Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a group problem-solving method that involves the spontaneous contribution of creative ideas and solutions. This technique requires intensive, freewheeling discussion in which every member of the group is encouraged to think aloud and suggest as many ideas as possible based on their diverse knowledge.

Brainstorming is a group creativity technique by which efforts are made to find a conclusion for a specific problem by gathering a list of ideas spontaneously contributed by its members.

In other words, brainstorming is a situation where a group of people meet to generate new ideas and solutions around a specific domain of interest by removing inhibitions. People are able to think more freely and they suggest as many spontaneous new ideas as possible. All the ideas are noted down without criticism and after the brainstorming session the ideas are evaluated

Brainstorming combines an informal approach to problem-solving with lateral thinking, which is a method for developing new concepts to solve problems by looking at them in innovative ways. Some of these ideas can be built into original, creative solutions to a problem, while others can generate additional ideas.

Some experts believe that brainstorming is better than conventional group interaction, which might be hindered by group think. Group think is a phenomenon that occurs when the team’s need for consensus overshadows the judgment of individual group members.

Brainstorming is a method for generating ideas to solve a design problem. It usually involves a group, under the direction of a facilitator. The strength of brainstorming is the potential participants have in drawing associations between their ideas in a free-thinking environment, thereby broadening the solution space.

Although group brainstorming is frequently better for generating ideas than normal group problem-solving, several studies have shown that individual brainstorming can produce better ideas than group brainstorming. This can occur because group members pay so much attention to others’ ideas that they forget or do not create their own ideas. Also, groups do not always adhere to good brainstorming practices.

During brainstorming sessions, participants should avoid criticizing or rewarding ideas in order to explore new possibilities and break down incorrect answers. Once the brainstorming session is over, the evaluation session (which includes analysis and discussion of the aired ideas) begins, and solutions can be crafted using conventional means.

Common methods of brainstorming include mind mapping, which involves creating a diagram with a goal or key concept in the center with branches showing subtopics and related ideas; writing down the steps needed to get from Point A to Point B; "teleporting" yourself to a different time and place; putting yourself in other people’s shoes to imagine how they might solve a problem; and "superstorming," or using a hypothetical superpower such as X-ray vision to solve a problem. 

1. Set a time limit – depending on the problem’s complexity, 15–60 minutes is normal.
2. Begin with a target problem/brief – members should approach this sharply defined question, plan or goal and stay on topic.
3. Refrain from judgment/criticism – no-one should be negative (including via body language) about any idea.
4. Encourage weird and wacky ideas – further to the ban on killer phrases like “too expensive”, keep the floodgates open so everyone feels free to blurt out ideas, as long as they’re on topic.
5. Aim for quantity – remember, “quantity breeds quality”; the sifting-and-sorting process comes later.
6. Build on others’ ideas – it’s a process of association where members expand on others’ notions and reach new insights, allowing these ideas to trigger their own. Say “and”—rather than discourage with “but”—to get ideas closer to the problem.
7. Stay visual – diagrams and Post-Its help bring ideas to life and help others see things in different ways.
8. Allow one conversation at a time – keeping on track this way and showing respect for everyone’s ideas is essential for arriving at concrete results.             BUZZ GROUP: A buzz group is a small, intense discussion group usually involving to 3 persons responding to a specific question or in search of very precise information. The full plenary group is subdivided into the small groups. It’s called a ‘buzz’ group because it mimics the sound of people in intense discussion!

When to use

A buzz group has many applications and benefits, as listed below:

1. It is a creative process.
2. Recalling/reviewing previous learning.
3. Linking elements/concepts/ideas together.
4. Reflecting back to what was previously discussed.
5. Probing issues in greater depth.
6. Transition from one issue to another.
7. Evaluating learning.
8. Connecting life experience with theory.
9. Helping the trainer to discover missing data or misunderstandings and make corrections.
10. Raising unsuspecting issues that must be addressed to make progress.

