5 Ways to Ignite Innovative Ideas Through Design

We all know about brainstorming. In theory, it is a great way to generate new, out-of-the-box thinking. In practice, it has some drawbacks.

Often it is the more expressive team members who speak up, so the ideas of more introverted members never get fully heard. Wouldn’t you rather hear from ALL members of the team and stimulate the creative thinking of your entire group?

As specialists in instructional design consulting for over 20 years, we have learned how to coax forth the most innovative ideas from your team no matter what their personality type.

1. The Right Environment: Set up the meeting in a comfortable environment with all the resources you will need so there is little need to leave the room.
   

2. The Right Size: Limit the group to less than ten but make it as diverse as possible in terms of their roles, approaches, backgrounds and thinking styles.
   

3. The Right Ground Rules.
   
   1. Listen without interrupting.
      
   2. Everyone contributes.
      
   3. Session continues without time constraints.
      
   4. All ideas are welcome…the crazier the better.
      
   5. No judgments are made until all options are on the table for consideration.
      

4. The Right Roles: Assign different roles to the team—one as Steve Jobs, another Bill Gates; one as the CEO of IBM, another Google’s CEO. You can even use cartoon characters or current celebrities. The point is to broaden perspectives, break out of stale thinking and boost idea generation.
   

5. The Right Reflection: Take a break now and then and insist on quiet. The only sound should be the scribbling of pens on pads as each person retreats into their own brain for random thoughts on the problem. Then get them moving, change their seat and share ideas once again.
   

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/instructional-design-consulting-train-the-trainer/