Week 1b T1 Tools: Brain Storming presented by Prof Ravi Poovaiah

Summary

This SW course module focuses on design thinking and innovation, specifically on brainstorming as a tool. Brainstorming is a creative technique to generate ideas and connections without criticism. It can be used individually or in groups, with larger groups benefiting from diverse backgrounds. The process involves noting down keywords, sorting them into categories, and linking related ideas. This method helps in understanding a topic, generating ideas, and finding solutions. The video also highlights the importance of brainstorming in different phases of a design project.

Takeaways

• 🤔 Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique used to generate ideas and connections.
• 🌍 Brainstorming can be applied at various stages of a design project, from understanding the topic to ideation and finding alternate solutions.
• 👤 It can be done individually or in groups, with groups often leading to faster and more diverse idea generation.
• 👥 The larger the group, the larger the surface needed to note down ideas, such as a blackboard or projection screen for visibility.
• 📝 The process starts by noting the subject at the center and then freely generating keywords without criticism.
• 🔍 Keywords should be noted down randomly to encourage associations and the formation of cross-relationships.
• 🚫 Criticism is strictly off-limits during brainstorming to ensure all ideas are welcomed.
• 🔑 The goal is to continue brainstorming until no new keywords emerge, aiming for quantity and variety.
• 🔄 After generating keywords, they are sorted into groups or categories based on natural relationships.
• 📑 Categories are then titled to provide a clear structure to the brainstormed ideas.
• 🔗 Affinity links are created to connect related keywords from different categories, fostering new ideas.

Q & A

What is brainstorming in the context of design thinking?

Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique used to generate ideas and connections or keywords related to a specific topic without criticism. It can be applied at various stages of a design project, such as understanding the topic, generating ideas, or finding alternative solutions.

How often do we engage in brainstorming activities without realizing it?

We engage in brainstorming all the time, such as when deciding on places to visit during a trip, where our brains consider different possibilities and evaluate them.

What are the benefits of brainstorming in groups?

Group brainstorming can help generate keywords faster and more diversely. It becomes more effective with a larger number of participants, especially when those participants have different backgrounds and opinions.

What is the significance of not criticizing during a brainstorming session?

During brainstorming, all ideas should be welcomed without criticism to encourage free thinking and the generation of a wide variety of ideas.

Can you provide an example of how brainstorming is applied in the script?

An example given is brainstorming for 'toys for toddlers' where keywords like 'role play', 'sensory', etc., are generated and then sorted into categories such as expressions, objects, media, and activities.

What is the role of sorting in the brainstorming process?

Sorting is the next stage after brainstorming where keywords are grouped into categories based on their relationships, forming natural categories through a process called open sorting.

How do you title categories during the sorting phase of brainstorming?

After sorting, you can title each category to identify the different topics within the main topic, such as expressions, objects, media, and activities in the example provided.

What is the purpose of linking keywords in brainstorming?

Linking keywords helps identify affinities between different ideas, which can lead to the formation of new ideas or concepts.

Who is considered the father of brainstorming and what is his quote?

Alex Osborn is known as the father of brainstorming. He described brainstorming as 'using the brain to storm a creative problem and in a commando fashion with each tuma attacking the same objective.'

How can the brainstorming process be used in the design thinking process?

Brainstorming can be used to understand the subject, its components, and connections, providing an overall worldview. It can also be used at the ideation phase to generate new ideas.

What tools or methods are suggested for capturing ideas during brainstorming?

Ideas can be captured using physical tools like post-it notes or online applications such as Meo or Figma. For larger groups, a blackboard or projection screen might be used.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Introduction to Brainstorming

This paragraph introduces the concept of brainstorming as a creative thinking technique used to generate ideas and connections. It explains that brainstorming is a common activity that we engage in daily, such as planning a trip. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of brainstorming at various stages of a design project, including understanding the topic, ideation, and finding alternative solutions. It also discusses the dynamics of brainstorming, suggesting that it can be done individually or in groups, with larger groups potentially leading to more diverse and faster idea generation. The speaker highlights the need for a large surface to document ideas when brainstorming in a group.

05:03

📝 Steps in Brainstorming

The second paragraph outlines the steps involved in brainstorming. It begins with identifying the subject to brainstorm about and placing it at the center. The process involves generating keywords or ideas without any order or criticism, allowing for free association and the creation of cross-relationships. The speaker then discusses the next stages, which include sorting keywords into groups based on relationships, forming categories, and titling these categories. The final step is to link related keywords across different groups, a process known as Affinity mapping. An example is given involving brainstorming for toys for toddlers, demonstrating how keywords can be sorted, categorized, and linked.

10:04

🔗 Affinity Mapping and Linking Ideas

The final paragraph discusses the use of brainstorming to understand a subject, its components, and connections. It mentions the use of color coding to categorize and link ideas, as seen in an example with three topics: storytelling, rituals, and tools. The paragraph also touches on the historical context of brainstorming, crediting Alex Osborn as its 'father' and quoting his description of brainstorming as a concentrated effort to solve a creative problem. The speaker summarizes the learnings from the module, which include understanding the design thinking process, the introduction to tools, and the methods of brainstorming, keyword sorting, and linking to affinities.

