For more effective brainstorming, use a hybrid approach.

The debate about brainstorming

Some say that traditional team brainstorming techniques (i.e: meeting as a group and shouting out ideas) may produce quantity, but not quality. At the core of the argument is that individuals are better problem solvers when working alone than in a group (Knapp 2016).

In part, research supports the argument ... but don’t cancel your team meetings just yet. A 2010 study on brainstorming found that “Hybrid brainstorming - a combo of team and individual - increase both the quantity and the quality ideas.”(Girotra, Terwiesch & Ulrich 2010)

“Hybrid brainstorming - a combo of team and individual - increase both the quantity and the quality ideas.”

— Girotra, Terwiesch & Ulrich 2010

Hybrid brainstorming method

If you’re ready to shake up your brainstorming, here is a hybrid approach that provides personal reflection time while utilizing the power of the team. It's called the 6-3-5 brainwriting method. 

You’ll need:

• People
• Post-its®
• Paper
• Pens
• Time

1. Start out with one large piece of paper for each participant. (Six participants is a great number, hence the 6 in the method name.)
    
2. Fill each sheet of paper with a grid of post-its.
   Tip: Using post-its allows you to reorganize and prioritize the individual ideas after the brainstorming is complete.  
    
3. Bring your team together, hand out the paper and give them five minutes (5) to think about solutions on their own.
   Reminder: Brainstorming works best if everyone knows the problem they are working to solve and has insights about the needs of the users in advance.
    
4. The goal is for everyone to add at least three (3) ideas, one per post-it. There is no limit, but setting a minimum goal is helpful.
    
5. After five minutes, have the team pass the papers to the person on their right. He or she will then review the initial ideas and build on them or add something completely new.
   Tip: The first few rounds might go faster or slower so feel free to be flexible with the time.
    
6. Continue the rounds until the papers return to their original owners.

Using the 6-3-5 brainwriting method, you can come up with 108 new ideas in just 30 minutes. If ideas begin to lag, pair this exercise with some challenge questions or these great Change Cards from the UK Policy Lab.

From post-it to reality

Of course, the work never stops at brainstorming. There is still the task of evaluating and selecting the ideas, then bringing the solution from post-it to reality. This is where the power of a complete design process can really shine.

That, friends, is a topic for another day. 

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Sources:

Girotra, K. , Terwiesch, C. , & Ulrich, K. 2010. Idea Generation and the Quality of the Best Idea. Management Science 56(4), 591–605.

Knapp, J. 2016. Stop brainstorming and start sprinting. LinkedIn Pulse. Referred 26.4.2016. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-brainstorming-start-sprinting-jake-knapp.

Rohrbach, Bernd. "Creative by rules, method 635, a new technique for solving problems." Absatzwirtschaft 12 (1969): 73-75.

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This is the fifth in a series of posts featuring tips and tools used to help participants of the Ibiza Service Jam discover how a design thinking can transform the way we look at problems.

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