A brainstorm can be a powerful tool to create great ideas. However, it’s not uncommon brainstorming is seen as ’20 minutes of fun’ – like it’s not a real business meeting just because you are creating divergent ideas. These brainstorms can harm the reputation of the technique as the productivity of sessions organized this way is very low.

Fortunately, saving the reputation of brainstorming is easy. These are the ten commandments for organizing and participating in a productive brainstorming session:

1. You will be on time
2. You will have an agenda
3. You will appoint one participant as the scribe
4. You will have no distractions or interruptions
5. You will be clear about the goal of the brainstorm
6. You will not recognize ‘ranks’ in a brainstorm session
7. You will time your brainstorm
8. There will be no discussions during the brainstorm
9. Remember brainstorming is about quantity, not quality
10. You will have a back-up plan

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There is a concept that is so simple, yet requiring so much discipline, and in return will become the most valuable tool in your career in any creative industry:

Start Writing Every Idea Down.

Every idea with a hint of potential is in serious danger of disappearing into the depths of your sub consciousness. Of course it’s not lost forever, but it there is tremendous value in keeping your ideas in your conscious mind by structuring them outside of your brain. In time this will create the most valuable database you will ever have access to. Read the rest of this article »

To me creativity means a new and relevant connection between problem and solution. ‘New’ as in – the connection has not been made before, within the context of the problem. But just because it is new doesn’t mean its creative per definition. It also has to be relevant to the situation, otherwise it is just ‘randomness’.

But today none other than John Cleese challenged me to look at creativity as a state of mind. A mood even, who – much like ‘the prepared mind’ – requires certain conditions to occur. Read the rest of this article »

We’ve all seen them, or at least heard of them. The infamous ‘idea box’. The waste of space somewhere in a corner of an office. If not empty, its often a channel to anonymously vent frustrations – which quickly decreases management interest in ‘employee ideas’.

Personally I think it is a shame such a great opportunity to receive great ideas from the people dealing with your every day to day business is so often undervalued. The following seven steps ensure your employees will generate ideas, feel motivated to share them, and provide real opportunities to your company with the least amount of effort. Read the rest of this article »

One of the recurring themes of this blog is the process of ideation. In fact, it is one of the essential components to create real value from the articles posed on Crinid. In one sentence, ideation is the idea you are in control of your ideas, and can improve the quality of those ideas through training.

I’m sure you’ve heard of the expression ‘eureka!’. The expression now means as much as a sudden insight. As hit by lightning the solution seems to be right in front of you. Read the rest of this article »