There are many ways to plan and facilitate a brainstorm. This is one way to do it. Given 8.29.2012 for a HuffPost Tech Brown Bag Talk

1. hi.

2. Plan

3. Plan > Who?
The magic number is 5-10.

4. Plan > Who?
The magic number is 5-10.
•7 people

5. Plan > Who?
Know your audience.
•7 people

6. Plan > Who?
Know your audience.
•7 people
•Editors

7. Plan > What?
What do you want to accomplish?
•7 people
•Editors

8. Plan > What?
What do you want to accomplish?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical

9. Plan > What?
What do you need?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical

10. Plan > What?
What do you need?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks

11. Plan > How?
How much time?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks

12. Plan > How?
How much time?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours

13. Plan > When?
When will it be?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours

14. Plan > When?
When will it be?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare

15. Plan > Where?
Where will it be held?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare

16. Plan > Where?
Where will it be held?
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

17. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up
5-10 min.
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

18. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up
5-10 min.
•Apples to apples
•Pass the ball
•Bodystorming
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

19. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up Activity
5-10 min. 15 min.
•Apples to apples
•Pass the ball
•Bodystorming
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

20. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up Activity
5-10 min. 15 min.
•Apples to apples •Empathy hats
•Pass the ball •Group competitive
•Bodystorming analysis
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

21. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up Activity How Might We
5-10 min. 15 min. 45 min.
•Apples to apples •Empathy hats
•Pass the ball •Group competitive
•Bodystorming analysis
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

22. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up Activity How Might We
5-10 min. 15 min. 45 min.
•Apples to apples •Empathy hats •Big, but not too big
•Pass the ball •Group competitive
•Bodystorming analysis
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

23. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up Activity How Might We Diagram!
5-10 min. 15 min. 45 min. 45 min.
•Apples to apples •Empathy hats •Big, but not too big
•Pass the ball •Group competitive
•Bodystorming analysis
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

24. Plan > The Flow
Warm Up Activity How Might We Diagram! Wrap Up
5-10 min. 15 min. 45 min. 45 min. 5 min.
•Apples to apples •Empathy hats •Big, but not too big
•Pass the ball •Group competitive
•Bodystorming analysis
•Insert favorite
icebreaker here
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

25. Plan > A few days before
Test the activities
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

26. Plan > The Day
Prepare the room
•7 people
•Editors
•New directions for the Cats vertical
•Post Its, Sharpies, whiteboard/big
Post It paper, snacks
•2 hours
•Week to prepare
•Conference room

27. Facilitate

28. Facilitate
Stay calm.

29. Facilitate
Listen. A lot.

30. Facilitate
Be engaged, but objective.

31. Facilitate
It’s okay if something goes wrong.

32. Facilitate

33. Synthesize

34. Synthesize
Collect and organize.

35. Synthesize
Affinity diagrams are awesome.

36. Synthesize
Know your product.

37. Synthesize
Read in between the lines.

38. Synthesize
Collaborate.

39. Examples

40. Examples > Warm Ups
Bodystorming

41. Examples > Activity
Many Hats.

42. Examples > HMW
How might we revolutionize gaming on the tablet?
How might we motivate our employees?
How might we use motorcycles in our logo to improve
our brand?

43. Examples > HMW
How might we revolutionize gaming on the tablet?
How might we motivate our employees?
How might we use motorcycles in our logo to improve
our brand?

44. Examples > Diagram

45. ?