Today, one of the most effective methods of expert assessment is the brainstorming method (MMS). The scope of its application is determined by the following cases:
- when the object of study is not subject to rigorous mathematical description and formalization;
- when the characteristic of the studied object is not sufficiently substantiated, since it has no detailed statistics;
- if the functioning of the object is multivariate and depends on many factors;
- in predicting complex economic phenomena that are dynamically changing and evolving;
- if the situation excludes other forecasting methods.
A wide range of social and economic processes falls under these conditions. Other methods of expert evaluation have a similar scope. Brainstorming is not practical when its object is predictable and well-studied.
The story of the creation of the brainstorming method
This method was invented in the middle of the last century by the founder of the BBD & O news agency, the famous copywriter Alex Osborne. We will tell you more about this. After all, his offspring - MMSh - is claimed by leaders for making special, fundamental and creative decisions that require the inclusion of the “collective mind” factor. In this case, the discussion leader is most often the leader himself. Such a role requires a combination of certain qualities in his personality: a benevolent attitude to any ideas, high creative activity.
How was the first brainstorming method applied?
This example has already become a classic. Not all his life Mr. Osborne was a copywriter and businessman. During the Second World War, he served as the captain of a merchant ship, cruising between prosperous America and warring Europe. Unarmed ships were often torpedoed and launched to the bottom by German warships on combat raids.
History buff Alex Osborne recalled the ancient practice of resolving critical situations by Viking sailors when he was given a radiogram about a possible attack by an enemy submarine. Once the whole team was convened on the deck of the drakara by the captain, and then by seniority, starting with the young and ending with the captain, they expressed their way to resolve the crisis.
The captain of the American ship decided to reanimate the ancient method of management decisions - brainstorming (as he called it), and convened a team on deck. Among the absurd decisions expressed, there was one that fell into the stage of further rethinking: so that the whole team lined up along the side to which the torpedo was moving and blew on it, which would lead to the rejection of a deadly charge.
Then a German submarine sailed past, but Captain Osborne patented the invention. A screw was attached to the side of the ship, creating a powerful jet at the right time, thanks to which the torpedo changed the angle of attack and slipped along the side.
Methodological basis for brainstorming
Broadly speaking, the theoretical basis of the MMS was the famous heuristic dialogue of Socrates. The ancient philosopher believed that with the help of skillful questions it is possible to induce any person to awaken his potential abilities. Socrates saw in conversation the most important tool for clarifying the truth. Alex Osbourne, with the help of formal rules, was able to simulate an environment conducive to the awakening of creativity in a team of people.
MMSh served as a theoretical impetus for the creation of a synectic method that motivates intellectual activity in different collectives and communities.
How to organize a brainstorming session?
What is the potential of MMSh? The fact is that it launches the mechanism of collective intelligence in resolving urgent problems. At the same time, we make a reservation that there are situations that preclude its use. In particular, the brainstorming method is ineffective in finding a way out of such problems that:
- have only one solution;
- have an abstract and generalized character;
- if the problem is formulated with excessive complexity (in this case, it should be divided into sub-problems and resolved in parts).
At present, MMSh has so powerfully entered the practice of corporate activity as the leading method of choosing the optimal ways to solve multivariate problems, that its varieties have become relevant. We list some of them:
- brain ring;
- board brainstorming;
- Japanese brainstorming
- Delphi method.
In the further narration we will characterize these particular methods of MMS. However, at first, for a more complete understanding of them, it is logical to present the classical method of brainstorming from the point of view of the methodology for its implementation.
The preparatory stage of the MMS
Its high-quality implementation requires compliance with some organizational issues, in particular, compliance with phasing.
The first stage, the installation, is recommended to be carried out two weeks before the date of the actual implementation of its main part (formulating solutions to the problem).
The brainstorming method involves a clear statement of the problem itself, the choice of the facilitator, as well as the identification of participants in two groups: to generate solutions and for their subsequent expert evaluation.
Starting from the organization stage, errors that reduce the effectiveness of the method should be avoided. Fuzzy goal setting and tasks initially leads to zero efficiency. If the problem presented for discussion has an ambiguous structure (actually consisting of several tasks), then the chances are that the discussants will become confused in the priority and order of resolving the problem.
Group composition
The optimal number of participants in groups is 7 people. The acceptable quantitative composition of the groups is considered to be 6-12 people. Forming smaller teams is not recommended, as it is more difficult to achieve a creative atmosphere.
