Tools and Techniques for Creativity and Innovation

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Brainstorming
Brainstorming (now often referred to as ideas-storming) is a group creativity technique designed to generate a large number of ideas for the solution of a problem. The method was popularized in a book called Applied Imagination by Alex Osborn in 1953. Osborn asserts that groups can double their creative output with brainstorming. Indeed, traditional brainstorming can produce valuable ideas and other benefits, such as boosting morale and improving teamwork.
There are four basic rules in brainstorming. These are intended to reduce social inhibitions among group members, stimulate ideas generation, and increase the creativity of the group:
Focus on quantity: This rule is about facilitating problem solving through the maxim quantity breeds quality. The assumption is that the greater the number of ideas generated, the greater the chance of producing a radical and effective solution.
Withhold criticism: In brainstorming, criticism of ideas generated should be withheld. Instead, participants should focus on extending or adding to ideas, reserving criticism for a later ‘critical stage’ of the process. By suspending judgment, participants will feel free to generate unusual or ‘wacky’ ideas.
Welcome unusual ideas: To get a good, long list of ideas, unusual ideas are welcomed; these can be generated by looking from new perspectives and by suspending assumptions.
Combine and improve ideas: Good ideas may be combined to form a single better idea. It is generally believed that more ideas can be stimulated through the process of association.
The Brainstorming Process
Set and define the problem
Before commencing with a brainstorming session, it is critical to define the problem. The problem must be clear and ideally captured in a specific question such as “What can be done to solve traffic congestion in the UK?” If the problem is too broad, it should be broken down into smaller components.
When possible, it is useful to send an informational invite to the participants, containing the session name, problem, time, date, and place. The problem should be described in the form of a question, and some example ideas given. If this is sent well in advance, it enables the participants to start to ‘incubate’ deeper thinking than by springing the issue on them at the session.
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Select participants
A group of 10 or less is generally productive with one person acting as facilitator and one person capturing the ideas. Many variations are possible but the following composition is suggested:
 Core members of the change project team;  Guests from outside the project, with some connection to the problem; and,  Guests with no affinity to the problem can be beneficial in asking the ‘noddy’ questions – the things that others (experts) take for granted
Facilitating a brainstorming session
The facilitator leads the brainstorming session, ensuring that ground rules are followed. The steps in a typical session are:
 A warm-up session, to expose participants to the criticism-free environment. A simple problem is brainstormed, for example ‘What should we do this year for the Christmas function?’;  The facilitator presents the problem and gives a further explanation if needed;  The facilitator asks the brainstorming group for their ideas;  If no ideas are forthcoming, the facilitator suggests an idea;  All participants present their ideas, and the idea collector records them;  To ensure clarity, participants may elaborate on their ideas;  When time is up, the facilitator organises the ideas based on the goal and encourages discussion;  Ideas are categorised;  The whole list is reviewed to ensure that everyone understands the ideas; and,  Duplicate ideas and obviously unfeasible solutions are removed.
Other considerations for the facilitation process
 The idea collector could number the ideas, so that the facilitator can use the number to encourage an idea generation goal, for example: ‘We have 23 ideas now, let’s get it to 30!’;  The idea collector should repeat the idea in the words he or she has written, to confirm that it expresses the meaning intended;  When a number of participants are having ideas, to encourage elaboration, the idea with the most associated ideas should have priority; and,  During a brainstorming session, higher level managers and other superiors may be discouraged from attending, since their presence could reduce the effect of the four basic rules, especially the generation of unusual ideas.

