PRINCIPLESOFBRAINSTORMING Rule1.Considerablymoreideaswillbeproducedifcriticaljudgmentisentirelyeliminatedduringtheideaproductionprocess. Rule2.Groupideationcanaddtoanindividual'sideaoutput. Rule3.Themoreideasthatcanbecreated,thebettertheoverallresults. PREPARATIONFORGROUPBRAINSTORMING1.GroupChairman2.Recorder.3.'Core'Members4.Guests5.Pre-conditioning.(30minuteintro)
6.AttendanceofTopManagement.(Don’tinvitethem)
7.SizeofGroup.(Aboutadozen.) HOWTOCONDUCTABRAINSTORMINGSESSION (a)Preliminaryprocedures
1.Simplifytheproblem2.Highlighttheproblem'sbackground3.Selectandinviteparticipants (b)Groupsessionprocedure
4.Statethebasicrules- •Judicialjudgmentofideasisnotallowed-CriticismMUSTbewithhelduntillater •'Free-Wheeling'ised•Quantityofideasiswanted•Combinationandimprovementare sought
5.ThePracticeSession–(a10minute'warm-up'sessionbrainstormingsomesimpleproblem)
6.Brainstormingtheproblem7.Recordingtheideasproduced-Noideashouldbeidentifiedwiththeparticipantresponsibleforsuggestingit.8.Terminatingthesesslon–(40minutesisaboutoptimum)
9.Post-sessionactivities oSendingtypedminutesofeachsessiontoeachparticipant,withplentyofblankspaceprovidedsothattheycanaddfurthersuggestionsthathavesinceurredtothem.
1 oCirculatingaround-robinidea-foldertobepassedtoeachparticipantwithinadefinitetime,andwithinstructionsthatnewideasaretobeaddedinhandwriting. 10.Evaluationofideasa.Criteriaforevaluatingideasforanewproduct
1.Istheideasimpleenough?

2.Ispatiblewithhumannature?

3.Isittimely?

4.Isitfeasible?

5.Canitbeduplicatedpetition?

6.Isitsapplicationlimited?

7.Isitcostlytoproduce?

8.Isitsafe?
etc.b.Check-listofcriteriaforideasrelatingtoimprovingthemanufactureofaparticular1.Willitincreaseproduction-orimprovequality?

2.Isitanimprovementoverthepresenttoolsandmachinery?

3.Doesitimprovemethodsofoperation,maintenanceorconstruction?

4.Doesitpermitamoreeffectiveutilizationofmanpower?

5.Doesitpreventwasteorconservematerials?

6.Doesiteliminateunnecessarywork?

7.Doesitimprovepresentmethods?

8.Doesitreducecosts?

