www.brainstorming.co.uk

There are countless brainstorming sessions conducted by individuals and groups within organizations on a daily basis. We do not expect this trend to stop. To help you successfully facilitate and participate in a brainstorming session, this chapter provided a set of guidelines for conducting a brainstorming session. We did not, however, discuss different techniques that can be used to enhance individual and group creativity while brainstorming. The purpose of this exercise is for you to learn two techniques that can be used to enhance creative idea generation and to complete two creativity puzzles.

Begin the exercise by going to the following Internet site: www.brainstorming.co.uk. Then select their home page. Once at the home page, click on the option for “training on creative techniques.” After a brief discussion about creativity, you will be given the option to learn more about a variety of different techniques that can be used to enhance creativity. Choose any two techniques and then answer questions 1 and 2 below.

Now return to the home page, and select the option for creativity puzzles. Follow the instructions and attempt to complete two puzzles. Don’t peek ahead to see the answers until you have tried to finish the activity. Based on your experience with these creativity puzzles, answer questions 3 and 4.

Questions

1. How might you use these techniques in a class project?

2. Should different techniques be used in different situations? Explain.

3. Why do these puzzles help people to think outside of the box?

4. How might these puzzles be used during a brainstorming session?