This technique can be used at anytime throughout the program, particularly when you want trainees to become actively engaged with the issues. For example, you can give a short lecture, follow it with a Q&A session for clarification and then follow that with a buzz group discussion to connect what you were talking about to their job and life experiences.

The intensity of the discussion lasts for up to 10 minutes, less if the task is completed in a shorter time period. There’s nothing more mysterious than that! With many small groups working on a common issue, many options and contributions are offered.
 

Benefits

1. Highly participative.
2. Very focussed and direct.
3. Very frequently it integrates theory with experience.
4. Short, intense and using trainees own information so there is ownership of the output by trainees.
How to use

The learners are divided into small groups, usually twos or threes. These small groups meet for a short period to consider a simple question or problem. The ideas, thus exchanged, may then be presented to the other participants by each of the small groups in turn, so promoting further discussion.

Goal

The purpose of this method is to help maintain interest and to get people involved in something. By discussing and expressing their own thought their learning gets stimulated. Furthermore this method offers information and experiences for the participants on which they can further build on. Another aspect is that it helps the participants to get acquainted with each other.

Instructions

Before

Setting: No material is needed or recommended.

Number of participants: This method is especially useful in bigger groups, but can be used for any size of group.

Types of participants: Any types of participants can be involved in this process.

Time needed: Between five and ten minutes, depending on the topic that should be discussed.

Ideal conditions: There are no special conditions needed.

Pre-Work Required: There is no work that needs to be done beforehand.

Type of Facilitator-Client Relationship: A special Facilitator-Client Relationship is not neccesary as the group only needs to be instructed and supervised.

Facilitator personality fit: This is a easy method that can be practised by anyone.

During

1. Devide the group into subgroups of two to four people. Do so by asking everybody to turn to their neighbours, without moving from where they are sitting as this is the easiest and quickest way to create groups.
2. Give a simple task or question to them, which can be discussed in 5 to 10 minutes.
3. After completion of this task, ask some groups to report or express their experiences.
4. The outcomes can be used as a starting point for the rest of the programme.

After

Follow-Up Required: There is no follow-up requiered.

Usual or Expected Outcomes: The output of this process is an involved, energized group or audience as well as an interactive input for the lecture or programme.

Potential pitfalls: One can not control what the pairs are talking about, epecially when working with a bigger group.

How success is evaluated: The process is successful when the people are now comfortable with one another, and feel involved in the process.

Examples of successes and failures: It is a simple way to "neutralise" people who dominate the discussion in plenary sessions.

Using buzz groups in the beginning of a session helps to create an informal atmosphere.

Role Playing

Role playing is a technique that allows students to explore realistic situations by interacting with other people in a managed way in order to develop experience and trial different strategies in a supported environment. Depending on the intention of the activity, participants might be playing a role similar to their own (or their likely one in the future) or could play the opposite part of the conversation or interaction. Both options provide the possibility of significant learning, with the former allowing experience to be gained and the latter encouraging the student to develop an understanding of the situation from the ‘opposite’ point of view.

Participants are given particular roles to play in a conversation or other interaction, such as an email exchange, typical of their discipline. They may be given specific instructions on how to act or what to say, as an aggressive client or patient in denial, for example, or required to act and react in their own way depending on the requirements of the exercise. The participants will then act out the scenario and afterwards there will be reflection and discussion about the interactions, such as alternative ways of dealing with the situation. The scenario can then be acted out again with changes based on the outcome of the reflection and discussion.

Role-play is a very flexible teaching approach because it requires no special tools, technology or environments, for example student could work through a role-play exercise just as effectively in a lecture hall as in a seminar room. However, technology can provide significant advantages, and even new possibilities, for using the approach as a learning activity.

Role playing is an active learning technique in which employees act out situations under the guidance of a trainer. In each scenario, employees take on a role and act out the scene as though it were real. For example, two people might simulate a meeting between an employee and an angry customer. The trainer and the other participants can then give feedback to the role players.

Advantages

It's Social and Communal