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Evaluation of Brainstorming
Brainstorming is not just about generating ideas for others to evaluate and select. Usually the group itself will, in its final stage, evaluate the ideas and select one as the solution to the problem proposed to the group. Issues to consider:
 The solution should not require resources or skills the members of the group do not have or cannot acquire;  If acquiring additional resources or skills is necessary, that needs to be the first part of the solution;  There must be a way to measure progress and success;  The steps to carry out the solution must be clear to all, and actions assigned; and,  There should be evaluations at milestones to decide whether the group is on track toward implementation of the solution
Nominal Group Technique
Nominal group technique is a type of brainstorming, designed to encourage and provide all participants to have an equal say in the process. It is also used to generate a ranked list of ideas.
Participants are asked to write their ideas anonymously – on Post-it Notes, for example. Then the facilitator collects the ideas and each is voted on by the group. The vote can be as simple as a show of hands in favour of a given idea. This process is called distillation.
After distillation, the top ranked ideas may be sent back to the group or to sub-groups for further brainstorming. For example, one group may work on the colour required in a product. Another group may work on the size, and so forth. Each group will come back to the whole group for ranking the listed ideas. Sometimes ideas that were previously dropped may be brought forward again once the group has re-evaluated the ideas.
Group Passing Technique
Each person in a circular group writes down one idea on a piece of paper, and then passes their piece of paper to the next person in a clockwise direction, who adds some thoughts. This continues until everybody gets his or her original piece of paper back. By this time, it is likely that the group will have extensively elaborated on each idea.
Alternatively, the group could also create an “Idea Book” and post a distribution list to the front of the book. On the first page is a description of the problem. The first person to receive the book lists his or her ideas and then routes the book to the next person on the distribution list. The second person can log new ideas or add to the ideas of the previous person. This continues until the distribution list is exhausted. A meeting is then held to discuss the ideas logged in the book. The book approach takes longer, but it allows individuals time to think more deeply about the problem.

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The 5 Ws + H
This technique is simply about asking questions that start with who, what, where, when, why and how. The types of question you might apply to your problem solving could include:
Who
Who is affected by the problem? Who else has the problem? Who decided there is a problem? Who would be happy if it were solved? Who would be sad if it were solved? Who could prevent the solution? Who needs to solve the problem more than you?
What
What will change about the problem? What are the characteristics of the problem? What do you like about the problem? What do you dislike about the problem? What can be changed about the problem? What can’t be changed? What do you know about the problem? What do you not know? What will it be like if the problem is solved? What will it be like if it isn’t solved? What have you done in the past with similar problems? What is the principle underlying the problem? What value systems underlie the problem? What are the relationships between elements of the problem? What assumptions have you made about the problem? What seems to be most important about the problem? What is least important? What are your objectives in solving the problem? What else do you need to know about the problem?
Where
Where is the problem most noticeable? Where is it least noticeable? Where else does the problem exist? Where is the best place to begin looking for solutions? Where does the problem fit in with the larger scheme of things? Where in the world would a different approach be more acceptable?

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When
When does it occur? When doesn’t it occur? When did it first become a problem? When will it cease to be a problem? When do other people see it as a problem? When don’t they see it as a problem? When does it need to be solved? When is it likely to happen again? When will it get worse? When will it get better?
Why
Why is this situation a problem? Why do you want to solve the problem? Why would you not want to solve it? Why doesn’t the problem go away? Why would someone else want to solve the problem? Why wouldn’t someone else want to solve the problem? Why is the problem easy to solve? Why is the problem hard to solve?
How
How will the problem impact? How do other organisations deal with this sort of problem? How do we need to approach the people involved? How would you want to solve the problem if there were no barriers at all? How could we be more radical? How would this be viewed if we did nothing? How could we make the problem less noticeable? How could we become more informed about matters relating to the problem?
Mind Mapping for Creativity and Creative Problem-Solving
Mind Maps are a great tool for accessing natural creativity and harnessing that creativity for effective problem solving. The main branches of the Mind Map can be used in a variety of ways to support thinking. The only limit to the ways in which Mind Maps can be used is the imagination. Making the main branches questions can often act as an impetus for effective problem solving.
The ‘Laws of Mind Mapping’ were originally devised by Tony Buzan when he codified the use of imagery, colour and association and coined the phrase ‘Mind Mapping’. There are many variations on the original ‘Mind Map ‘ and the widespread usage of mapping software of various sorts has dramatically changed what is possible.

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Example of a Mind Map:
Review each Friday pm
Do these with appraisals
Dave Jo Jane
Get more sleep
Delegate more
0900 + 1300 Daily
Prioritize in tray
Leave emails to set times
Do difficult jobs in morning
Use ‘to do list’
Attend fewer meetings
Have weekly plan
Plan phone calls
Less chatting
Have coffee at desk
Keep meetings to tight agenda
Rotate attendance
Revise job specs.
Time Management

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