What Are Design Brainstorming Sessions?

Design brainstorming sessions are dedicated times for a team to come together and generate new ideas for a project. Instead of sticking to the usual approach, people from various backgrounds bring their unique perspectives to the table. It’s about finding innovative solutions and letting creativity take the lead. You’ll often find that brainstorming isn’t just about coming up with ideas—it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing, contributing, and building on each other’s thoughts.

Brainstorming sessions are especially useful in design because they give teams a chance to approach problems from multiple angles, find quick solutions for specific challenges, and make sure everyone’s voice is heard and diverse viewpoints are considered.

Getting Ready for a Productive Brainstorming Session

The groundwork you lay before a brainstorming session is crucial. When you prepare right, you’ll set the team up to think creatively, stay focused, and get results.

• Setting Clear Objectives: To kick things off, make sure you have a specific goal in mind. Are you trying to develop a new product, solve a user experience issue, or brainstorm ways to improve a current feature? Having clear objectives keeps everyone on the same page and gives the session some direction.
• Building a Diverse Team: Brainstorming thrives on variety. Gather people from different departments, like marketing, engineering, and customer support, alongside your design team. This mix of expertise and viewpoints adds new insights to the conversation, helping you find angles you may not have considered otherwise.
• Creating an Inspiring Space: The environment plays a big role in how well ideas flow. For in-person meetings, pick an open, well-lit room with whiteboards, sticky notes, and plenty of space for people to move around. If you’re working remotely, digital tools like Miro or Figma can help create that collaborative feeling, even from a distance.
• Having the Right Tools Handy: A few handy tools can make all the difference in a brainstorming session. Stock up on whiteboards, markers, and sticky notes for quick idea capture if you’re meeting in person. For virtual teams, digital platforms like Miro, Lucidchart, and Zoom can bring everyone together and keep things organized.

Brainstorming Techniques to Fire Up Creativity

There are several ways to get the creative juices flowing. Here are some popular brainstorming techniques that can help you and your team generate ideas that stand out.

• Mind Mapping: Mind mapping is a great way to explore connections between ideas visually. You start with a central concept and branch out with related thoughts, creating a “map” that helps everyone see potential links between ideas.
• SCAMPER Technique: The SCAMPER technique helps teams think outside the box by prompting you to consider how to Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse different parts of the design. This method is especially useful for improving existing concepts or taking an idea further.
• Crazy 8s: If you’re looking to generate ideas fast, Crazy 8s is the way to go. Participants get eight minutes to sketch eight different ideas, encouraging quick thinking without too much pressure. This technique often results in some surprisingly creative concepts.
• Role Storming: Role-storming has team members brainstorm from the perspective of someone else, often a user. It’s a great way to see problems from a new angle and come up with user-centered solutions.

Keeping Things on Track During the Session

Even with all the planning, a brainstorming session needs to be well-facilitated to be productive. Here’s how to keep things moving smoothly.

• Creating a Judgment-Free Zone: Kick things off by letting everyone know that all ideas are welcome—no judgment allowed. Encourage open communication and remind participants that there are no “bad” ideas. This way, people feel free to share whatever comes to mind, and some of the best ideas often come from unexpected places.
• Sticking to a Schedule: Each brainstorming activity should have a set time limit. This keeps the session energetic and prevents it from dragging on. For example, you might spend 15 minutes on mind mapping, then 10 minutes on Crazy 8s. A tight schedule keeps the team focused and productive.
• Recording Ideas without Critique: When you’re brainstorming, the key is to just jot down all the ideas without overthinking or judging them right away. This way, everyone feels comfortable throwing out whatever comes to mind. The time for critiquing and fine-tuning comes later, during the refining stage.
• Encouraging Participation: A good facilitator doesn’t just keep track of time; they also encourage quieter team members to share their thoughts. This ensures that everyone’s voice is heard, and sometimes, the quietest person in the room has the most valuable perspective.

Helpful Tools to Make Brainstorming Even Better

The right tools can enhance your brainstorming session, especially when you’re working with remote teams. Here are some that can help:

• Digital Whiteboards: Platforms like Miro and Lucidchart let teams brainstorm visually in real time, even when they’re miles apart.
• Note-Taking Apps: Google Keep and Notion are great for recording ideas, organizing them, and sharing them with the team later.
• Voting Tools: Poll Everywhere and Mentimeter allow quick voting on ideas, which is especially helpful when narrowing down options.
• Sketching Tools: Procreate and Adobe Fresco are useful for sketching out concepts, especially if the ideas are more visual.

Evaluating and Prioritizing Ideas

After the session wraps up, it’s time to review all the ideas and figure out which ones are worth pursuing. Here’s how to go about it.

• Dot Voting: Dot voting is an easy and practical way to figure out which ideas are the most popular. Each person gets a certain number of “dots” to stick next to the ideas they like best, which quickly shows the team’s top picks at a glance.
• Using a Feasibility and Impact Matrix: To get more specific, you can use a feasibility and impact matrix. This method categorizes ideas based on how feasible they are and their potential impact. By placing ideas into quadrants, you’ll have a clearer picture of which ones are practical and worth pursuing.
• Discussing and Refining Top Picks: Once the top ideas are chosen, discuss them in detail to shape them into actionable plans. This step ensures that the brainstorming session results in concrete next steps, rather than just staying as abstract concepts.

Conclusion

Design brainstorming sessions are more than just a way to come up with ideas—they’re a powerful tool for problem-solving and innovation. With the right preparation, a mix of techniques, and a clear follow-up plan, these sessions can lead to creative breakthroughs that might never have come up otherwise. So next time you’re faced with a design challenge, bring your team together, follow the steps above, and watch the ideas take shape.

Key Takeaway: Effective brainstorming sessions create an environment where teams can explore ideas, solve design problems, and bring fresh perspectives to the table. By following a few structured steps, you can turn any session into a productive, creative powerhouse.

FAQs

What’s the best way to run a quick brainstorming session?

Using Crazy 8s is a fantastic option for quick brainstorming. It encourages participants to sketch eight ideas in eight minutes, helping generate a range of ideas in a short amount of time.

How can remote teams make brainstorming work?

Remote teams can still have great brainstorming sessions with tools like Miro or Lucidchart. These platforms create an interactive space where team members can contribute ideas and sketches in real time.

How do you keep people engaged during a session?

To keep people engaged, use a mix of techniques and set time limits for each activity. The facilitator can also encourage quieter participants to share their thoughts, keeping the energy and involvement high.

How can we narrow down ideas effectively?

Dot voting is a quick way to narrow down options, and the feasibility and impact matrix can help prioritize ideas by categorizing them based on their potential and practicality.

How can feedback improve brainstorming sessions?

Getting feedback helps you understand what worked and what didn’t. Use this information to make adjustments for future sessions, ensuring they’re more productive each time.