Why does announcing a brainstorming sessions sometimes draw groans from the group? Often it’s because experience has led people to believe that such sessions can take a lot of time, lack focus or lead nowhere.
Digital brainstorming changes this dynamic and eliminates the disorganized chaos of paper and sticky-notes that tent to go hand-in-hand with any session. When you go digital, not only is it easy to maintain a laser focus and capture ideas as quickly as they are created, but the completed map from the session can immediately be turned into an action plan to resolve the problem at hand.
Brainstorming with a map is fast, fun and incredibly powerful. Try a digital brainstorming session once, and you’ll be hooked.
At the start of the session, use a mind map to:
- Establish a shared understanding of what the problem is to be solved sharing the map at the front of the room
During the session, use a mind map to:
- Create a sense of involvement and ownership, as everyone can see that all contributions are integrated into the map
- Enable participants to build upon each other’s ideas — a process that can transform merely good ideas into great ones!
- Maintain focus by creating a floating topic called “parking lot” for future consideration
Before closing the session, use a mind map to:
- Evaluate ideas and coverage on one or more of the highest-value solutions
After the session, use a mind map to:
- Share a record of the session and its outcomes to the group with a simple “save” and “send”
- Immediately move into action by using the brainstorming map for project planning and management
Follow each of these tips and your brainstorming sessions will start to become more effective and, more importantly, your co-workers will thank you for the time well spent!
Resources to Kick Start Your Brainstorms
To help you move from ineffective brainstorming sessions to useful problem solving, we’ve compiled a list of additional resources to get you started.
[McKinsey Online Article] 7 Steps to Better Brainstorming
[TEDblog Post] How to Run a Brainstorm for Introverts (and Extroverts too)
[Map Template] Problem Solving Session
Check them out to learn more!
Want to Learn More Ways to Enhance Your Productivity at Work?
Interested in learning how you can supercharge your productivity, and get the most our of your meetings, brainstorming sessions and presentations?
Download our free eBook titled 3 Ways to Increase Workplace Productivity with Mind Mapping Software!
