5 Simple Brainstorming Techniques
It happens to all of us. We reach that dead end where we simply run out of fresh ideas and we helplessly fumble for solutions that have escaped us. What can we do to get the creative juices flowing again?
One of the best strategies to resolve this dilemma is to use a brainstorming session. The basic technique is easy as 1-2-3:
1. Think of many ideas in a short period of time.
2. Jot them all down.
3. Go back and evaluate each idea’s possibilities.
These brainstorming sessions can be invaluable when trying to come up with fresh, outside the box, ideas so we can work towards an effective solution to a difficult challenge.
Here are five tips to help you make the most of your brainstorming sessions:
1. Get outside input. Instead of going at it alone, get some help. Gather a few of the most creative people you know for a group brainstorming session. After all, two (or three or four) heads are better than one. These other participants may come up with some great ideas that may never have occurred to you otherwise.
- Let people have fun brainstorming. Relaxed people generally feel more creative, so encourage your group to pace, recline in their chairs, or turn it into a game – whatever they need to do to enable the flow of ideas.
2. Write down all of your ideas. Even if you come up with some wild ideas, write them down anyway. They may be more viable than you think! Some of the greatest breakthroughs in history came from ideas that were considered as pretty outlandish at first. Write it all down and revisit it later.
- This is a time for gathering ideas, not for shooting ideas down. Avoid discouraging participants in your group because they won’t participate as freely and they might keep the perfect solution to themselves.
3. Be creative and try something different. If you can’t see a solution right away, think of the problem from a fresh perspective. Look at it from a different viewpoint and maybe a new solution will present itself. Traditional solutions don’t have to be the only way to solve problems, and getting creative may get the ball rolling towards the ideal solution!
- Many successful entrepreneurs have a talent for observing people’s wants and needs. Then they find or invent a creative new solution. Watch the world around you and don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas or unusual solutions.
4. Try combining ideas. Whether you’re brainstorming on your own or as part of a group, you may need to mash different ideas together. Sometimes great ideas are born as twins – in the course of a brainstorming session you might come up with two halves of a perfect solution. Don’t be afraid to look at the results in an unconventional way.
- Some people have started their own businesses by combining their love of baking with their love of dogs to produce their own brand of doggie treats. It’s not a conventional pairing, but it’s one that works!
5. Ask questions. This works especially well in group brainstorming sessions. Encourage plenty of questions about everyone’s ideas. Questions can lead to a basic idea being fleshed out into a workable solution, and that, of course, is what a brainstorming session is all about!
- Ask questions, discuss, or even debate. Approaching solutions from different perspectives helps you see a larger and more accurate picture.
Acquiring problem solving skills makes our life so much easier! Use these techniques to brainstorm new ideas and solutions, and you’ll discover new fountains flowing with ideas you never knew existed! Problems can become opportunities in disguise. You just may find yourself going from zero to hero in one short brainstorming session. Try it – you’ll like it!
Thinking Differently About Problem Solving
All of us from time to time are faced with difficult situations. Sometimes these problems may seem insurmountable. However, there’s almost always a solution. When you can’t figure out the solution to a problem, try to take a different approach to the situation to see your problem in an entirely different light.
Looking at the problem from a different perspective can often make the solution obvious instead of impossible. This technique is one of many creative problem solving techniques that can help provide solutions to your trickiest problems.
Problem Solving Tips
Creative problem solving techniques are valuable skills to cultivate. They can lead to the kind of innovative solutions that allow you to overcome obstacles and find the best possible solutions to even the stickiest of situations. Some of the best solutions are the simplest ones and all it takes to find the solution is to gain a fresh perspective.
Try these creative problem solving techniques in your own life to solve your “impossible” problems:
1. Take a break. You can easily burn yourself out by over thinking a problem over a long period of time. Take a little time away and return to it; it will do wonders for your perspective!
- Take a nap, walk or just think about something else entirely for a short time before returning to the problem at hand.
2. Get an outside perspective. Gather a few trusted friends or family members and explain the problem you’re trying to solve – having fresh input from people less familiar with the problem can be invaluable.
- Brainstorm together and have everyone share their different solutions. Two heads are often better than one.
- While this method can be very helpful, don’t rely on other people to always solve your problems. It’s best to approach friends or coworkers after you’ve brainstormed a few solutions yourself.
3. Get it on paper. Write everything down about the situation. Many of us are visually oriented thinkers and having charts or lists can help clarify the problem and its solution.
- Organizing a seating arrangement for a wedding reception is a great example of how a chart can help solve problems.
- Your time spent worrying about a problem will decrease significantly when you can physically make changes to your chart and see your solution.
4. Break a large problem into smaller parts. Very often what appears to be a large problem is really a series of smaller challenges. Identify each challenge and work on solving each one separately.
- For example, buying a house is one large task that consists of many smaller items. When you break it down, you would focus on dealing with the realtor and getting mortgage approval first without worrying about movers or home inspections.
5. There’s more than one solution to every problem. Don’t limit yourself to just thinking of one solution. Brainstorm as many solutions as possible, even if they sound crazy or outlandish, and then go back to evaluate which solutions might work.
- In an office situation with multiple workers in a meeting, listen to each idea. Maybe two or more ideas can be developed into a viable and original solution.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of creative problem solving techniques and every technique may not work for every person or situation.
The important idea, however, is to get a fresh perspective so you can open up your mind to find the best solution.
Using this procedure regularly will enable you to view your problems in a new way and discover solutions more quickly. Also, be patient and try not to get frustrated at the process. Some problems are more difficult than others and will take more time to solve. But rest assured there is an answer!
