Self Improvement: Brainstorming Technique- Optimizing Meeting and Discussion

To be successfully optimizing your business meeting, project discussion, communication and idea organization play an crucial part in our daily basic.

Brainstorming has a meaning of getting a large number of ideas from a group of people in a short period of time. Therefore, Brain Storming technique, indeed, is a very powerful tool in many area of our life. It is quite often to be used in a meeting to avoid conflict and optimize the ideas generation in a minimum period of time. Basically there are several type of brainstorming technique as stated below:

1. Classical Brainstorming:
All participants agree to the rules and express ideas verbally. They are not really restricted and can express themselves freely.

2. Mitsubishi Brainstorming method:
Participants are required to write down their ideas in a silent period before verbal contributions begin.

3. Phillips 66 method:
A large group is separated into several small groups. Each small groups would be given six minutes to generate their ideas and then share their idea in the large group. The six-minute brainstorming period can be repeated several times in order to generate more creative ideas.

Today, I will share with you about the Classical Brainstorming technique.

The basic principles of this brainstorming technique are stated below:

1. Everyone must postpone their own comment to any presented ideas during the brainstorming session and delay the judge to every single idea in order to produce a productivity atmosphere and encourage all the group members to contribute as much ideas as possible.

2. The main purpose to use brainstorming technique is getting as much ideas as possible.

3. All the members are encouraged to think freely by using their imagination to produce or generate ideas.

4. All the ideas can be combined, modified, expanded, improved and amended.

5. The period of time for brainstorming is about 15 to 30 minutes only in order to avoid the group members feel tired and hamper.

6. Brainstorming activity is a group work. However, the recommended number of members per group is not more than 15 people. Otherwise, the process of brainstorming will be difficult to be handled or controlled.

7. The main objective of brainstorming is to produce and develop an abundance of ideas.

Process to launch a brain storming:

There are basically 3 session in a brainstorming activity as stated as follow:

1. Choose a leader who every group members agree and support with. After that, the leader is required to deliver a talk which doesn't relate to the topic in order to amuse all the group members. If the members haven't known each other, the group leader must use a suitable approach to introduce all the group members in a short time.

2. The brainstorming will be started after the topic or title is introduced. The crucial part is the topic or title must be particular and specific. Otherwise, it will be so difficult to be discussed in the group.

Next, write down the topic on a piece of Mah-jong paper or white board in order to let all the group members see it clearly. After that, the group leader is required to invite all the group members to present their ideas to the topic. A secretary must record all the presented ideas. All the comments or suggestions to the ideas must be postponed regardless whether it is logic, confusing, or not practical during this session. In the meanwhile, all the participants are also encouraged to add, to combine, or to expand all the presented ideas. When the time limit is over, the group leader should close this session and read all the recorded ideas from the secretary. After that, all the group members are given 5 to 10 minutes to relax and make their mind clear.

3. After 5 to 10 minutes time out period, the next session is to evaluate all the recorded ideas from the session 2. This is very important session to determine and choose suitable and applicable ideas. The group leader will lead the group members together to discuss all the ideas in order to choose the best ideas. The remainder ideas can be use as sub-points or supporting points to the main point.

The physical requirement of brainstorming activity:

Location and circumstance play an important part to smooth and optimize the brainstorming activity. In an atmosphere and the circumstance which is far form the noise and busy will help the participants to be more focus on their thinking in order to produce or generate creative and innovative ideas.

Some suggestions for physical requirements are suitable meeting room, comfortable chair, one circle shape table for 15 people, pencil and paper for each participants, suitable size of white broad or mahjong paper, maker pen with several color, and recorder to record the activity of brainstorming.


Written by:
Xaivier Chia

Reference: pengenalan pemikiran kritis kreatif, Mohd. Azhar Abd. Hamid (2001)