Keywords

💡Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique used to generate a large number of ideas or solutions. In the context of the video, it is described as a process of spontaneously generating keywords and ideas related to a specific topic without criticism. It is used at various stages of a design project, such as understanding the topic, generating ideas, and finding alternate solutions. The script mentions brainstorming as a way to 'storm the mind' to come up with keywords.

💡Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that encourages empathy for the context of a problem, the redefinition of the problem in human-centric ways, and the rapid prototyping of solutions. The video is part of a course on Design Thinking and Innovation, indicating that brainstorming is a tool within this broader framework.

💡Ideation

Ideation refers to the process of generating ideas or concepts. In the video, ideation is mentioned as a stage where brainstorming can be used to come up with different ideas and solutions for a given problem. It is a critical phase in the design thinking process where brainstorming helps in the creation of diverse concepts.

💡Sorting

Sorting is the act of organizing items into categories. In the script, sorting comes after brainstorming, where keywords are grouped based on their relationships. This process is called 'open card sorting' or 'Affinity mapping' and helps in understanding the structure and connections within the topic.

💡Linking

Linking is the process of connecting related ideas or keywords. After sorting, the script describes how to link keywords that have affinity with each other, which can lead to the formation of new ideas or insights. This is crucial for the ideation phase, as it helps in visualizing relationships and potential solutions.

💡Keywords

Keywords are significant words or phrases that encapsulate the main ideas or concepts related to a topic. The video emphasizes the importance of generating and noting down keywords during brainstorming sessions, which are then used to explore and understand the subject matter more deeply.

💡Affinities

Affinities refer to the natural relationships or connections between items. In the context of the video, after sorting, keywords are grouped based on their affinities, which means they are related in some way. This helps in creating a structured view of the brainstormed ideas.

💡Individual vs. Group

The video discusses the difference between individual and group brainstorming. While individuals can brainstorm on their own, group brainstorming is highlighted as more effective due to the diversity of ideas and the speed at which keywords can be generated.

💡Criticism

Criticism is the act of judging the merit of something, often negatively. The script stresses that during brainstorming, there should be no criticism of the ideas or keywords generated. This rule fosters a creative environment where all ideas are welcomed.

💡Surface

Surface in the video refers to the physical or digital space where the brainstormed keywords are noted down. The size of the surface needs to be adjusted based on the number of participants, from a small piece of paper for an individual to a blackboard or projection screen for larger groups.

💡Categories

Categories are groups formed by sorting keywords based on their similarities or relationships. The video describes how categories emerge naturally through the process of open card sorting, which is essential for understanding the different aspects of the topic at hand.

Highlights

Introduction to the module on design tools, focusing on brainstorming.

Brainstorming is a creative thinking technique used to generate ideas and connections.

It's a spontaneous process of generating keywords without criticism.

Brainstorming can be applied at various stages of a design project.

It can be done individually or in groups, with groups fostering diversity.

The size of the surface for noting keywords should increase with group size.

The steps of brainstorming include noting the subject and generating keywords.

Keywords should be noted down randomly to encourage association.

No criticism is allowed to encourage free flow of ideas.

Example of brainstorming with children on toys for toddlers.

Keywords are then sorted into groups based on relationships.

Categories are formed naturally through a process called open sorting.

Categories are titled to understand different aspects of the topic.

Keywords with affinity are linked together to form connections.

Brainstorming can help understand the subject and its components.

It's also useful for generating ideas during the ideation phase.

Alex Osborn is known as the father of brainstorming.

Brainstorming is described as a commando attack on a creative problem.

Summary of the design thinking process and the importance of brainstorming.

Transcripts

[Music]

[Applause]

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welcome back to the SW course on design

