The unrivaled process for exploring ideas and developing new strategies is only made possible through brainstorming. Knowing how to reach your creative energy’s potential is a lot more extensive than the conventional idea of sitting in front of a whiteboard with an expo marker in hand while scratching off ideas. There are tons of revitalized and new brainstorming methods to meet your needs for whatever project or idea you have in mind. Listed below are some of the most effective strategies when it comes to finding new ideas. Through these, it can help change your perspective and help you or a group come to a solid conclusion. It is important to note that these ideas are not linear and can be adapted to fit every individual. 

            Brainwriting

            This is a nonverbal method of brainstorming where everyone sits down and writes their first three ideas that come to mind. This process will take around seven minutes or so, because it is suggested that everyone really digs deep. After the group has finished, they will then pass their list to the person on their right. Each person will then build off the ideas on their group mates’ card, adding bullet points or new strategies. Once about three or so minutes, the group passing along their cards once again. This process will continue until everyone’s list has made it around the table. Afterwards the members in the group discuss and decide which ideas were the most solid. The brainwriting method technique prevents some of the biggest pitfalls in the brainstorming process. Brainwriting ensures that all members of the group have been heard and understood, eliminating any bias towards the beginning ideas. 

            Brain Netting 

            For this group technique, all you will be required to do is write down your ideas with your peers. This open discussion usually has a Google doc where everyone can put ideas in as it comes whenever the creativity hits. By doing this, it gives all parties involved the freedom to come and go depending on their schedules. Once everyone has contributed, it is highly important to follow up so that a particular idea can be decided upon. After jotting down some thoughts, you can host a real-time meeting with everyone involved. If your team happens to be spread apart, you can unite everyone over a video chatting service. This idea puts everyone in the same ball field by participating as they please. The online brainstorming and outlining tool Braincat provides an excellent method to use the brain netting, by offering a wide variety of thought provoking questions. 

            Rapid Ideation

            In this technique, everyone takes a few minutes to write down as many ideas as possible before the time is up. This is incredibly helpful for the groups that tend to shoot each other’s ideas down before they have time to develop, evolve, and transform into something fruitful. Everyone will have the space to truly capture the essence of their ideas before they are critiqued. Rapid ideation avoids premature deconstruction of potentially great ideas. If a time constraint is imposed it prevents individuals from talking themselves down before ever sharing their idea, which is a common brainstorming mistake. 

            Figure Storming

            With figure storming, the group will select a prominent figure who is not currently in the working space. It could be the company CEO, a superhero, or a well-known person among your peers. After selecting the figure, the group will try and put themselves in their shoes by discussing the problem or idea form their point of view. By seeing things from this person’s perspective, it can offer a new way to approach the problem or project at hand. This method can be embarrassing for some teammates because they would be attaching their idea to someone other than themselves.  Make sure to be open and honest during this discussion so everyone is unaffected from the shame of dissociation their idea. This method also dissolves barriers that limit the creative thinking process like time or budget. 

            Star Charting 

            This is a brainstorming technique that comes in the later stages of the process. Once the group has already decided on the idea, they will elaborate and then potentially decide on how it is executed. After the decision is made, the team will put the idea at the center of a whiteboard (chalkboard, posterboard etc.) and then make a six-point star around it. Each point on the star represents the key questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Other questions which may be of fruitful discussion; What is our target audience? When will it be a good time or timeframefor this project? What is motivating us? Proposing an ideain this way allows the person who created it to be freed from defending their point of view or trying to figure it out on their own. 

            Once you have finally decided on the technique, it is time to get to work. Some say the most important part of brainstorming is quantity over quality. The best way to guide your team to new approaches is by being as encouraging as possible, which can often lead to powerful insights.