Ideas are necessary for every business, whether it’s for product development, administrative matters, management or marketing. Having a safe environment and doing healthy exercises can cultivate concepts into creative outputs are significant to a business venture.
Brainstorming is one way to collect, bring together, sift through and improve on all the creative thoughts our team members may have. The question is: how do we do it efficiently? Premier Technology Solutions Pty Ltd CEO Matthew Beesley shares with us his experience and tips on how to conduct brainstorming effectively.
Brainstorming for your business
By Matthew Beesley
There are many tried and true methodologies and frameworks for enabling teams to brainstorm ideas. From mind mapping to round tabling, these methods are useful for finding innovative ways to solve problems.
As a business stacked full of engineers, we are rarely short of solutions or suggestions. One thing that’s clear to a business with 'all the answers' is just how easy it is to solve the wrong problem or problems that didn't need solving in the first place.
So how do you know if you're solving the wrong problem?
Firstly, separate the emotion
Problems generally come to the table as a result of a catalyst, often via a high-profile client or staff member. It's important to first separate the emotion and status tied to it to measure the true weight of the situation.
Secondly, understand the impact
It's almost impossible to have a truly effective brainstorming session without first understanding the impact. What is the cost of doing nothing vs. the potential gain of the 'perfect solution'. Something with limitless potential should be brainstormed without financial or resource constraint. Likewise, a problem with limited upside should have a narrower scope, allowing for conclusions to be reached quickly and efficiently.
Third, always ask 'why'
As the saying goes, "sometimes the problem is just the symptom of another problem". It's important to drill down several layers by asking 'why'. Questions like "why do we want this opportunity?" and "why will that help us?" will eventually lead to an underlying need or desire that could reshape your entire approach to a situation.
Bringing it all together
Dealing with the above ensures that round table discussions or other brainstorming techniques can have the most impact. Asking 'why' provides a purpose. Understanding the impact defines a scope. Finally, separating the emotion removes bias and enables true creative thought.
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Different businesses may have unique problems or needs that may require brainstorming to solve or address them. The tips above may be able to guide you on how to go about it properly so that you can make use of your time, effort and ideas proficiently.
If you have other tips to add, please feel free to share them at the comments section below.