thinking and

Innovation uh this is a module on design

tools

so it's section T1 week

one the topic is

brainstorming very interesting and

important

subject so

brainstorming along with sorting and

linking so let's look at what is

brainstorming

you might not realize it uh but we do

brainstorming all the time let's say for

instance uh you have to decide

uh to go on a trip okay you're thinking

of which places would it be nice to go

to or interesting to go to okay what is

your brain do it looks at different

possibilities right you're saying okay

the first one has this the second one

has this the third one has this the

fourth one has this uh then you probably

go talk to your family member they come

out with more

suggestions so exactly what's happening

is that that you're thinking of many

variation to the

subject so if you look at it it's a

creative thinking techniques to generate

ideas and uh

connections or keywords

so in our case we going to generate

these keywords and ideas connected to

our topic that we are trying to solve

okay and uh it's a free generation of

ideas or key words okay and you do it

without any

criticism okay the the words itself is

very important brainstorming so

basically we are storming the Mind very

spontaneously to gen these

keywords and brainstorming can be used

at many phases of the design project

okay in the initial phase to understand

the topic you can brainstorm on

keywords uh form a world view okay at

the ideation stage you can brainstorm on

generating different

ideas okay and to find alternate

Solutions uh when you're stuck at the

end you know trying trying to make it

better you again look for Alternatives

again you can do

brainstorming so whether how can it be

done you know whether individually or in

the groups uh brainstorming can be done

in an as an individual you can do it all

by yourself but being in a group helps

because you can generate keywords faster

and it can be diverse also it can even

be done with a Lar number of

participants 30 to

60 yeah and yeah it becomes more

effective when it's done in groups and

also you know with uh people with

different backgrounds and

opinions right so you get a variety of

ideas or

keywords uh the only factor is that the

size of the surface on which you

actually note down the keywords would

need to increase if it's an individual

an a four size sheet you know normal

paper would be good enough if you're

doing it with the group maybe a slightly

larger size sheet you know A3 size would

be comfortable and if you're doing it in

a very large group uh do it on a

Blackboard or use a projection screen uh

to do it okay uh so that everybody can

see the keywords being

documented so so let's look at the steps

in the

brainstorming the most important is the

subject that you're going to be

brainstorming on okay so you not it down

in the

center and then

brainstorm okay so it can be done as

scribbles uh poit notes are very good

because you can stick and remove them

and put it in another

place uh online applications like Meo

figma can also be

used okay so this is the second stage

okay and when you note down these

keywords don't order it let it be random

you can put it all over the place the

main reason why we do it is that that uh

it is you know through associations you

think of new keywords okay so if they're

all over the place you can connect

different keywords together so you form

these cross

relationships and very very important

factor is that do not criticize anyone

okay there are no wrong words or wrong

ideas all keywords or ideas should be

welcome uh this should be an Unwritten

rule while you're doing the

brainstorming you know the brainstorming

until you really run out of new

keywords okay so the more the number the

more the variety and less the time it

takes to do

this so let's look at an

example uh this is an example of a

brainstorming session with the children

uh so you're looking at the world of

children so these are the key wordss you

know that's the topic toys for

toddlers okay so whatever comes into as

keywords are written down one after

another role play

sensory you can see that you know many

keywords can make up this particular

topic so you put it down you know on a

piece of

paper then you can sort them into groups

this is the next stage of it okay and

this sorting can be done by

relationships okay let it form the

categories by its own you have to decide

which category each one goes while you

start there is no category you start

with one and see if the next keyword or

the idea fits into that category or you

want to form a new

category so very naturally the

categories get formed okay and uh this

way of forming categories is called as

open C sorting okay so you don't know

which category it becomes the categories

come out naturally by putting it into

different groups so when you do the

categories you do it with a ities right

uh the next stage is once you know that

you can put titles for each of these

categories so here you can see that the

first category are all Expressions the

second categories are all objects the

third one are all medas and the fourth

one is to do with activities okay so

titling the category so you know that

there are four different topics within

this topic

right and then you can actually link

them

together okay if there is some Affinity

between different keywords you can put a

line and an arrow and Link them together

okay and if it is an ideation phase okay

so for example a playful rattle can be

part of a cartoon to the play the game

of hide and seek okay that could be one

idea or magic makes a piggy bank tell

stories so that they can role play the

characters okay so these are probably

two ideas okay formed by your ability to

link them

together so what did we learn first is

keywords can be used to jot down issues

thoughts or

ideas so you can arrange it according to

different groups okay called as card

sorting or also called as Affinity

mappings because it's based based on the

affinities you group them you can put a

heading or title to each of these groups

and you can connect it related keywords

from different groups and you make this

Affinity

links okay so let's look at another

example okay so it's got three topics

storytelling rituals and

tools okay so these are the brainstormed

keywords randomly put all together

now you see they they are put into

groups okay uh so you can the color it's

color coded so you know which belongs to

which

category okay so you can look at it it's

the categories of

people artifacts

events story types and so on and so

forth right you able to find these three

categories and you see that the green

ones are

storytelling okay the orange ones are

rituals and the pink ones are the tools

right uh so you can see them mixed up in

all this uh different

categories okay and then they are linked

together through this Affinity links

okay and maybe there is an idea or a

thought that can come out of

this brainstorming

it can be used to sort your topic that's

what we

did so it can be used to understand the

subject its components its connections

parts of the subject to get a overall

world view it can also be used at the

stage of generating

ideas uh at the ideation phase of the

project the person behind this is Alex

oson he's known as the father of

brainstorming and he says brainstorming

using the brain to storm a creative

problem and in a Commando fashion with

each Tuma attacking the same objective

that's his

words so thank you for

listening to the design tools the

brainstorming it's very easy to do and

simple to do

so let's

summarize uh we finished the design

thinking process week one where we

understood the structure and the

introduction uh we also did now the

tools we learned how to do

brainstorming for keyword sorting and

linking it together to

affinities which should be followed by

the

project and then the case study

[Music]

[Applause]

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