andy.eklund's posterous

from Iowa to Australia and back again

rules for brainstorms, or for life? hmmm

Ideo_brainstorming_2

As a creative director, I'm often spouting brainstorm rules ... which, frankly, is a bit ironic, considering that rules are typically negative and contradicts the Rule #1 below, but let's not throw reality at the situation.

Anywoo, when I was reviewing these rules today for my business blog, I realised they weren't bad guidelines for life in general. Well ok maybe perhaps sorta #4 isn't perfect, but for certain things in life - like great food, travel experiences, shoes - it's not an entirely bad thing.

1. No neativity! Defer judgment on all ideas until the end.

2. Focus on eliminating the problem. What do we have to impact or address? What are unusual ways to fix our problem?

3. Write everything down.  Put all of the ideas on flipchart pages so everyone can read them.  Encourage people to re-read pages to combine earlier ideas with later ideas.  I don’t encourage killing trees, but fill as many flipchart pages as possible.  Also, write quickly not perfectly.  You can clean up later.

4. Go for quantity first. Generate as many ideas as possible.  Don’t self-censure, just generate.

5. Build on ideas.  Make every idea better.  Merge smaller ideas into one better idea.

6. Everyone participates.  And, no one dominates.

7.  Have fun.  Welcome unusual, different, odd, strange and provocative ideas. Be crazy! What’s the point of a brainstorm if you’re only generating ideas you already have – or ones which are merely safe?