It is advisable to take people of various qualifications and professions into the group. Specialists are accepted as invited persons (not participants). For more dynamic work, mixed groups are welcome (both men and women). It is also recommended to balance the number of people with an active and contemplative lifestyle. The negative effect has the presence in the discussion of a problem that is skeptical about the possibility of its resolution by the leader.
A few days before the second stage of the MMS, discussion, the persons selected in the groups are given the date of the event and the wording of the problem. For this, the presenter distributes to the participants compact (up to 1 page) printed materials with a clearly set goal - resolution of the problem, its brief description.
It will be useful for the discussion to find out the trajectory of the problem, it needs to be displayed in a diagram. It is also important to show the points of contact between people and the problem: when, under what circumstances, this problem really hinders the realization of the interests of society.
Standard time frame for brain attack
Using the brainstorming method will be effective if properly organized. It is most effective to conduct MMS in the morning from 10:00 to 12:00 or after lunch - from 14:00 to 17:00. It is advisable to choose a separate room or an audience isolated from noise directly from the place of its implementation. It is desirable to equip it with a poster with the rules of MMS, a board for the rapid display of ideas.
For maximum concentration of participants on the problem, their tables should be arranged so as to surround the leader's table, i.e.be placed around it in a square or ellipse.
The solution to the problem by brainstorming should be recorded either on video or on a tape recorder, so as not to miss the ideas expressed. Moderate humor at the event is welcome. The application of the brainstorming method is relevant for forty to sixty minutes. If a simple subproblem is discussed, then a quarter of an hour is enough.
Stage of direct generation of ideas
The phase of direct generation of ideas is characterized by the intense intellectual work of those present. By its onset, the brains of participants in a brain attack should be as tuned as possible to creative work. The qualification of the leader should help to do this correctly. As a pretext, a short and smooth introduction usually expresses the presenter’s conviction that he has gathered creative and creative people, his goodwill and enthusiasm for the success of the event. Next, the leader conducts a short intellectual warm-up of those present with the help of boring questions. By provoking the activity of the participants, he may ask, for example, about the lyceum nickname of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (by the way, did you know that classmates called the future classic Egoza?).
A brainstorming is not a meeting where “sitting down” doze in the back rows. The stage of implementation of the MMSh is aimed at formulating a maximum of solutions to the problem. It takes into account both ideas denoting new directions of solution and ideas that develop options that have already been formulated. It is forbidden to criticize any, even the most fantastic option.
Since the proposed methods can be not only very different, but also the most fantastic, the host himself maintains a fun, creative atmosphere, he himself puts forward, including incredible ways to overcome the problem.
The solution to the problem by brainstorming is considered effective if more than one and a half hundred options are recorded within half an hour. The priority of the number of ideas expressed over their quality is clearly emerging. All of them are quickly fixed by markers specially designated by people on large sheets of paper (A3 or A2).
The stage of fixing ideas
There are two ways to record them. At the first of them, the participants in the discussion express their ideas in turn. In this case, to display just one person, which may even be the leader. The second way of expressing ideas is more dynamic. With him, anyone discussing can freely express their ideas at any time. At the same time, the only secretary is unable to fix ideas, so I appoint 2-3 people to perform this function. The advantage of the second method is the generation of more ideas. The downside is that the thought process is multi-channel, so there is no way to build thought in a directional way. Review options are privately reviewed by the review team, but without a preliminary assessment. Just takes notes.
It is recommended to proceed to the stage of expert evaluation of the proposed solutions to the problem only after a certain period of time. To understand the methods proposed by the participants in the discussion, it is necessary to take a break for at least a week. This time is not futile! After all, the contest participants will subconsciously analyze and rethink the options they like. This is the time of the so-called creative incubation. After all, the brainstorming method is used to select the most successful and creative idea, and for this the phase of creative incubation is important. We do not recommend neglecting it.
Expert review
At the beginning of the evaluation stage, proposals are first grouped by topic (by direction of problem resolution). Thus, at first, the most successful ways of resolving in different directions of options are highlighted. For each of them, relevant factors are highlighted.
Then the algorithm for discussing solutions to the problem involves the use of the Pareto method. The principle, open and researched by this sociologist, says: "20% of the effort gives 80% of the result."
