Brainstorm

Often the best place to generate ideas is within your company. Innovation does not have to be about revolutionary. It could simply be improving on existing products, services or processes. It could be one simple alteration that could reap any benefits. Brainstorming is used for decision-making to empower employees, those who are on-the-job, live and breathe the process and products. Brainstorming gives management a bigger picture of the business and makes the most of ideas and opportunities.
It could be used to answer question on strategic planning for the future. The results from brainstorming can provide information for subsequent key decision-making on such questions as: Where are now? Where are we going? How do we get there?
Brainstorming is usually done by group and involves the recording of all ideas regarding a particular problem, among others, such as the following:
•    The recording of all ideas without judgment
•    No critical comments allowed
•    Do not ake any decisions about the ideas or how to take the forward until a later session
•    Outlandish ideas are welcome
•    Impossible and unthinkable ideas are fine
•    Think outside the boundaries of the ordinary
•    Build on ideas of others
•    Quantity of ideas is important
A basic rule of brainstorming is to build on ideas already suggested. The following checklist can help transform an existing idea into a new one:
•    Put to other uses? As it is? What if modified?
•    Adapt? Is there anything else like this? What does this tell you? Is the past comparable?
•    Modify? Give it a new angle? Alter the color, sound, meaning, motion, and shape?
•    Magnify? Can anything be added, such as tie, frequency, height, length, strength? Can it be duplicated, multiplied or exaggerated?
•    Minimize? Can anything else be taken away? Made smaller? Lowered? Shortened?
•    Lightened? Omitted? Broken up?
•    Substitute? Different ingredients used? Other materials? Other processes? Other placesw? Other approaches? Other tone of voice? Someone else?
•    Rearrange? Swap components? Alter the pattern, sequence or layout? Change the pace or schedule?
•    Reverse? Try the opposite? Backwards? Change shoes? Turn tables?
•    Cobine? A blend? An ensemble?