The value of brainstorming

When approaching a challenge or a big problem, how do you brainstorm for the best ideas? Brainstorming is a crucial factor whether you’re looking for specific solutions or doing a strategic plan for your business. However, many business people either leave it out completely or hurry through the process.

I believe you should take the time to thoroughly explore every aspect of your problem and capture every element that pertains to it. Only then can you organize what you have in front of you to determine the critical factors for successfully finding an answer.

If you have trouble doing this, ask a trusted friend or colleague to help. Start by asking the basic questions about the problem and just see where the conversation goes, writing everything down no matter how trivial. I find that a group of three or four people is best. Keep talking and writing until there is absolutely nothing left to say.

The key to brainstorming is to start with the all the possibilities and then narrow those down to a manageable size. Brainstorming takes skill and patience. It’s the process of sorting from the many to the few without getting bogged down in the solutions.

-barney