Whether it be the design, naming, or logo ideation for your project, the brainstorming process is an effective method for developing ideas and solutions. But how do you conduct a successful group brainstorming session? This article will take you through the 5 steps to perform when you want effective and creative solutions while brainstorming.
1. Environment
The first step to the brainstorming process is creating the right environment. Members of the sessions should not feel judged to say what pops into their minds. The most important part to brainstorming is staying open minded. You should feel free to say whatever comes to mind, even if the idea seems bad. It’s good to think of it as quality comes from quantity. You should also select a clear leader within the group who will guide the discussion and record all suggestions. Using a whiteboard or a projected screen so everyone can easily access and visualize all answers is very helpful to the environment as well.
2. Outline Goals
Next, understand the objective of the brainstorming session. The leader should lay out all the current information you have on your project. You should already have an indepth comprehension of the goals of your project, such as what the project’s purpose is and who the is the target audience. It’s helpful to research competitors in the market that are similar to your project. Visuals can stir up some creative thinking, so collect pictures and videos as a reference.
3. Generate & Share Ideas
Again, when coming up with ideas and sharing them with the group, members should know they have the freedom to write down anything they believe represents the project, even if they don’t believe the idea is the right one. At this point, it’s all about getting any ideas out there, because you can develop better suited ideas during the group discussion phase. It’s all about the process. The leader should try to keep the conversation focused on one idea at a time, allowing participants to discuss what they like about the idea and build onto it to make it even better or more feasible.
4. Narrow Down Ideas
Now that everyone has shared and discussed the ideas generated, the group must narrow the list down to the two or three best solutions. The best ideas represent the project’s objectives you outlined at the start of the session. A great way to do this is having each member vote on their top three choices. Whichever ideas have the most votes are the ones that represent the team’s best ideas. Record the top three ideas for your next step.
5. Action Plan
Once you have your list of the top two to three ideas, you now have to come up with a plan on how to proceed. Typically, you would present these ideas to your client next to get their input. When presenting, take the client through your thought process to support your recommendations. If you share how you came up with your ideas, it shows you’ve thought carefully and have thoroughly developed these answers. Ask your client which one of the few ideas they like best or if they have any suggestions.
And there you have it- 5 steps to perform a successful brainstorming process. We hope that you’ve found some valuable suggestions in this article. Want to learn more about Vita Group and our medical device development? Book a call to meet with our CEO Jason Scherer.
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