The Brainstorming Process Step by Step

  1. You will be assigned to a table, team, and facilitator.
    • You’ll be asked to draw table numbers at several points throughout the Brainstorming Sessions. It’s very important that you go to the table number that you draw whenever table changes are called. We understand that you’ll want to sit with friends or associates, but successful Brainstorming requires that you Brainstorm with people who don’t know you well enough to influence your thoughts or contributions to the group, and assigned seating helps us make that happen. Think of how much broader your personal network will be as a result of meeting so many new people with such varied backgrounds!
    • Whenever you’re asked to change tables, please select a new table number from the envelope that your Facilitator will pass around the table; remove all personal items from your present table; go to your new table as requested; and show your table number slip to your new Facilitator.
  2. Each team will be presented with a challenge. The facilitator will read the challenge aloud and make sure that everyone understands the challenge completely.
  3. We use a three-phased brainstorming process in which the group is asked to look at the challenge as an Explorer, then Judge, then Artist. Your team will be given time limits for each of these phases.
  4. Explorer Phase – Everyone can and should shout out solutions to the challenge while one person writes them down. Do NOT use Killer Phrases. No matter how daft, how impossible or how silly an idea is all ideas must be written down. Laughing is encouraged! Criticism is not! Why? Because you want to encourage the free flow of ideas and as soon as participants of the brainstorming session begin to fear criticism of their ideas, they’ll stop generating ideas. Moreover, Ideas that first seem silly may prove to be very good or may lead to ideas that are very good.
  5. Judge Phase – Once the explorer phase is complete your team will have dozens of concepts that you will now Judge.
    • Is it Cost Effective?
    • Is it Legal?
    • Is it possible and likely to be implemented?
    • Does it have a high probability of success?
    • Could it be a solution a majority of companies could use?
  6. Artist Phase – Your team will now transform the concept in to a viable idea complete with all the tools, forms and checklists that will be needed for implementation. Afterward, the group should ask the following questions:
    • What tools are needed to implement the idea?
    • Can you create the tools?
    • Can you create a new form or checklist?
    • Are implementation directions or a written plan needed?
  7. In the event that your team completes the entire process for your “number one” idea, move to the second best concept and begin its development.
  8. End of session will be called. Your facilitator will gather up all ideas and turn them into the Idea Design Center for professional development by the For Rent Media Solutions™ Design Team.
  9. Whenever breaks are called, you’ll be reminded of when to return to the room for the next Brainstorming Session. When the break ends, several of our Facilitators, acting as “Town Criers”, will roam the area calling for everyone to return to the sessions. Please return promptly to the Brainstorming room and take your newly assigned seat so that we may begin the next session on schedule.

Glossary of Terms

  • Explorer: Accepts the challenge presented and searches for possible concepts / solutions
  • Judge: Scores and ranks all the concepts / solutions then selects the best one.
  • Artist: Transforms the concept / solution chosen into a workable idea.
  • Killer Phrases: Phrases which stop the creative process, for example:
    • It’ll never work.
    • I don’t have time.
    • It’s not in the budget.
    • That will cost too much
    • The boss will never go for it.
    • We’ve tried that before.
    • That sounds like something my kids would say.
    • Because I said so.
    • That’s silly, stupid, dumb, crazy or too wild.
    • Great idea, but not for us.
    • It’s out of our scope (Consultanese for “We don’t get paid to look here.”)
    • That’s an old idea.
    • If it ain’t broke…
    • We’ve always done it this way.
    • No!
    • Do you realize the paper it will create?
    • It’s not my/your/our responsibility.
  • D.U.C.K. and Q.U.A.C.K.: Acronyms that stand for Quit Using All Communication Killers and Don’t Use Communication Killers. A toy duck is passed to the team member who uses a Killer Phrase. One person in the group is asked to start the process and when a killer phrase is heard passes the duck to the person who used the killer phrase. The duck is used during the Explorer & Artist phase.
  • Scribe: A person who volunteers to assist the facilitator in writing up all the comments, ideas and suggestions generated by the group (sometimes called a Reporter or Recorder).
  • Town Crier: A Facilitator who is assigned the task of “rounding up” Brainstormers when breaks are over so that we may begin the next session as scheduled.
  • Facilitator: The person who has been assigned the responsibility to ease the group, phase-by-phase, through the Brainstorming process.
  • Idea Design Center: The place where your ideas are sent, at the end of each Brainstorming session, in order to be transformed and transcribed. Veteran Facilitators and Professional Graphic Designers work together to turn your notes and sketches into easy-to-reference and ready-to-implement tools, forms, lists, plans, ads, etc.; so that they can be compiled and shared with all Brainstorming participants.
  • Idea Design Directive: A form that is used to assign a challenge to be Brainstormed and objectives to be achieved. This form is also used by the Recorder or Reporter to record the most vital information that emerges in the Brainstorming process. The Idea Design Directive also serves as the “cover page” for all notes and sketches that will be delivered to the Idea Design Center for processing.
  • Idea Design Template: Blank forms that are used in the Artist phase to “sketch” marketing or communication materials and other visuals that support your ideas and solutions, including ads; banners, billboards, and other signage; logos; etc.
  • Challenge Solving Session: A Brainstorming Session that is devoted helping each member of the group identify solutions to his or her most pressing challenge. Members take turns presenting their challenge to the group, and receive feedback and possible solutions to record on a Challenge Solving form. The form is sent to the Idea Design Center for processing.
  • 20 Ways Session: A Brainstorming Session in which the group is presented with a simple task (i.e. increase rents, decrease expenses, demonstrate a pool or fitness center) and a blank list; and asked to identify and record at least 20 ways to perform the assigned task.
  • Best Practices Session: A Brainstorming Session in which each member of the group is given a form and asked to record and share the details and results of the very best idea they’ve recently implemented. The group then adds additional ideas that they may think of to improve upon or enhance the original idea.
  • Topic of Your Choice: A Brainstorming Session with no pre-assigned topic or challenge. The members of the group must work together to determine the challenge and objectives to be Brainstormed. A blank Idea Design Directive is used to record the challenge and resulting solutions.
  • Table Change: The success of the Brainstorming process depends on “shaking things up” a bit. One of the ways that we make that happen is to ask attendees, at various points throughout the program, to form new groups before taking on new topics. When this happens, your facilitator will pass around an envelope containing small, numbered slips of paper. The number that you draw will determine what table you move to when a table change is called.
  • “Rate Your Facilitator” Survey: The best way for us to ensure that our Facilitators are meeting and exceeding attendee expectations is to ask our attendees! At the conclusion of each session, your facilitator will provide you with a very brief survey form that you can use to let us know what you thought about his or her performance.
  • Facilitator in Training: Facilitating isn’t as easy as it looks! If a person is interested in becoming a candidate for the toughest job at Brainstorming – bar none – they are given the opportunity to become a Facilitator In Training during the first Brainstorming Session of the event. Candidates are given a list of requirements and responsibilities, and presented with a button or ribbon to wear that will identify them to all of the Facilitators with whom you’ll work throughout the week. Facilitators help the candidates meet the requirements, obtain the necessary recommendations, and develop their skills. Please understand that enrolling as a Facilitator in Training does not guarantee that a person will be invited to Facilitate. It will, however, identify a person as someone who wishes to be considered for the position.