How to organise an effective brainstorming session?
A brainstorming session can be compared to a sporting challenge! To win the race for new ideas and to prevent your team from having a nervous breakdown, follow our training plan.
1
PREPARATION
Select a motivated group of 7 to 15 people with different profiles.Choose an original location outside the company to stimulate creativity.Call on a seasoned coach (internal or external to the company) who will be able to take the lead, set the framework and stimulate the troops!Bring an animation package to enliven the session: a moo-box to prevent derailment, penalties for those who do not obey the rules (a series of push-ups or sit-ups!), a whistle to signal the beginning and end of the workshop, and all kinds of toys to help people relax (balloons, Lego).Provide small snacks to promote conviviality.2
PROGRAMME
Clearly explain the purpose of the workshop to the participants.Repeat the four rules for effective brainstorming: do not criticise, strive for quantity, encourage imagination and promote group dynamics (use each other's ideas to come up with new ones).Hand out coloured felt tip pens and flashy post-its to write down ideas.Invite the participants to take turns introducing themselves in a playful way to get them into the creative flow and break the ice.Plan a practice phase in which the participants individually write down their ideas.Move on to the game phase where everyone takes turns presenting ideas. Others can react to the ideas and new ideas can be developed together. Collect and categorise the ideas generated. Use a flipchart or the wall for better visualisation.3