Ideas generate a lot of money. If you were to look around, you will observe that Facebook, Amazon, Uber, and several other giants today were just ideas back in the day. However, that is just one side of the story. Brainstorming ideas is an art, which everyone should master. For instance, a music producer should brainstorm ideas to make unique beats for his next track while a painter should think of turning abstract objects or items into something that the viewers perceive more valuable.
Furthermore, when it comes to brainstorming, there is a lot of effort, time, and patience that goes in, not to mention the planning. Thankfully, there are several brainstorming techniques that you can implement as well to make the first million. In this article, we are going to discuss those techniques in detail so that not only are you able to make your first million but come up with a mind-blowing idea as well. Let’s begin.
Analytical Brainstorming
Analytical Brainstorming is the process of brainstorming ideas for solving problems using tools that will produce creative solutions. Moreover, analytical brainstorming comes easily to many since we are taught analytical brainstorming since we were kids. With time, our brain becomes programmed and we are able to utilize our thought process to find the best possible solutions. The analytical brainstorming techniques mentioned below are some of the most popular types.
Mind Mapping
As the term suggests itself, mind mapping is basically a visual process/toll through which you create relationships between ideas. It could simply be comparing the pros and cons of each idea to narrow down your options. The reason mind mapping is such a useful brainstorming technique is that it allows you to plan the future while considering the present or sometimes the past as well. Once you are able to mind map things, you will have a clear vision of what you need to do next.
To do mind mapping, gather some participants and begin by writing down your goal or challenge. Then, ask the participants to think of related issues. Keep on adding layers and content to your map to list down all possible issues and solutions. This technique has become so popular that even mind mapping softwares are available online today.
Reverse Brainstorming
While ordinary brainstorming requires participants to think of solutions about a problem, reverse brainstorming on the other hand requires the participants to think of the ways a problem could be caused. Begin by thinking about a problem and asking ‘How could this problem be caused?’ Once you have come up with all the possible ways to cause the problem, it is now time to think of the solutions.
Gap Filling
Gap filling is a technique, which requires you to think and write down where you are in your life at the moment. Then, think about where you would like to be. Question yourself as to how are you going to fill in the gap between? As a result, the participants will start coming up with ideas and solutions. Gather all the ideas and organize them to develop a vision.
Drivers Analysis
If you are using the drivers analysis technique, you will try to think of the drivers contributing to your problem. For instance, what is driving competition? Or what is driving the change in customer preference? As you continue with uncovering the drivers, you will start catching a glimpse of the possible solutions.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT analysis is another great brainstorming technique. This technique relates to identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT analysis is a popular marketing technique as well used to decide between products and possible future projects etc. By implementing this technique, you will have a clear idea of your strengths and factors you need to be careful of.
Quiet Brainstorming
Brainstorming can be difficult if one is always cramped during the day. In other cases, participants might not prefer expressing their ideas due to the fear of others not approving. Therefore, sometimes brainstorming needs to be done quietly. Take a look at some of the most popular quiet brainstorming techniques.
Brain-Netting
Brain-netting is a process in which participants brainstorm on the internet, generate ideas privately, and then collaborate to work on the solutions. Once the idea has been created, participants can either meet individually or discuss via Google Docs or Slack.
Brainwriting
Brainwriting is a technique, which requires participants to write down ideas on index cards and then passing the cards down to other participants who add a critique. If you were to use this technique, participants will not hesitate to share their ideas as names will not be shared. Therefore, regardless of how poor or excellent the idea is, everyone will be able to participate.
Role Play Brainstorming
Role-Playing Brainstorming allows the participants a deeper insight into the challenges and solutions. Furthermore, it gives them an opportunity to think from the client’s perspective. For instance, if you are selling a product to someone, role-playing brainstorming will enable you to view the object from the customer’s viewpoint and come up with all the possible answers to questions. Consider the role-playing brainstorming techniques mentioned below to become a master at role-playing.
Role Storming
Ask a friend or colleague to participate in the role storming technique. Assume yourself to be a customer/client while asking your friend to act on your behalf. Act out a scene, in which your friend tries to sell you a product. Furthermore, try this with different participants. Eventually, you will start realizing the shortcomings and will get a deeper look at what a potential customer might think or assume. As a result, you will be able to fix your shortcomings beforehand making your presentation and product more detailed and precise.
Step Ladder Brainstorming
Step Ladder brainstorming is a fun activity but highly creative. First, you will introduce the brainstorming challenge to everyone in the room. Then, you will ask everyone to leave the room to think about the challenge, except for two people.
Provide a time limit to the two individuals in the room and then ask one of the individuals to enter the room. Now ask the new entrant to share their ideas with the first two individuals before discussing the ideas already generated.
After a few minutes allow another individual inside the room and then another. Eventually, you will have everyone in the room and the colleagues will have had a chance to discuss their ideas with each other.
Rapid Ideation
Although the rapid ideation brainstorming technique is amongst the most undervalued but one cannot deny its benefits. Begin by providing a time limit to the participants and ask them to write down as many ideas as they can. Once the time limit is over, ask the participants to share their ideas out loud, or collect the responses. Most often, similar ideas will pop-up and in other cases, you will come up with short-term ideas as well that will help you gradually move towards your next goal of making the first million.
Charrette
Sometimes brainstorming is required at a bigger level. In such cases, all departments of a company will participate in idea generation. However, you will need to break down the problem into smaller chunks and distribute these chunks amongst the departments. The departments will then work on them for a period of time. Once one issue has been discussed by one group, it will be passed to another group who will work on it as well. This is known as the Charrette brainstorming technique. At the end of the process, you will have several ideas, each discussed multiple times and refined to the max.
Final Word
This article aimed to discuss how to brainstorm ideas for making the first million. Considering brainstorming to be a terrific idea generation technique, one should practice it as much as they can to come up with flawless and detailed plans and ideas. However, you will need to be a bit choosy with the participants. You will require a group that takes the process seriously and genuinely puts in an effort to come up with practical solutions. This way, the chances of generating million dollar ideas will rise to a new level each time.