Brainstorming techniques to generate ideas

Brainstorming techniques to generate ideas

We often fall victim to the malicious spiral of lack of creativity, where our brains all but refuse to spark an idea, be it for the assignment you’ve been stressing over or the marketing project due very soon. It feels as if there’s an invisible barrier present to hold us back from reaching our full creative potential. Sometimes, this bothersome spiral traps you for days, yet, sometimes all it takes is a fleeting moment of creativity that helps you unleash your imaginative capability. 

So, the question arises, what techniques and tools can we make use of to guide our brain into making those bursts of creativity a regular thing? There are a set of methods that intellectuals all over the world use to come up with ideas when they’re going through a creative block, which not only helps you get in track but also help you enhance any plan you would have previously thought of. 

Let’s take a look at these devices!

The first technique is called “mind mapping.” It’s the most common technique used by students, teachers, and employees alike. As the name suggests, you begin by creating a map of your information and guide yourself through the relevant information. Mind mapping is a visual technique: first, you write the objective in the middle of the page and then begin linking any thoughts, words, or ideas which come to you. You can also ask the participants (or yourself) to think of the relevant issues so you can write them down one by one. 

There are also mind mapping softwares online, which are easily accessible. However, if you prefer doing it by hand, a pen and paper are all you need.

Design thinking is the new brainstorming method, which is all the rage nowadays. It is a unique way of attacking a problem. Reverse brainstorming is one of them. Usually, brainstorming techniques require you to come with solutions to a particular problem. However, in “reverse brainstorming”, the participants come up with all the different ways that could create those problems. For example, ask yourself, “how you would cause that problem?” and write it down. Once you have listed down the ways to create a problem, you start to see patterns that help lead you towards solutions.

To practice this technique, you’ll need to draw a six-pointed star on a piece of paper. At the center of the star, you’d write the challenge that you want to overcome. On each point of the star, you will write where, when, why, what, who and how. By using these words, you’ll have to come up with the questions that start these W-H words. Like, who will benefit from the solution? What will they get? It is an easy and straightforward way to break down a problem into many small parts.

This technique requires you to ask your colleague/friend/participant to act as a person whose experience is related to your objective/goal. Act as if you were part of a theatre play or a film and see what problem your client is facing, and how would you solve it. It’s like roleplay, but for creativity! 

In this approach, imagine yourself in the shoes of the person whose problem you are trying to solve. “What would the other person do if he/she were in this situation?” In this way, you can think of different perspectives and come up with multiple solutions to tackle your problem.

We all have an icon that we look up to. It could be your grandfather, your favorite film character, or a famous political leader; it can be anyone! Choose any figure and think of the ways that particular individual would tackle that problem and think around it. Your inspiration could help you drive a burst of innovation. 

These were just a few of the brainstorming techniques which are out there. Some are lengthy, some short, while some require the help of other people. You can try and see which ones are more suited for your particular problem.