In creative roles, it is quite common to get into instances where your mind is just not coming up with ideas. In fact, it happens to everyone. Your content marketing might get stuck in a rut and your content marketing team might not be generating fresh ideas. So what do you do, at that point? This necessitates a group brainstorming session. Brainstorming is a relaxed approach to problem-solving that employs lateral thinking. It is not meant to be rigid, as an overly structured brainstorming session hinders the creative flow of ideas. Here are some brainstorming techniques to revive your creativity.
1. Mind mapping
Mind mapping stimulates your brain visually. By presenting ideas in a visual and intuitive manner, mind maps or concept maps help you come up with more ideas and build connections between those concepts or ideas. You can draw it in any way you see fit but most mind maps are a web of ideas inside squares or circles. A good way to do this efficiently is by using mind map websites or applications online but even good old pen and paper will do just fine.
2. Brainwriting
This brainstorming technique is a nonverbal technique that requires each person to write down their ideas on a piece of paper. Each participant’s paper with ideas would then be passed around the room with every subsequent person building on the previous ideas, with helpful or creative inputs. When the paper comes full circle, the people all discuss and evaluate which ideas are the best. This method is particularly useful because it can balance out the brainstorming process by preventing bias to form on the first idea. Additionally, everyone has an equal chance to contribute to the brainstorming process.
3. Figure storming
Figure storming is a fun and creative technique that can also be productive. This method is done by discussing how a celebrity, a powerful person, or even a fictional character would deal with the problem at hand. It might seem asinine but by dealing with hypotheticals, the team is likely to come up with innovative ideas. It helps teams think outside the box. A problem with brainstorming sometimes is that individuals are too conscious about positing a creative idea but because this method allows one to hide behind someone else’s name, a participant is more likely to share it.
4. Starbursting
Starbursting is best executed after a preliminary idea has been chosen to be further elaborated on. As can be guessed from the name, starbursting is done by drawing a six-point star, with each point representing the basic who, what, where, when, why, and how questions. By focusing on just questions, the technique stimulates creative thinking. With these 6 questions, the group will have to analyze the idea from every angle together and find solutions together as opposed to burdening the proposer with figuring it out on their own.
5. Stepladder
This technique ensures that none of the group would be heavily influenced by the most confident people’s ideas as good ideas can come from anywhere. You start by introducing the prime topic to everyone in the room. Then, everyone but two people leaves the room. The challenge begins with the first two people brainstorming together. After a few minutes, a third person comes into the room and discusses his ideas before the previous people discuss theirs. After the three of them discuss for a few minutes, a new person arrives, and the process repeats until everyone gets a chance to discuss their ideas in the room only. In the end, you can gather all the good ideas to discuss as a team.
Running out of creative juice?
Let us help you get those creative juices flowing! At CM Tribe, we specialize in Content Marketing and we know how difficult and draining it is to run out of ideas. That’s why we’re here to help you out as much as we can.
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