Brainstorming
Allowing for creativity and involvement in planning processes can be great motivational opportunities for club members. One way to get members involved is to coordinate brainstorming sessions. Brainstorming should be a fun and energetic process with the end in mind of creating a list of ideas for consideration before making a decision.
Creating a brainstorming session is relatively easy. Follow these steps, and before you know it, you will watch ideas turn into action!
- Gather a group of members (a meeting is a great place to do this!).
- Define the topic for which you will be generating ideas (e.g. improving an annual program, finding a way to be more efficient as a club, etc.).
- Assign a facilitator. This person will be responsible for getting everyone involved in the process, and will also be the point person to ensure ideas flow.
- Review a few ground rules:
- Any idea is a acceptable.
- Do not criticize other people's ideas.
- Record all thoughts (appoint a secretary).
- Reduce "dead air" -- keep the ideas flowing.
- Build on other ideas when given the opportunity.
- Focus on quantity, not quality (the quality will come later when you refine the brainstorm list).
- Establish a time limit for the brainstorming (3-5 minutes is usually ample time to generate some ideas).
- Start brainstorming!
- After you have finished brainstorming, sort through your list of generated ideas and establish a follow up discussion to make decisions about the presented thoughts.
Making Brainstorming More Fun
Sometimes club members have done a great deal of brainstorming with
other projects, and they get bored with a standard brainstorming session.
Here are some ways to add a little flavor to the brainstorming process.
- Split the organization into smaller groups, and have a competition to see which group can come up with the most creative ideas.
- Write down five concepts on five separate sheets of paper and spread them out across a long table. Give everyone ten sticky notes, and give the group five minutes to build on each others ideas. The rules are simple: you must write your ideas on your sticky note; you can only put your sticky note on an idea which is already on the table; at the end of five minutes, see who can use the most sticky notes and generate the most ideas.
For more ideas on brainstorming, contact the Student Activities Office.
