Advantages and limitations of brain storming

The Benefits and Challenges of Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a method of generating ideas and sharing knowledge to solve a problem. The defining characteristics of a good brainstorming session are when participants are encouraged to gather ideas spontaneously and to think without interruption. When done as a group, people typically collectively agree upon a solution after all the ideas are brought forth and discussed, but it can also be done individually. The technique of brainstorming has been around for over 70 years and is often used today to engage students in problem solving.

Brainstorming allows students to think critically about ideas and solutions, form connections, and share ideas with peers. The activity allows exploring and expanding a student’s ability to think critically and laterally. As students get actively involved, brainstorming aids the process of learning and improves academic performance.

Often, there are no wrong answers when brainstorming; students can freely express their thoughts without fear of failure. Tools used for brainstorming and sharing include: 

• Physical writing or drawing tools like paper, posterboard, or whiteboard
  
• Digital writing or drawing tools like Word, Photoshop, or any idea-mapping software
  
• Collaborative tools like Google Hangouts, Google Docs, or Zoom

Techniques vary, but there is a general structure to follow when developing brainstorming sessions. After the problem or issue is presented, students are organized into groups to brainstorm all possible ideas that could solve the problem. Discussion of these ideas takes place after the brainstorming session ends, usually after a defined time. Each idea is discussed and considered, some ideas are eliminated, and a final list is ranked for possible use as a solution toward solving the problem.

Benefits of Brainstorming

Brainstorming in the classroom can motivate students to spontaneously express their ideas and thoughts on a subject. As there are no wrong and right answers, the activity provides students with a platform where they can voice their thoughts without fear of failure. Brainstorming gives the class a chance to tap into their previous knowledge and form connections between the current topic and what they have already learned. It also encourages them to listen and consider others’ ideas, thereby showing respect for their fellow classmates. In addition, brainstorming:

• Provides a quick and easy class activity. Brainstorming sessions can be effectively used in the classroom. However, they do require meaningful planning time for ultimate success.
• Contributes to classroom collective power. Brainstorming sessions allow individual students’ voices to become one with the group’s voice. The final ideas are generally identified through consensus.
• Creates a student-centered activity. Students direct the group in which they generate their own ideas, develop rating criteria, and are responsible for group dynamics.
• Supports learning in a relaxed environment. Students can collaborate in a comfortable, informal learning environment.
• Strengthens problem-based learning. Brainstorming is a problem-solving activity where students build on or develop higher order thinking skills.
• Encourages creative thought. Brainstorming encourages students to think creatively (out of the box), encouraging all students to share their ideas, no matter how far “out there” they may seem.

 

Challenges of Brainstorming

While brainstorming has many advantages, it also has some challenges. Following are some challenges with suggestions for mitigating them. 

• Becoming just a chat session. The instructor should direct the session to keep students on task.
• Students in a group setting compete with one another rather than collaborate when generating ideas. The instructor can walk around the room and listen for inappropriate group behavior.
• Staying surface-level. The instructor can prompt for deeper, higher order thinking.
• Getting “buy-in” or acceptance from those who have participated in brainstorming who have never seen their ideas brought forth and acted upon. The instructor can work with any student who may be in this category and remark on their contribution to them personally, their group, and to the whole class.
• Getting quiet or independent students to actively participate. The instructor can explain that as part of this course all students are expected to bend a little which may have them participating in activities that might make them uncomfortable. It is best to avoid forcing.
• Helping groups to move forward if they are “stuck” and not able to generate ideas. The instructor can reconvene the group to review the problem or issue or provide an example of a possible solution.
• Reaching consensus. Getting students to reach consensus becomes less of a problem if all students are given equal time to provide input, feel like they are a valued member of the group, and are respected for their points-of-view.

Brainstorming sessions can be a useful strategy to encourage genuine collaboration and interaction in the classroom. Putting together a well-stated problem and careful planning strategies can lead to meaningful idea generation and idea building which can be used in solving problems or addressing specific course-related issues.

Difficulties when working remotely

In the age of Covid-19, the old approach of gathering around a whiteboard armed with stacks of Post-It notes is no longer possible. While some managers may fear this is the end of brainstorming, it actually opens up new approaches that are just as, if not more effective.

What’s the fix?

Fortunately, we have plenty of tools that enable us to brainstorm in a remote environment effectively. Conceptboard’s unlimited whiteboard space allows teams to collaborate in real-time using sticky notes, pens, highlighters and shapes to share their ideas. Plus, with 15 different brainstorming style templates purpose-built for online brainstorming, you don’t have to stick to the old approach. It’s time to look forward and try new things.

Peer pressure

Peer pressure is the influence of others to interact and think a certain way. You may not think this is something that comes into play during a brainstorming session, but unfortunately, it’s very common. People may feel peer pressured to agree with certain ideas that have come from people in positions above them for fear of retribution. Or, they may not feel comfortable sharing their own ideas that may go against the grain.

What’s the fix?

The Crazy Eights technique is a great way to quickly generate a wide range of diverse ideas from the whole team. The concept is simple: give each team member eight minutes to sketch out eight ideas on a Crazy Eights template, completely in isolation from everyone else. The frenzy that follows can produce some pretty wild ideas. That way, no one needs to feel any pressure or embarrassment around their ideas.

Personality differences

If your team is a mix of introverts and extroverts, you’ll really notice the gap between the two during brainstorming. Where extroverts will have no problem sharing their wildest ideas in front of a group, the same can’t be said for shy introverts. So if you really want your brainstorming session to be inclusive and ensure every voice is heard, you’ll need to set up some parameters.

What’s the fix?

This one can be a tricky one, but the first step to fixing it is to be aware of it. Try to prepare for your brainstorming by considering who you will invite, and their skills and personalities. You may want to share the problem beforehand to give some people time to prepare. During the session, you could give everyone a few minutes to come up with their own ideas before presenting them to the group. Or you could use the timer to give everyone equal speaking time. Alternatively, using a brainstorming template may provide enough structure to ensure everyone gets the chance to participate.

Disengaged participants

There’s nothing more energy-sucking than sitting in a meeting that’s going nowhere. So if you notice participants are losing focus and energy, it’s not going to be a very productive meeting. While there may be other things going on, chances are the biggest problem is that your team is not invested in the outcome.

What’s the fix?

If you want to ensure a productive brainstorming session, you need to start by getting buy-in from participants. This starts with fully explaining the problem and the reason why it’s important to find a solution. Without this context, it’s hard to get excited.

Many people believe that the key to solving problems is by asking the right questions in the first place. The clearer the problem is, the more efficient team members will be in coming up with ideas to solve it. So you may want to start the session by completing a Problem Statement.

Focusing on the problems

If your team is overwhelmed or bogged down in a project, they may not have the ability to see through the problems. They may feel exhausted by the weight of the task ahead, thus approaching the brainstorming session with a lacklustre approach. So, what if we told you there’s a way to take advantage of that negativity. Instead of shutting down the problems, you can use them as the jumping off point for ideation.

What’s the fix?

Reverse brainstorming employs our ability to see problems more easily than solutions. It’s a clever brainstorming approach that leans into our natural tendency to criticize and see flaws in a plan. So by starting with the problems, the team can then move onto making a plan for ongoing success. Give it a try and see how it can this creative approach can help you solve complex problems that feel too big.

Overcome problems with brainstorming on Conceptboard

As you can see, brainstorming still plays an important role in business. But as the working landscape shifts, we need to be willing to adapt our approaches to ensure they’re still effective