9.Willitimproveworkingconditions?
10.Doesitimprovesafety?
11.Doesitimprovelaborrelations?
product. 11.Thepresentationofselectedideas-Havingdiscardedallworthlessideas,thevaluerthenprepares,inorderofmerit,ashortlistofwhatheconsiderstobetheideasmostlikelytosolvetheproblemsatisfactorily,andwhichheispreparedtomendtohismanagement.
2 BrainstormingpositivelydevelopscreativeideasTheformationofanybusinessbeginswithsomeoneproducingtheinitialideafortheproject.Thecontinuedessofanestablishedbusinessdependsuponthenumberandqualityoftheideasfedintoit.Withoutacontinualflowofnewideas,abusinesscannotfunctionprofitablyorexpandessfullyandmust,thereforeeventuallyfadeintototalobscurity.Ideasforanewbusinessproject,anewproduct,ameansofreducingmanufacturingcosts,orforsolvingindustriallaborproblems,begininthehumanmind.Mostpeopleconceivetheirideasunconsciously,andbecausetheyareunawareofthementalmechanicsthatcausedthe'idea'tobeproduced,theycannotrepeattheideationprocesstoproducefurtherprofitableideasatwill.Fortunately,thereareavailableestablishedcreativetechniqueswhich,whenusedcorrectly,doenableapersontoproducealargenumberoffirst-classideasatwill.Onesuchcreativetechnique,andprobablythemostwidelyusedinAmericanindustry,is'brainstorming'. WHATIS'BRAINSTORMING'?
Thisuniquetechniqueisusedforthedeliberateproductionofalargenumberofideasintheshortestpossibletime.Developedsome28yearsagobyAlexFOsborn,co-founderofoneofAmerica'smostessfuladvertisingagencies,'brainstorming'originallyreferredonlytodeliberateideationbygroups.Asaresultofpracticalusage,modificationandresearch,thetermhasevolveduntilnowitreferstothebasicprincipleofsuspendedjudgmentwhichscientificresearchhasprovedtobehighlyproductiveinindividualcreativeeffortaswellasingroupeffort.Deferredjudgmentfunctionsonthebasisofthedeliberatealterationofnormalthoughtprocesses.Insteadoftryingtothinkcriticallyandimaginativelyatoneandthesametime,thecreativethinkeruseshiscreativemindandhisjudicialmindseparately.Inotherwordsjudgmentisnotallowedtojamcreativeimagination.Totestthisprincipleagroupofideatorsjointlybrainstormedaparticularproblemwhile,simultaneously,anequalnumberofideatorsindividuallyattackedthesameproblemintheconventionalway-butwithoutdeferringjudgment.Theresultsshowedthat,inthesameamountoftime,thegroupswhichappliedthedeferredjudgmentprincipleproduced75percentmoregoodideasthandidthegroupswhojudgedeachideaseparatelybeforeproducinganother. GENERALPRINCIPLESOFBRAINSTORMINGAlthoughthedetailedproceduresusedinapplyingthe'brainstorming'techniquetendtovaryinlinewiththespecialneedsoftheuser,inalmostallapplicationsthefollowinggeneralrulesapplywhenusingthetechniques. Rule1.Considerablymoreideaswillbeproducedifcriticaljudgmentisentirelyeliminatedduringtheideaproductionprocess.Becauseeducationandexperiencehavetrainedmostpeopletothinkjudicially(i.e.critically)ratherthanimaginatively,theflowofideastheyarecapableofproducingisimpededbecausetheyapplytheircriticalevaluativefacultiestoosoon.Theyaremoreconcernedwithassessingthevalueofindividualideasthanwithcreatingalargenumberofalternativeideas.Bydeferringjudgmentduringtheidea-producingprocess,however,alternativeideascanbeproducedforalongerperiod,andtherefore,aconsiderablylargernumberofideasareavailableforevaluationattheendoftheideationperiod. Rule2.Groupideationcanaddtoanindividual'sideaoutput.Usuallyaperson'sexperienceofjointthinkingisgainedfromhisattendanceatthetraditionalkindofconferenceorlecture,whereoriginalideasareneitheraskedfornorencouraged.Theprincipalvalueofgroupbrainstormingliesinthefactthatabrainstormingsession,whenproperlyconducted,canproducefarmoregoodideasthanaconventionalconference-andinmuchlesstime.Astrikingexampleofthiscanbeinstancedbyabrainstormingsessionheldby
1 theAmericanCyanamidCompanywhichproduced92ideasinasingle15minutesessionmorethan6ideasperminute,andanaverageofover8ideasperpersonattendingthesession.Groupbrainstormingprocedurescallforindividualideationbothbeforeandaftereachsession.Sincebinationofthesetwomethodsofapproachto'brainstorming'usuallyproducesmaximumresults,analternationbetweengroupideationandindividualideationismendedasthebestmeansofobtainingreallyeffectiveresults. Rule3.Themoreideasthatcanbecreated,thebettertheoverallresults.Characteristicofbrainstormingisthefactthatbydrivingforafewmoreideas,yougetfarmore.Ideascreatestillmoreideas.Firstyouget30andyouwanttoget60.Thenwhenyouget60youwanttoget75.Probablysevenofthoselast15ideasarefirstrate,andwouldneverhavebeenconceivedhadthequantityofideasrequiredbeen,say,limitedtoonly30.Themoresuggestionsproducedduringabrainstormingsession,thegreaterthechancesofproducingfirst-classideas. PREPARATIONFORGROUPBRAINSTORMINGThesizeofabrainstorminggroupdependsupontheextentandtypeanizationitistoserve.Ideally,thegroupshouldconsistofaChairman,aRecorder(otherwiseknownasthe'ideacollector'),sixregular'core'membersandaboutsixguests.Certainqualificationrequirementsgoverntheselectionofagroup'smembers,namely:
