Brendan Boyle: How to Brainstorm Better

Summary

Brainstorming is often misunderstood and ineffective when not approached properly. The key to success lies in balancing divergent thinking—exploring a wide range of ideas, even absurd ones—with convergent thinking—narrowing down options and making decisions. Effective brainstorming requires practice and expertise, much like playing a musical instrument. Creative individuals know when to toggle between these modes, leading to innovative solutions. When practiced correctly, brainstorming becomes a powerful tool for ideation, helping to uncover brilliant ideas that might otherwise remain hidden.

Takeaways

• 😀 Brainstorming is often misunderstood, and many people struggle with it because they don't know how to use the technique effectively.
• 😀 Successful brainstorming requires practice and understanding of the technique, making it more like a skill than a one-time event.
• 😀 Brainstorming is just one tool in the larger design process, which includes inspiration, ideation, and strategy.
• 😀 The design process involves 'inspiration' (seeing what others don't), 'ideation' (framing ideas under an opportunity or strategy), and then using techniques like brainstorming.
• 😀 Some people believe brainstorming doesn’t work, but its success depends on how well the team knows how to use it.
• 😀 Comparing brainstorming to jamming in music: if everyone knows how to play their instruments, the session is productive, but if they don't, the outcome will be poor.
• 😀 Brainstorming requires divergent thinking—being open to a wide range of ideas, even ridiculous or outlandish ones, which can lead to great innovations.
• 😀 Convergent thinking, which is focused on narrowing down to the best solution, is something many people are already good at, but divergent thinking is just as crucial for creativity.
• 😀 Divergent thinking is essential for generating original, creative ideas that could lead to breakthroughs, as sometimes the best ideas come from the most outrageous thoughts.
• 😀 Creative people know when to turn on divergent thinking for ideation and when to switch to convergent thinking to refine and make decisions.
• 😀 People often struggle with the balance between divergent and convergent thinking, jumping between the two too frequently rather than mastering when to switch.

Q & A

Why do some people think brainstorming doesn't work?

People often struggle with brainstorming because they don't fully understand how to apply it effectively. They may try it once without mastering the process, which leads to failure. Brainstorming, like any technique, requires practice and understanding to be successful.

What is the relationship between brainstorming and the design process?

Brainstorming is just one technique used within the broader design process. It fits into the ideation phase, which comes after gaining inspiration and identifying opportunities. Brainstorming helps to generate creative ideas, but it works best when it is part of a well-structured approach.

What makes brainstorming successful in a group setting?

For brainstorming to be successful in a group, participants need to be experienced with the technique and know how to use it effectively. If people understand the rules and practice brainstorming, they can generate better ideas. It requires a certain level of skill, like playing an instrument, where practice and familiarity improve results.

Why is brainstorming sometimes ineffective for beginners?

Beginners often fail with brainstorming because they don't have a clear understanding of how to guide the process or structure the ideas. Without proper knowledge or experience, they may get stuck in converging thinking too early or fail to explore ideas widely enough.

What is the difference between divergent and convergent thinking?

Divergent thinking involves exploring a wide range of possibilities and generating many ideas, including some that may seem ridiculous. Convergent thinking, on the other hand, is about narrowing down ideas and making decisions quickly. Both are important, but divergent thinking is especially valuable during the brainstorming phase.

How can divergent thinking lead to better ideas?

Divergent thinking helps to uncover creative and innovative solutions by encouraging people to think broadly and explore unconventional ideas. Often, ideas that seem outlandish or absurd at first may lead to the breakthrough ideas that are ultimately successful.

Why is it important to balance divergent and convergent thinking?

A balance between divergent and convergent thinking is essential because it allows for the generation of creative ideas followed by a structured process of selecting and refining the best options. Too much focus on either can hinder the creative process or lead to quick decisions without exploring enough possibilities.

How does practice affect brainstorming effectiveness?

Like any skill, brainstorming becomes more effective with practice. The more people engage in brainstorming, the better they become at generating and evaluating ideas. As with learning a musical instrument, practice leads to improved performance and more successful outcomes.

What does the speaker mean by 'creative people know when to turn divergent thinking on and off'?

The speaker suggests that creative people are skilled at knowing when to focus on divergent thinking to explore many ideas and when to switch to convergent thinking to make decisions and focus on the best ideas. This ability to shift between the two modes is key to successful brainstorming.

What role does 'ridiculous' thinking play in brainstorming?

Ridiculous ideas play a critical role in brainstorming because they can lead to unique and unexpected solutions. Sometimes, ideas that initially seem far-fetched are the ones that lead to the most innovative and brilliant outcomes. Being willing to entertain such ideas is crucial to the creative process.