Brainstorming: Six key points that can help ensure your next session is a success

When is the best time for a brainstorming session?

A. Before kicking off a new product.

B. When you need to outshine a competitive product.

C. As you plan the next campaign.

D. If the right product name eludes you.

E. All of the above.

Of couse the answer here is E. Whenever new ideas are needed, it's time to organize a brainstorming session!

I have stumbled upon, er, come up with, some of my best ideas during brainstorming sessions. Brainstorming can take many forms and still produce award-winning products, game-changing competive strategies, and envy-generating marketing campaigns. Here are a few things to remember when organizing your next brainstorming session:

1. Include key team members

I have brainstormed with team members seated across the table, across the country, and across the world. When sending your meeting invite, be sure to include everyone who may have a stake in the success of the new product or project at hand. This can include those holding roles in marketing and sales, partners, outside creative agencies, even C-level executives, founders, and others, depending on the company dynamics. Failing to invite the right players to have a seat at the table during your brainstorming session can cause problems down the road.

2. Remember: there are no bad ideas

During my school days, one of my pet-peeves was when a teacher would say, 'there are no stupid quesions'. Yet inevitably someone would, knowingly or unknowingly, ask a 'dumb' question that seemed to bristle the instructor. The same concept holds true here. There are no bad ideas (given they are appropriate to share in a work setting). In my experience, the most successful brainstorming sessions are the ones in which everyone is comfortable enough to blurt out or share their thoughts without filtering them first. Encourage everyone to share ideas freely.

3. Select a point person

While everyone and anyone at the session may take notes or document the session with a photo, making one person responsble for documenting the brainstorming session is key. The results of the session should be compiled and distributed to the team for further review and to keep as part of the project files. Having one official source can help to avoid any confusion over ideas later. Choose a facilitator/documentor you know you can count on.

4. Use technology

Technology has made brainstorming easier, more productive, and more effective. There are myriad ways we can connect - Zoom, Slack, Teams etc. They are all effective, and every company has their preference. For co-workers in different time zones or with schedules that just don't jibe, there are many collaborative tools for less than real-time brainstorming. Some of these include IdeaBordz, Popplet, Miro, Conceptboard, and Stormboard. Using a wordcloud generator such as WordClouds, either during a live session or to share with the team afterwards, can also be helpful.

5. Set parameters

Defining the issue at hand will save time and make your session more productive. What topic does the session address - e.g a new product name, a competitive strategy, marketing tactics, etc. If appropriate, provide background or additional information that participants will find helpful. Additionally, in the case of a virtual, off-line brainstorm, be sure you include any pertinent details such as deadlines/timelines. Any other rules that need to be known, such as a competor's product name to be avoided, should be shared before the session.

6. Follow-up

Compile your results and share with the team and any other stakeholders that may have a final say, such as executives that weren't in attendance. Then, depending on the results of the brainstorm, feedback you may get outside the meeting, and your project timeline, schedule a follow-up meeting. This meeting can be used for additional brainstorming to further narrow down choices, as a time to share the final results of the initial session, or as a quick way to address any questions that may have arisen from the first meeting.

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