1.GroupChairman.TheGroupChairman,orLeader,shouldbetrainedinadvanceofhisfunction.Preferablyheshouldhavetakenacourseincreativethinkingandhaveparticipated,asagroupmember,invariousbrainstormingsessions.HeshouldNOTbeaseniormemberofanization'smanagement.2.Recorder.TheonlycontributionrequiredoftheRecorderisthatheorshebeabletorecordallideasquicklyandreliably,andwithoutinterruptionoftheideationproceedings.Oftenataperecordercanbeusedeffectivelyforthisfunction.3.'Core'Members.Asthe'core'membersarethegroup'space-setters,theymustbepeoplewhohaverepeatedlydemonstratedtheirabilitytoproduceoriginalideasorsuggestions.4.Guests.Theguestsshouldbeinvitedfromvariousdepartmentsofeitheranizationoritsassociateconcerns.Adifferentgroupofguestsshouldbeinvitedforeachbrainstormingsession.Thisrotationhelpstospreadacreativespiritthroughoutanization,andpreventsthedevelopmentofarigidpatternofthinking,suchaswouldurifthesameguestswereinvitedtoeachandeverysession.Oftenitishelpfultoincludeamongthechosenguestsatleastone,orpossiblytwo,peoplewhoknownothingatallabouttheproblemunderdiscussion.Peoplewithoutexperienceinaparticularfieldbringanew,oftenvaluableviewpointtotheproblem.5.Pre-conditioning.Sinceguestswhohaveneverbeforeparticipatedinbrainstormingsessionsareunfamiliarwiththevariouscreativetechniquesinvolved,arelativelythoroughorientationismended.Ideally,thisshouldbeplishedina30minutebriefinglecturewhichcoversthebasicprinciplesofideationaswellasbrainstormingprocedures.6.AttendanceofTopManagement.Experienceindicatesthatbrainstormingsessionstendtobelessproductivewhenahigh-rankingmemberofanization'smanagementispresent.Theytendbyfacialexpression,orotherwise,toinduceanplexonthepartoftheremainingmembersofthegroup,andthusdiscourage'free-wheeling'.7.SizeofGroup.Althoughlargersizedgroupshavebeenusedforbrainstormingsessions,experienceindicatesthattheoptimumsizeofagroupisaboutadozen. HOWTOCONDUCTABRAINSTORMINGSESSIONEssentialtotheessofanygroupbrainstormingsessionisanatmospherethatwillalloweachmemberofthegrouptodepartfreelyfromhislogicalandconformingmentalcontrol,andtoassumetheframeworkestablishedbytheGroupChairman.(a)Preliminaryprocedures
2 1.Simplifytheproblem-ThefirsttaskoftheChairmananizingabrainstormingsessionistoensurethattheproblemtobebrainstormedispresentedinamannerbestcalculatedtoproducethelargestnumberofalternativeideas.Thishedoesbycarefullyexaminingtheproblemwiththeindividualwhosubmittedit.Hisobjectiveistoensurethattheproblemisstatedsimplyandspecifically.Itshouldnotbeanpassingproblem,suchas'howtoreducemanufacturingcosts?
'Suchaproblemmustfirstbeanalyzedintoitsnumerous,morespecificsub-problemslike'Ideasforreducingmaterialcosts';'Ideasforreducingmachinerycosts';'Ideasforreducingdrillingcosts'etc.,whichmaybemoreamenabletothebrainstormingprocess.
2.Highlighttheproblem'sbackground-Onceasinglespecificproblemhasbeenselectedanditsdefinitionagreedupon,theindividualwhosubmitteditmustprovidetheinformativebackgroundnecessarytofamiliarizethegroup'sparticipantswiththeproblem.Thishedoesbyprovidingthematerialforaone-pagememorandum,tobewrittenbythegroupChairman,whichhigh-lightsthebackgroundoftheproblem,statestheprobleminitssimplestterms,andgivesatleasttwoexamplesofthetypeofideaswhicharesought(asshownopposite).
3.Selectandinviteparticipants-TheChairmanthenselectshisgroupparticipantsinthelightofthenatureoftheproblemtobesolved.Atleasttwodaysinadvanceofthesessiontheparticipantsareinvitedbytelephoneorotherwiseandaresimultaneouslysuppliedwithcopiesofthe'background'memorandum(suchasthatillustrated)soastoallowtheparticipantsto'sleepontheproblem'thusallowingincubationtoenhancetheworkingoffreeassociationofideas.Similarly,theChairmanshoulddevelopinadvancehisownlistofpossiblesolutionstotheproblemsothat,ifandwhenthesessionslowsdownorgetsofftrack,heisinapositiontoreactivatetheflowofideasbycontributingsomeofhisown.ThesameobjectivecanalsobeachievedbytheChairmanintroducingideaspurringquestions. (b)Groupsessionprocedure
4.Statethebasicrules-OncethegroupisassembledtheChairmanoutlinesthefourbasicrulestobeadheredtothroughoutthesession,namely: •Judicialjudgmentofideasisnotallowed-CriticismofideasproducedMUSTbewithhelduntillater.(Someone,oranothergroup,willevaluatetheideaslater.) •'Free-Wheeling'ised-Thewildertheidea,thebetter.Itiseasiertomoderatethantoproduce. •Quantityofideasiswanted-Thegreaterthenumberofideas,themorelikelihoodofgoodones. •Combinationandimprovementaresought-Inadditiontocontributingtheirownideas,eachmembersuggestshowideascontributedbyotherscanbeimproved,orhowtwoormoreideascould,withadvantage,bined.
