The brain is a remarkable organ, constantly generating new ideas. Whether we're coming up with a solution to a problem at work or daydreaming about our next vacation destination, the mind is always churning out new possibilities.
However, not all ideas are created equal. Some are innovative and transformative, while others are banal and quickly forgotten. So how can we encourage our brains to generate more valuable ideas?
Well, the best ideas often come from a collaboration of minds. When faced with a problem, it can be helpful to brainstorm with a group of people. This allows for a diversity of perspectives and can lead to more creative solutions.
In this blog post, we'll show you how you can use Rolljak as your idea generation machine. Stay tuned – we've got some great tips and tricks coming up!
RULES TO START WITH...
Here are a few rules to start with during idea generation and brainstorming sessions:
Keep an open mind
Be willing to consider all ideas, no matter how "out there" they may seem at first. You never know where the next great idea will come from!
Encourage wild ideas
The crazier, the better! Brainstorming is about generating as many ideas as possible, so don't be afraid to let your imagination run wild.
Build on each other's ideas
One great way to come up with new and innovative ideas is to build on the ideas of others. If someone suggests an idea that you like, see if you can add to it or take it in a different direction.
Be respectful
It's important to remember that there is no such thing as a bad idea in brainstorming. Be respectful of each other's ideas and refrain from judging or critiquing them.
Have fun
Brainstorming should be an enjoyable experience! Let loose, be creative, and have fun with it.
The Only Way To Have Good Ideas Is By Having Many Ideas
Ideation and brainstorming sessions are usually ranked across these 4 criteria:
Quantity
In a brainstorming session, it's important to get as many ideas down as possible. The point is to generate as much creativity and diversity of thought as possible. Once you have a good number of ideas, you can start to edit and refine them.
Brainstorming is all about coming up with new and creative ideas, so don't be afraid to think outside the box. Be open to any and all possibilities, no matter how far-fetched they may seem at first. You can always edit them later.
Quality
Even though quantity is important in brainstorming, don't forget about quality. Not all ideas are created equal, and some will be more useful than others. Be sure to pay attention to the quality of your ideas as well as the quantity.
When evaluating the quality of an idea, ask yourself if it's feasible, original, and relevant to the task at hand. If it meets all three of those criteria, then it's likely a good idea.
Novelty
One of the most important aspects of a good idea is that it's new. If you're just regurgitating the same old ideas, you're not going to get very far. In order to have a truly successful brainstorming session, you need to come up with fresh, original ideas.
To generate novelty, try thinking about the problem from a different perspective. If you're stuck, try looking at it from the opposite point of view. This can help you to see the issue in a new light and come up with ideas that you wouldn't have thought of before.
Diversity
When brainstorming, it's important to have a diverse group of people with different perspectives and backgrounds. This will help ensure that you come up with a wide range of ideas.
Try to avoid having too many people from the same field or with the same perspective. This can lead to groupthink, where people only come up with ideas that are similar to what everyone else is thinking.
Of these 4, which do you think is the most important in determining the success of an ideation or brainstorming session?
It’s quantity.
If you come up with enough ideas it is almost certain that you will check off the other 3 criteria. Granted you have some poorly crafted ideas.
Collaborative Sketching
Collaborative Sketching is a very effective technique that has been proven to maximise the creative output of your ideation session. It works by building upon one another’s ideas one at a time, typically silently to avoid distractions.
In the example below, the ideas will rotate around the table till you get your original one back. Each person gets an opportunity to contribute to another person’s ideas. Of course, in a larger group, you can’t possibly complete the entire rotation.
Establish An Environment of Play
When you play you are bold. You are less susceptible to care about others’ opinions. By setting up an atmosphere or environment of play, you make everyone feel at ease and encourage them to put their best foot forward. When you’re bold, so is the quality of your ideas.
Divergence and Convergence are equally important
As much as the quantity of ideas is important in ideation, a successful brainstorming session also has a systematic and methodical down-selection process to find the best ideas or suggestions. Without a clear approach to letting the best ideas emerge, lots of effort will be wasted.
Rolljak is game-based Innovation
Rolljak was built by taking the fundamental concepts used in Design Thinking and Innovation Thinking to create a game-based environment where ideation and brainstorming sessions can be conducted seamlessly in a time-boxed manner - regardless of how large your audience.
Rolljak includes a segment of individual ideation and rotational viewing in a fun game-based environment to ensure equal participation from everyone. It also provides you with multiple convergences and down-selection methods.
Rolljak scales seamlessly regardless of if you are brainstorming with 5, 50 or 500 people.
Ways to Use Rolljak During Idea Generation and Brainstorming Sessions
Use Rolljak as a Session Starter
Brainstorming is a great way to generate new ideas, but it can also be a frustrating process if you don't know how to get started. The key to a successful brainstorming session is to create an environment that is conducive to creativity.
This means giving everyone a chance to contribute, encouraging wild and out-of-the-box thinking, and being open to all ideas. It can also be helpful to set some ground rules, such as not critiquing ideas until the brainstorming session is over.
With Rolljak, you can set the stage for a successful brainstorming session. Use Brainstorm session template and edit the questions about the topic at hand, and let team members share their answers anonymously.
Alternatively, you can use Rolljak as a way to get team members warmed up and thinking creatively before diving into the brainstorming session.
Generate Ideas Through Collaborative Sketching
When it comes to idea generation, collaborative sketching or group sketching as mentioned previously, is a powerful tool. This technique involves having each member of the group contribute to a shared drawing. The result can be chaotic and messy, but it can also be a great way to break out of creative ruts and come up with ideas that you never would have thought of on your own.
