Brainstorming sessions have a very useful goal, not to mention being able to come up with wonderful new ideas. It’s important to remember that In order to make the most of your brainstorming time, preparation is key.
We’ve put together a few key tips to help you prepare for a successful and effective brainstorming session.
Establish Your Target
Decide on a maximum of two goals for your meeting. Be as specific as possible. With a clear objective, your team will produce realistic and high-quality ideas. Write your goals on a dry-erase board to keep ideas on track.
Choose Your Brainstorming Session Attendees
It is important to try and steer clear of inviting too many people, a small group can often lead to more fully-formed ideas. Create a solid brainstorming team, invite people from the following groups:
- Choose one team leader: This person will take charge and lead the session by asking questions.
- Select two to three informed individuals: This group will know about the task and bring suggestions based on their knowledge and experience.
- Invite 2 or 3 newcomers: These people should not know anything at all about the project. They will introduce fresh ideas and may propose new questions.
Be Ready to Ask Questions, Questions, and More Questions
The easiest method to get people involved is always to ask open-ended questions. To get through any awkward silences, prepare some questions to spark ideas. Some examples may be:
- What alternative strategies have we looked at?
- What would our competitor’s response be?
- What if this idea doesn’t work?
- Who else should we talk to before moving forward?
Get a Meeting Room or Conference Area
Ensure you reserve a meeting room. Working together in-person makes it easier to bounce suggestions around and keep track of concepts on a dry wipe board.
We hope these tips help as you prepare for your upcoming brainstorming meeting. When in doubt, bear in mind: the perfect ideas originated from collaboration.