3 Alargeplacardonthewall-positionedsothatitcanbeeasilyseenbyeachmemberofthegroup-statestheserules.InfrontoftheChairmanisahandbellwhichhewillringwheneveranymemberofthegroupviolatesarule.
5.ThePracticeSession-Beforeseriouslybrainstormingthegivenproblem,a10minutepractice,or'warm-up'sessionisprovided.Thisexerciseshouldconsistofbrainstormingsomesimpleproblem,suchas:'Inwhatwayscouldofficechairsbeimproved?
'
6.Brainstormingtheproblem-Attheendof10minutestheChairmancallsahalttothepracticesession.Hethenrepeatstherulesofthesession,presentstheproblemsimplyandthencallsforsuggestionsinsolutionofthestatedproblem.Whenseveralhandsareraisedsimultaneouslythereisthedangerthatinabsorbingideaspropounded,thelaterparticipantsmayettheirideas.Itismended,thereforethateachmemberbeprovidedwithascratch-padsothathecanjotdowndetailsofideasheplanstoofferwhenhises.Participantsarenotallowedtobringwrittenideasintothemeeting.Onlyoneideashouldbeofferedatatimebyanyparticipant,otherwisethepaceofthesessionwillbeimpeded.
7.Recordingtheideasproduced-ThejoboftheRecorderistolisteveryideasuggestedduringthebrainstormsession.Ideasshouldnotbetakendownwordforword,butbrieflyreported.TheRecordershouldbeseatednexttotheChairmansothathe,orshe,isindirectlinemunicationwithhim,aswellaswiththeothermembersofthegroup.Somefirmstape-recordtheirbrainstormsessions,thusenablingtheRecordertore-checkthelistofideaswhichhavebeenreportedduringthesession.Regardlessofhowtheideasarerecorded,itishelpfultowriteafewonablack-boardduringtheprogressofthesessioninordertoprovidevisualstimulationtotheparticipants.ThisenablestheChairmantoreferthegrouptotheselistedideasincaseoflulls,ortoencouragebinationsbyfree-associationofideas.EachidearecordedshouldbenumberedsoastoenabletheChairmantoknowhowmanyideashavebeenproduceduptoanypointoftimeinthesession.Ifhehaspreviouslydecideduponaparticularquotaofideasforthesession,heisthenabletoknowatanytimehowcloseheistohistarget.Noideashouldbeidentifiedwiththeparticipantresponsibleforsuggestingit.Possibly,theverysameideamayhavebeenpreviouslythoughtupbyanotherparticipant.Ortheideamayhaveresulteddirectlyfromanearliersuggestionmadebysomeoneelse.
8.Terminatingthesession-Experienceindicatesthattheoptimumlengthforagroupbrainstormingsessionisabout40minutes.Ifmoretimeisneeded,itisagoodideatobreakuptheproblemintosmallerproblems,eachofwhichcanbehandledsatisfactorilyina40minutesession.WhenclosingthesessiontheChairmanexpresseshisappreciationandrequeststheparticipantstokeeptheproblemintheirmindsuntilthenextdaywhentheywillbeaskedfortheirafterthoughts.
9.Post-sessionactivities-Thefollowingday,thegroup'sRecordereitherseesorphonesthe participantstoobtainfromthemanyfurthersuggestionstheymayhavetooffer. Becauseeachoftheparticipantshas'slept'ontheproblem,someofthemostvaluableideasarelikelytobeproducedasaresultofindividualideationpursuanttothesession. paniesusingbrainstormingadoptamultipleprogramforgatheringpost-sessionideasby: oSendingtypedminutesofeachsessiontoeachparticipant,withplentyofblankspaceprovidedsothattheycanaddfurthersuggestionsthathavesinceurredtothem. oCirculatingaround-robinidea-foldertobepassedtoeachparticipantwithinadefinitetime,andwithinstructionsthatnewideasaretobeaddedinhandwriting.
4 Onceallideashavebeengatheredfromparticipants,theRecorderfinallypreparesatriplespacedtypewrittenlistofalltheideassuggestingduringthebrainstormsession.AfterwardsthegroupChairmaneditsthelist,makingsurethateachideaiscorrectlyandproperlydescribed.Healsoclassifiestheideasintologicalcategories.Undereachclassificationhegivesthenumbersoftheindividualideas(astakenfromtheoriginallist)whichshouldbeincludedinthatsection.Oncethistaskhasbeenplished,theideasumulatedarethenreadyforevaluationandfinalselection. 10.Evaluationofideas-Evaluatingthefinalselectionofideasisgenerallydonebytheindividualresponsibleforsubmittingtheproblemthathasbeenbrainstormed.Heselectsthoseideaswhichseemtobethemostpromising,atthesametimeseekingtodevelopmoreandbetterideasbiningoneideawithanother,oraseriesofideas,orbyreprocessingtheideasbination,elaborationorothercreativemeans.Waryofrejectingapparentlyfarfetchedideastooquickly,heconsiderstheseeminglysilliestideafromallpossibleviewpoints.Asaresult,themostunpracticableideaisoftendevelopedintoafirst-ratesuggestion.Tofacilitatetheevaluationofideas,itisoftenhelpfultocreateacheck-listofthevariouscriteriatowhichtherequiredideasshouldconformandsoastoensurethateachideaisconsideredfromvariousessentialviewpoints.Thefollowingexamplesillustratethe(a)typeofcheck-listthatcouldbeusedtoevaluateideasforanewproductand(b)thatcouldbeappliedtoideasforimprovingthemanufactureofaparticularproduct.a.Criteriaforevaluatingideasforanewproduct
1.Istheideasimpleenough?

