1. Brainstorming -- CCrreeaattiivvee
PPrroobblleemm SSoollvviinngg MMeetthhoodd

2. SSeessssiioonn oobbjjeeccttiivveess
 What is brainstorming
 Why and when use it
 How to organise and lead a successful
brainstorming session
 What mistakes are to be avoided
 Additional creative problem solving
methods

3. What iiss bbrraaiinnssttoorrmmiinngg
„The best way how to have a good idea is
to have many ideas“
 Alex F. Osborne, 1939
 method of thinking up solutions, concepts,
ideas in problem solving
 using the brain to storm new ideas in groups
 „It is easier to tone down a wild idea than to think
up a new one.“

4. WWhhyy and When Use It
 the creative process is not always easy (problems
of fear, criticism, no existing solutions yet)
 one person has a limited capacity
 people tend to judge new ideas immediately (a
change is difficult for a human being)
CCrreeaattiivvee tthhiinnkkiinngg rreeqquuiirree
aapppprroopprriiaattee ttoooollss !!

5. HHooww ddooeess iitt wwoorrkk
 iinn aa ggrroouupp ooff ppeeooppllee
 ffrreeee aassssoocciiaattiioonnss ttoo tthhee ttooppiicc ggiivveenn
 rreellaaxxeedd aanndd ffrriieennddllyy aattmmoosspphheerree
 ddeeffeerrrreedd jjuuddggeemmeennttss –– rreelleeaassee tthhee hhuummaann
mmiinndd,, llaatteerraall tthhiinnkkiinngg
As many ideas as possible,
no matter how crazy they
are

6. TThhee kkeeyy rruulleess
1. relaxed atmosphere - completely
free
2. no criticism or judgements
3. quantity matters
4. all ideas legitimate
5. all ideas put on the sheet of paper
6. evaluation only after the session

7. BBEENNEEFFIITTSS ooff
bbrraaiinnssttoorrmmiinngg

8. WWhhyy and When Use It
Specific questions:
- How can we promote our products?
- What can our company do in 5 years hence?
- What can we do to solve the problem XY?
- How can we improve co-operation of A and B?
- What do our customers really want?
- What opportunities do we have this year?
- How can we have more fun at work?

9. BBRRAAIINNSSTTOORRMMIINNGG
CCOONNSSTTRRAAIINNTTSS
 does not rank the ideas
 cannot help you select the important
ones
 does not suggest the best solutions
 must be amended by other
methods

10. Organising aa sseessssiioonn??
1. PREPARATION
PHASE
2. CONDUCT THE
SESSION
3. EVALUATION

11. 1. PREPARATION
PHASE
Specify the problem
What do we really want?
Select the right
people
up to 10 – 12
different positions
Invite people
make sure they
have time
Decide when and where
place and time matters
„U“ layout of the room

12. 2. CONDUCT THE SESSION
1. Specify the objectives – make sure that everybody is happy
with the central question.
2. Decide the roles: - leader, recorder, panel.
3. Explain the rules (or make sure that everybody knows them.
Eventually – a warm-up exercise for fun). You can let people to jot
down a few ideas before starting.
4. Begin by going around, after some rounds, open the floor.
5. Record the ideas exactly, clarify only in the end.
6. Suspend judgements !
7. Encourage the ideas, even the most radical and far-fetched.
Allow the late coming ideas, do not hurry.
8. At the end – eliminate duplicates, clarify, thank the participants.

13. 3. EVALUATION PHASE
Put the evaluation off / next day
Add newly born ideas to the list
Group similar ideas together
Select the best or most interesting
suggestions
Create teams which will work on
them further
Inform people about the results

14. MMiissttaakkeess ttoo bbee aavvooiiddeedd
 people are
negative in
advance (it will not
work anyway)
 too many
brainstormings in
the company
 bad atmosphere
in the beginning
 bad experience
with the method
 judgements occur
during the session
 any criticism and
personal attacks

15. AAddddiittiioonnaall ccrreeaattiivvee
pprroobblleemm--ssoollvviinngg mmeetthhooddss
IINNDDIIVVIIDDUUAALL BBRRAAIINNWWRRIITTIINNGG
CCOOLLOOUURRFFUULL CCAARRDDSS
MMIINNDD MMAAPPSS

16. INDIVIDUAL BBRRAAIINNWWRRIITTIINNGG
When?
- When you need to solve some problem alone, and
you do not have a group to work with
How?
- A piece of paper (can be big and colourful to stimulate
your thinking).
- Jot down all ideas linked with the issue.
- !! Do not judge yourself !!
- further steps as in brainstorming

17. CCOOLLOOUURRFFUULL CCAARRDDSS
When?
- in a group of people, sensitive topic (eg. What do we like / dislike
about our managers, company?)
How?
- a set of papers / person (smaller pieces, A4/3 or 3M), colours as
needed, for example yellow and green
- people individually note their opinions on the cards, one idea
per card, yellow – positive, green – negative
- glue the cards on the flip chart, grouping immediately similar
opinions together, negative on the left, positive on the right
- let people see and discuss the result
- brainstorming on What can we do about it? can follow

18. MMIINNDD MMAAPPSS**
linear form
WHAT is it?
- alternative way of making notes and mapping any issue
- many well-known thinkers used some form of it
(Leonardo da Vinci)
- does not use linear form of notes, but EXPLOSIVE
- using colours, pictures and symbols
WHY?
- uses natural brain processes
- stimulate thinking, fun, joy
explosive
form
** eg. Tony Buzan, The Creative Intelligence

19. HHooww ttoo uussee MMIINNDD MMAAPPSS
PRAGUE
hhiissttoorryy
ccuullttuurree
ccaappiittaall cciittyy
ttrraannssppoorrtt
rreessttaauurraannttss
aanndd ggoooodd ffoooodd
aarrcchhiitteeccttuurree

20. When ttoo uussee MMIINNDD MMAAPPSS
 ttoo mmaakkee aa ddaaiillyy sscchheedduullee
 nnootteess ooff tthhee lleessssoonn,, bbooookkss,, aarrttiicclleess
 hhoolliiddaayy ppllaannnniinngg
 sshhooppppiinngg lliisstt
 ttoo ddoo lliisstt
 eevveerryy ddaayy,, aass oofftteenn aass ppoossssiibbllee,, bbee ccrreeaattiivvee,,
ddeevveelloopp yyoouurr oowwnn ssttyyllee wwiitthh ttiimmee,, hhaavvee ffuunn
 aallssoo iinn ggrroouuppss aafftteerr bbrraaiinnssttoorrmmiinngg sseessssiioonn

21. SSUUMMMMAARRYY
 creativity is not born by itself
 creative methods must be consciously
introduced and developed in organisations
 people must be encouraged to use them,
with no fear to make mistakes, prized for new
ideas
 support from top management needed
 good preparation and patience
HHaavvee ffuunn aanndd aallll tthhee bbeesstt !!