Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a group creativity technique. The aim is to generate as many ideas on the topic. It is used in many fields - from problem solving to generating highly creative ideas. It is used in the management, marketing and the scientific activities.

Copywriter Alex Faickney Osborn came first with this idea in 1939 and developed it later in a specific method in his book Applied Imagination (1953).

Five basic principles are generally known. Their goal is to eliminate all restrictions and alternatively stimulate the creation of new ideas:

• Pleasant atmosphere - it is important to induce a creative climate and pleasant environment, and properly plan whole meeting
• We focus on quantity - the more ideas, the more likely they will contain quality design solutions
• No criticism - no restrictions exist, we postpone criticism until later to not hamper the flow of ideas and suggestions
• Unusual ideas are welcome - a new way of thinking, we generate ideas regardless of their reality, logic, rationality
• We combine and improve the already formed ideas - “1 +1 = 3”, ideas are formed by cooperation between the team

Modification of brainstorming:

• Rolestorming
• Imaginary brainstorming
• Negative brainstorming
• Visual brainstorming
• Brainwriting
• Method 635
• Discussion 66