2.Ispatiblewithhumannature?

3.Isittimely?

4.Isitfeasible?

5.Canitbeduplicatedpetition?

6.Isitsapplicationlimited?

7.Isitcostlytoproduce?

8.Isitsafe?
etc.b.Check-listofcriteriaforideasrelatingtoimprovingthemanufactureofaparticularproduct.1.Willitincreaseproduction-orimprovequality?

2.Isitanimprovementoverthepresenttoolsandmachinery?

3.Doesitimprovemethodsofoperation,maintenanceorconstruction?

4.Doesitpermitamoreeffectiveutilizationofmanpower?

5.Doesitpreventwasteorconservematerials?

6.Doesiteliminateunnecessarywork?

7.Doesitimprovepresentmethods?

8.Doesitreducecosts?

9.Willitimproveworkingconditions?
10.Doesitimprovesafety?
11.Doesitimprovelaborrelations?
Pertinentcriteriacanbeaddedtoeachcheck-listandasdictatedbythenatureoftheideastobeevaluated. 11.Thepresentationofselectedideas-Havingdiscardedallworthlessideas,thevaluerthenprepares,inorderofmerit,ashortlistofwhatheconsiderstobetheideasmostlikelytosolvetheproblemsatisfactorily,andwhichheispreparedtomendtohismanagement.
5