When developing new products and strategies, coming up with unique ideas is often a struggle. It is one of the reasons why, in any industry, there is so much repetition. One way to generate new ideas and "get the creative juices flowing" is by completing brainstorming exercises using props. There are several ways to incorporate brainstorming into a new product development session. Two of my favorite techniques are skimming business publications and utilizing goodie bags.
According to dictionary.com, brainstorming is: 1) A method of shared problem solving in which all members of a group spontaneously contribute ideas or 2) A similar process undertaken by a person to solve a problem by rapidly generating a variety of possible solutions.
In action, brainstorming should be uncensored. No idea is dumb or impossible. In an organization, throw titles out the window. The janitor's ideas have the same validity as the CEO's. When implementing the brainstorming techniques below, try to pretend you know nothing about what is (or is not) possible. Write down ideas as they come up, no matter how outlandish. The task at hand is to free-associate, generating as many ideas as you can.
There's nothing more boring than a sterile conference room. Yet, this is where many new product development sessions take place. To liven the atmosphere, you need a springboard...stimuli to get the ideas flowing.
One technique for providing stimuli is to gather miscellaneous items into "goodie bags" and have brainstorming groups sort through them, writing down ideas as they occur. As seasonal Marketing Manager for Nestl