The method of brainstorming a problem at the stage of analyzing methods for solving problems, identified problem-solving factors serves to build a Pareto table, where for each factor the number of its repetitions is indicated, as well as% of their total number.
Then a columnar type chart is built that displays the number of factor occurrences along the vertical axis, distributing them in decreasing order of the factor’s significance — horizontally. At the final stage, an analysis of the Pareto diagram is performed.
The curve connecting the top points of the diagram of different factors is called the Pareto curve.
Widely used methods of expert assessments of brainstorming in their basis contain precisely this technique. Its advantage is versatility. MMSh is also in demand for solving managerial problems. A constructive feature of brainstorming is the development of ideas originally expressed by some participants from others.
Practice of using MMS
Modern managers are often forced to make decisions that require consideration of the perception of the values of staff, based on their experience, individual requests. The brainstorming method in making managerial decisions in this regard is an ideal tool. After all, the power of a leader is based on two principles: organizational and personal. A brainstorming strengthens the organizational side, allowing you to effectively motivate and organize people to carry out collegially taken decisions.
Obviously, MMSh cannot be effective enough if people practicing it do not have specialized and methodological knowledge. But at the same time, the level of training of participants should be different. The highest demands are placed on the intellectual abilities of the host, as well as on his status in the team. For this role, it is preferable to choose a person who really enjoys authority: industrial (as a deep specialist), information (colleagues consult him for advice).
Often, the brainstorming method in accepting SD is used by the leader in a stalemate:
- when insufficient individual knowledge and experience;
- if it is required to step beyond the framework of the template thinking of specialists performing standard actions on their site, which turn out to be ineffective with respect to the problem under study.
In this case, many shrug their hands and say: “You won’t jump above your head!” Are they right? Not always! In our post-industrial time, the single-decision methods commonly used in work are often ineffective. Brainstorming, on the contrary, is becoming increasingly relevant.
Studying brainstorming in universities
Perhaps that is why it is studied today even in universities to solve specialized educational problems, in connection with research work. For teaching MMS students, there are special educational techniques that train:
- originality of thinking (the ability to unique solutions to problems and original associations);
- semantic flexibility (the ability to determine the desired object in the sample and determine unexpected use for it);
- adaptive imaginative flexibility (the ability to perceive new productive directions in the stimulus);
- spontaneous semantic flexibility (the ability to produce maximum ideas in a short time).
Types of Brainstorming
Brainstorming as a teaching method involves students mastering its various subspecies.
- The brain ring is characterized by a written wording discussing options for solving the problem. Participants write down their ideas and exchange leaflets.Thus, the ideas put forward by one person find their development with the help of the imagination and intelligence of other people. Once, pharmacists, holding this event dedicated to creating a unique product at one time, combining two notes, developed a unique product: shampoo-conditioner in one bottle. This kind of brainstorming method worked productively. This example is a well-known fact and is often mentioned.
- A blackboard is useful for implementing the second method. To her, discussers attach sticky notes with the answer options recorded on them. The results of their intellectual assault are visual, they are easily combined and sorted.
- The Japanese brain attack technique developed by Koboyashi and Kawakita is also called rice hail. With its help, those participating in the brainstorming come to a single result. Each participant in his own way defines one specific fact, in his opinion, which comprehensively characterizes the problem. From these cards, participants add up a set that gives a complete description of the problem. Then the second stage of the brain attack begins in Japanese: the participants are given blank cards on which each, one on each card, writes his own version of the solution to the problem. Then the cards are grouped in terms of the similarity of the options set forth in them. The options are combined, a volumetric vision of the solution to the problem appears.
- A more specialized forecasting method is the Delphi method. At the same time, a brainstorm is transformed into a consistent opinion of specialists. It is used to predict social and economic processes. This method is multi-stage, cards with options for resolving the problem are sequentially transmitted to all participants. From 10 to 150 people participate in the discussion. Its maximum forecasting efficiency for the next period is from 1 to 3 years.
Instead of a conclusion
Brainstorming as a training method and as a research method is effective in its competent conduct. In doing so, typical errors should be avoided. Particular attention should be paid to the preparation of his key figure - the leader. At the stage of generating ideas, a relaxed and fun atmosphere is created, any criticism is excluded. An important role is played by scrupulous fixing of all the proposed options.
Its scope is currently vast, because now there are a great many complex and difficult to describe processes in society and the economy.