Brainstorming Rules

Concept: Set a standard for how teams should brainstorm ideas.

Purpose: Provide structure for idea sharing.

Strategy

• Discuss the brainstorming rules suggested.
• Discuss whether a rule should be dropped, modified, or added.
• Vote on a final set of brainstorming rules and post them in a location that is easily accessible.

Rules
Brainstorming is a process of spontaneously thinking and sharing as many ideas as possible about a topic without being judgmental. Brainstorming is an important part of the problem-solving process. We suggest following these GUIDELINES during the brainstorming process:

• Welcome everyone!
• Write all spoken ideas down.
  All ideas are valuable!
• Don't criticize ideas!
  Includes your ideas and other people's ideas!
• Focus on sharing many ideas!
  The more ideas the better!
• Welcome hitchhiking or piggybacking!
  That occurs when one idea sparks another similar idea, or enhances an idea given by another.
• Encourage freewheeling!
  The sky is the limit; outrageous and humorous ideas are accepted.