Enabling Creativity through a Brain Dump

This is one of my favorite pre-brainstorming activities.

It's inspired by Doug Hall's 'Mind Dump' exercise, from "Jump Start Your Brain".

I use it a little differently than Doug does.

Doug uses it as a kick start to brainstorming.

I use it as a way to release all the negative energy around a challenge that's been tackled before.

Here's how I use it:

1. Hand each participant a copy of the 'Brain Dump' sheet shown above.
2. Name a challenge (for example, sell our product to Customer A) and write it in the center square.
3. Set a timer for 8 minutes (that's 2 minutes for each side - you can allow 12, 16, or 20 minutes if you prefer).
4. Have the group write all their 'stored' thoughts about the challenge or issue. These can include emotions they feel, images that come to mind, senses that are triggered, or memories.
5. Watch the participants. You'll usually see and hear chuckling, head-shaking, smirking, groaning and more.
6. We stop at the buzzer.
7. In an optional step, you can discuss what's been captured (I usually don't, unless it's an extreme case where discussion is a prerequisite to letting go).
8. Pause dramatically and then...
9. Ask everyone to wad the paper into balls and throw them into the trash can.
10. Start your brainstorming exercise.

This allows everyone to empty their brain of negative energy and thoughts so they can start fresh.

Sounds corny, but it has always worked for me.

Creative Thinking Through Metaphors

One of the easiest ways to get creative is through the use of metaphors.

Unfortunately, it's way too easy to fall back on cliches when we brainstorm metaphors.

That's why I love using metaphorical images. We lay out 100 or so ambiguous images and ask the group to pick an image that serves as a metaphor for their challenge. After one person shows an image, I'll even ask others to contribute what metaphor they saw in the image. There's usually a big difference.

Today, addressing staffing, one participant picked up an image of a leopard. From that image, the team came up with 'hunting talent', 'scanning the horizon', 'staying hungry', 'tracking leads', 'working in teams', 'moving fast', 'being agile', and 'prowling the popular watering holes'.

Not sure if that last one was about staffing or their Friday night plans...

Either way, the images gave us some power ideas that we wouldn't have reached otherwise.

Creativity with Sticky Notes - by Eepybird

Today is Wednesday: "Creativity, Innovation & Thinking" day at huesworks.
I'd say this video meets all of the above criteria.
Check out more at eepybird.com



You could use this video as a case study for innovation. Consider the following questions:

• How did they come up with these ideas?
• What brainstorming methods might have been used?
• How much "yes, but..." thinking was used?
• How much "yes, and..." thinking was used?
• What role did prototyping play?
• Could the 'SCAMPER' exercise be used effectively?
• What other tools or methods might apply?
• Could you come up with more ideas?

Well.... can you?

Creative Tools I: Magnetic Poetry

My Business Poem

Here's a fun site from the Magnetic Poetry folks.
You may have seen magnetic poetry kits in book stores.

It's a box full of words that are on magnets. You can toss them on a refrigerator and whip up a haiku (or a limerick - art is up to the artist...) while you grab a beer.

On this site is an online version that you can play with when you're not near a refrigerator.
This is the office version, so even if you get caught you can tell them you're working on your mission statement!