With Rolljak’s Collaborative Sketching or C-sketch feature, your team members can generate and build their ideas upon each other. This is perfect when your team is trying to come up with a new product or service, or when you’re brainstorming ways to improve an existing one.
Create Prompts to Find Inspiration
One of the commonly used brainstorming techniques is to use prompts. Prompts can take many different forms, but they all serve the same purpose: to stimulate thought and jumpstart the creative process.
You can use Rolljak to ask participants to come up with ideas for a new product that would appeal to a specific demographic. Or you might ask them to imagine a future in which your company has become the market leader.
In addition to using Rolljak as a tool for brainstorming, you can also use it as a way to collect ideas from team members. Pose a question or prompt, and then have team members submit their ideas anonymously. This can be a great way to get everyone's ideas out in the open without worry of judgment or criticism.
By providing a structure for thinking, prompts can help turn a barren brainstorming session into a productive ideation session.
Track Ideas With Rolljak
Coming up with good ideas is hard enough, but it can be even harder to keep track of all of those ideas during a brainstorming session. That's why it's so important to have a system for tracking ideas. One of the most popular brainstorming tools is Rolljak.
Rolljak makes it easy to capture and organize ideas, as well as to track the progress of your brainstorming session. It allows collaborators to add their own thoughts from anywhere in the world. This is very beneficial if you have team members who are remote.
No matter what method you choose, tracking your ideas is essential for a successful brainstorming session.
Use Rolljak as a Visual Jumpstarter
When it comes to brainstorming, visuals can be a great way to jumpstart the creative process. Studies have shown that visual presentations are 43% more persuasive and can make the brain more engaged when processing information. In addition, visuals can help team members to see connections between ideas that they might not otherwise see.
Rolljak allows you to create visual games that can help team members to brainstorm and generate new ideas. With Rolljak, you can use images, videos, and even GIFs to help bring your ideas to life. This can be a great way to engage team members and get them thinking outside the box.
Use Rolljak to Encourage Constructive Criticism
One of the most important aspects of brainstorming is encouraging criticism. It's important to allow team members to freely express their ideas, without the worry of judgment or criticism. This can be a challenge, as people are often reluctant to share their ideas for fear of being ridiculed.
With Rolljak, you can create a safe environment for team members to share their ideas. By allowing team members to submit their ideas anonymously, you can encourage them to be open and honest with their thoughts. This can help to create a more productive brainstorming session.
In addition, Rolljak can be used to generate constructive criticism. By posing questions and prompts, you can help team members to see the potential flaws in their ideas. This can help to improve the quality of your team's ideas and can also help to prevent mistakes.
Use Rolljak to Stimulate Creativity
Brainstorming is great, but it can also be a bit of a challenge. It can be difficult to come up with fresh ideas when you feel like you've already exhausted all of the possibilities.
One way to jumpstart your creativity is to ask open-ended questions. Instead of asking "what" or "how," try asking "why." Asking why can help you to get to the root of the problem and come up with more creative solutions. This is where Rolljak comes in.
With Rolljak, you can create games or quizzes that ask open-ended questions. This can help to stimulate creativity and can also help team members to see the problem from different perspectives. By using Rolljak, you can ensure that your team is able to generate new and innovative ideas.
Finally, don't be afraid to take risks. Brainstorming is all about exploring new ideas, so don't be afraid to think outside the box. By taking a few risks, you may just come up with the next big thing.
Share Inspiration with Others
Inspiration is fuel. Often, the best ideas come when you least expect them. This is why it's important to have a way to capture and share your ideas.
With Rolljak Template feature, you can easily share your games and quizzes with others. This is a great way to spread inspiration and can also help to generate new ideas. By sharing your games with others, you can ensure that your team is always inspired and that the brainstorming process is always fresh.
What makes Rolljak really one of the best brainstorming techniques is its ability to be used anywhere, anytime. By having Rolljak on your mobile device, you can easily capture your ideas and share them with others. This makes it the perfect tool for brainstorming on the go.
Use Rolljak as a Peer Evaluation Tool
Brainstorming is not only about generating new ideas, but it's also about evaluating those ideas. The evaluation process can help you to identify which ideas are the most promising and worth pursuing.
This is where Rolljak can be a valuable tool. By using Rolljak, you can create quizzes or games that test team members' knowledge of the topic at hand. This can be a great way to ensure that your team is on the same page and that they understand the concepts that you're discussing.
In addition, Rolljak can be used to evaluate team members' ideas. By asking questions about the ideas that have been generated, you can help to determine which ones are the most viable. This can be a great way to ensure that your team is focused and that they're not wasting time on ideas that won't work.
Finally, Rolljak can be used as a way to provide feedback. By asking questions and soliciting feedback, you can help to improve the quality of your team's ideas. This ensures that your team is always improving and that their ideas are getting better.
Conclusion
Brainstorming and idea generation are essential for any business. By using Rolljak, you can ensure that your team is always productive and that your ideas are well-organized. With Rolljak, you can create visual games that can help team members to brainstorm and generate new ideas.
Additionally, Rolljak can be used to encourage criticism, stimulate creativity, and spread inspiration. With it, you can ensure that your team is always inspired and that the brainstorming process is always fresh.
To top it all, Rolljak is the perfect brainstorming tool for online and hybrid sessions. It allows you to get the best out of your team, no matter where they are located. With this, you can ensure that your team is always productive and that your ideas are well-organized.
Give Rolljak a try next time and see how it can help your team to be more productive.