on quantity – The more ideas, the better the chance of finding strong ones.
- Withhold criticism – Judgment blocks creativity; evaluation comes later.
- Encourage wild ideas – Unusual or bold suggestions can inspire new directions.
- Combine and improve ideas – Build on others’ thoughts to create stronger solutions.
Key Considerations
Diversity of Participants
Including individuals from different backgrounds, departments, or areas of expertise can lead to more innovative ideas.
Withhold Criticism
A comfortable and open environment that encourages creativity and free thinking is crucial for effective brainstorming. Criticism during the idea generation phase is discouraged. Judgment should be deferred until later.
Encourage Wild Ideas
Outlandish ideas are welcomed as they can be the starting point for more practical solutions.
Build on Others' Ideas
Participants should suggest improvements or variations to ideas already mentioned.
Follow the framework in a structured sequence
Each step below is intended to reduce ambiguity before you move to the next one.
Preparation
- Define the Problem: Clearly articulate the problem or objective to ensure everyone understands the focus.
- Set Objectives: Establish goals for the brainstorming session.
- Define and Participants: The collaboration and perspectives shared by different roles/departments can help stimulate creativity.
- Gather Participants: The ideal number of people in a brainstorming session is 6-10. It provides a diverse range of perspectives while still being manageable. It allows for a balance of idea generation and effective group dynamics. Smaller groups (3-5 people) can be effective while larger groups (11+) people can generate a high volume of ideas, but the engagement of each one might decrease.
- Prepare Materials: Ensure all necessary materials (e.g., whiteboards, markers, sticky notes) are available.
Idea Generation
- Roles Involved:
- Facilitator: Lead the session, keep it focused, and ensure adherence to brainstorming rules.
- Participants: Follow the rules and actively contribute ideas without self-censorship or criticism.
- Note-Taker: Write down all ideas clearly and accurately, group similar ideas and keep the notes organized for easy reference during the evaluation phase.
- Timekeeper: Keep track of the time for each phase of the brainstorming session (20-60 mins per session is recommended).
- Evaluator: Review and assess the ideas based on the set criteria. Can be the same people in the group, or can look for feedback from experts.
- Set Ground Rules: Reinforce the rules of brainstorming, such as deferring judgment, encouraging wild ideas, and building on others' ideas.
- Generate Ideas: Allow participants to share ideas freely. Ideas should be recorded visibly for the group to see, such as on a whiteboard or large paper.
Idea Organization
- Categorize Ideas: Group similar ideas together to identify themes and patterns.
- Clarify and Expand: Ask participants to explain their ideas in more detail if needed and encourage further expansion on promising ideas.
Evaluation and Selection
- Set Criteria: Establish criteria for evaluating ideas based on feasibility, impact, and relevance.
- Discuss and Refine: Review and discuss the ideas as a group, refining and combining ideas where appropriate.
- Select Best Ideas: Vote or come to a consensus on the most promising ideas to pursue further.
Implementation Planning
- Develop Action Plan: Create a plan for implementing the selected ideas, including assigning responsibilities and setting deadlines.
- Follow-Up: Schedule follow-up meetings to track progress and make necessary adjustments.
When to Use This Framework
- Idea exploration: When a problem is open-ended and solutions are not yet clear.
- Early problem framing: When teams risk locking into obvious or familiar answers too quickly.
- Creative collaboration: When diverse perspectives are needed before narrowing options.
Takeaway
Brainstorming works because it protects ideas before they are ready to be judged.
By delaying evaluation, teams unlock options that would otherwise be filtered out too early.
The real power of brainstorming is not in choosing the best idea, but in expanding the space of possible solutions first.
FAQ
A good result is a message that lands quickly because the main point is obvious, the supporting logic is grouped cleanly, and the audience can follow the argument without hunting for the conclusion. If the audience still has to reconstruct the point for themselves, the framework has not been used well.
It is a weak fit when the real problem is missing evidence, weak judgment, or disagreement about the decision itself. Brainstorming improves how the message is expressed, but it cannot compensate for thin thinking underneath it.
Brainstorming is useful for idea exploration when the audience needs a message they can absorb quickly and act on. It adds the most value when you already know the point you want to make but need a stronger way to deliver it.
Apply Brainstorming to your own context
Bring your situation, constraints, and desired outcome into Advisor. The framework is already selected, so the conversation starts directly in application mode.