This document discusses various creative problem solving methods, focusing on brainstorming. It describes brainstorming as a method where a group generates many ideas without criticism, with the goal of coming up with novel solutions. The document outlines best practices for organizing an effective brainstorming session, including preparing the problem, participants, and environment in advance. Additional methods like individual brainwriting and mind mapping are also introduced as alternatives. The summary emphasizes that creativity benefits from consciously applying such techniques and cultivating an environment without fear of mistakes.

1. Brainstorming
Creative Problem Solving
Method

2. Session objectives
• 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 is brainstorming
„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. Why and When to 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)
Creative thinking require appropriate
tools !

5. How does it work
• in a group of people
• free associations to the topic given
• relaxed and friendly atmosphere
• deferred judgements – release the human mind,
lateral thinking
As many ideas as possible,
no matter how crazy they are

6. The Key Rules
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. BENEFITS of brainstorming
QUICK
CHEAP
FUN
TEAM
BUILDING
GREATER
ACCEPTANCE
WIDER
PICTURE

8. Why 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. • does not rank the ideas
• cannot help you select the important ones
• does not suggest the best solutions
• must be amended by other
methods
BRAINSTORMING CONSTRAINTS

10. Organising a session?
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
Decide when and where
place and time matters
„U“ layout of the room
Invite people
make sure they
have time

12. 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.
2. CONDUCT THE SESSION

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. Mistakes to be avoided
• 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. Additional creative
problem-solving methods
INDIVIDUAL BRAINWRITING
COLOURFUL CARDS
MIND MAPS

16. 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
INDIVIDUAL BRAINWRITING

17. 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
COLOURFUL CARDS

18. 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
MIND MAPS

19. MIND MAPS

20. Durban
history
culture
transport
Capital
city
restaurants
and
good food
architecture
HOW TO USE MIND MAPS

21.  to make a daily schedule
 notes of the lesson, books, articles
 holiday planning
 shopping list
 to do list
 every day, as often as possible, be creative,
develop your own style with time, have fun
 also in groups after brainstorming session
WHEN TO USE MIND MAPS

22. SUMMARY
• 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
Have fun and all the best !

23. End of Presentation
carl@brainpowersolutionsafrica.com