This article serves as a sequel to our last article ‘generating innovative ideas’. Towards the end of that article we promised to explore brainstorming in more depth, so the aim of this article is to do just that. This article seeks to present different possible brainstorming techniques, explain how to use the techniques to brainstorm and finally outline the benefits of utilising these techniques in the generation of innovative techie ideas.
Mind-Mapping
A mind map uses visual thinking to create an organised display of ideas for a solution to a problem. On a mind-map the ideas radiate out from a central point as opposed to falling below a header in a list format.
Mind Map
Benefits
It allows you to think up new and creative ideas quickly and easily
Freewriting
Freewriting is a brainstorming technique whereby you write continuously for a set period of time without paying attention to things like spelling, grammar, or topic. Try following these six steps and see if you can get your creative juices flowing:
1) Find a quiet place where you will not be interrupted or distracted
2) Set an alarm for between 5-15 minutes
3) Begin writing, write whatever ideas come into your mind however nonsensical or random they may seem
4) Write non-stop until the alarm sounds
5) Read over what you have written and look for ideas or concepts that have emerged to point you in the direction of your ‘techie’ idea for your business proposal.
Benefits
Attribute listing
Attribute listing is a good technique for ensuring all possible aspects of a problem have been assessed. It is the breaking down of a problem into smaller bits and seeing what you discover when you do this. To illustrate we will use the example of a business that makes torches. The business is under pressure from competition and needs to improve the quality of their product. By breaking the torch down into its component parts i.e. casing, switch, battery, bulb and the weight, and examining the attributes of each one, you can develop a list of ideas to improve each one.
Benefits
It is a very useful technique for improving service processes or the quality of a product
- It allows you to focus on one specific part of a product or process, that can lead to a new innovation
- It allows you to discover ways in which you can modify the attributes; thus you can increase value, decrease negative value or even create a whole new value.
Reverse brainstorming
Reverse brainstorming is a method which combines both brainstorming and reversal techniques in order to develop creative ideas. The three steps to reverse brainstorming are:
1) Change the wording of the problem you are working on from how to solve it, to how to cause it. For example, if you were looking at a customer satisfaction problem, ask ‘How can we cause customer dissatisfaction?
2) Brainstorm as many ways as you can think to cause customer dissatisfaction
3) Find ways to prevent the problem being caused
Benefits
- It is a great technique to use if you are struggling to identify solutions to a problem directly.
- It encourages creative thinking and thinking “outside the box”
This article has presented you with a number of tools that you can utilise to brainstorm ideas and get your creative juices flowing. You can try out one of the methods or combine them and see which works for you. Whichever way you choose to use these tools we believe that they will serve as a great aid to help you on your way to generating an award winning innovative idea and winning the Student IT Innovation awards.
If you have any other suggestions for brainstorming ideas, why not share them?