When you’re feeling stuck, brainstorming is a simple technique that enables you to come up with many different ideas, no matter the situation.

Whether you’re doing it solo or working with your team, follow these suggestions to help you get started.

Set your environment

Choose a space that will encourage creative thinking, such as at your desk; for a group session, you might want to provide a variety of seating options. If you’re planning a virtual collaboration, you can use an online tool like Mural.

Focus on quantity

Brainstorming works best when ideas can be expressed freely, so try to withhold judgment to avoid limiting creativity. Aim to gather as many ideas as possible, but set a time limit to ensure you stay on track.

Get thoughts down

The next step is choosing a way to document the ideas produced, whether it’s by jotting them on paper or a whiteboard or documenting your session via a video or voice memo. If you are brainstorming as a group, nominate someone to take charge of this task.

Choose your techniques

There are many ways to brainstorm, including:

Brainwriting
This group brainstorming method requires everyone participating to write an idea down and pass it along. The next person then reflects on it and tries to come up with additional related thoughts.

Mind mapping
Place a central topic in the center of your page or whiteboard. Then come up with a few related main ideas, connecting them to your central one with tree-like branches. As you brainstorm, branch off into additional subtopics.

Storyboarding
Use this technique to create or chart a path to a desired goal. First note your ideas on sticky notes or postcards. Then put them in a sequential pattern to visualize the beginning, middle, and end of a process, such as how to execute a marketing campaign.

TAKE ACTION:
Gather your team together to try one of these brainstorming techniques.