BRAINSTORMING: A Methodology for Generating

New Ideas
• World facing shortage of discernible resources, socio-economic
crisis and environmental pollution threats.
• The world needs a sustainable development. Human being is known
as the ‘best of creation’ due to the virtue of consciousness or ability
or intellect to think and apply
• Huge amount of knowledge and resources are still left undiscovered
on planet earth and skies that are put under subservient for our use.
• Therefore, we need to search and acquire knowledge and apply our
thinking power to make our existence in this planet meaningful and
beneficial for each other. Brainstorming is a wonderful soft technique
to discover hidden intellect of human being in a team environment to
determine our needs and devise solutions to those needs. When
exercise properly, this natural technique drives toward best solutions
and develop respect for team members by settling at consensus.
HUMAN IS CREATED IN THE BEST FORM AND
INTELLECT.

Allaah swt says, “We have indeed created human in

the best of moulds (form and intellect).” (At-Teen
95:4)
“He Who created all things in the best way and He
began the creation of man from clay.” (Al-Sajdah
32:7).
He (Allaah) taught Adam (the father of mankind of all
generations) all the names (and use of everything
…) (Baqarah 2:31).
 THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS ARE
SUBSERVIENT TO HUMAN - AMAZING.
Allaah SWT has put the Earth and Heavens (skies) subservient to humans for their benefit
and to pay gratefulness to Him. You can see a number of more Ayat on this matter,
which manifest human dignity. Here I put only for Ayat for people of knowledge.
And has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and all that is in the
earth; it is all as a favor and kindness from Him. Verily, in it are signs for a people
who think deeply (think intensively and critically) (Al-Jathiyah 45:13)
See you not (O mankind) that Allaah has subjected for you whatsoever is in the
heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and has completed and perfected to you
His Graces, (both) apparent (i.e Islamic Monotheism, and the lawful pleasures of
this world, including health, good looks, etc.) and hidden [i.e. One's Faith in
Allaah (of Islamic Monotheism) knowledge, wisdom, guidance for doing research
and righteous deeds, and also the pleasures and delights of the Hereafter in
Paradise, etc.]? Yet of mankind is he who disputes about Allaah without
knowledge or guidance or a Book giving light! (Luqman 31:20).
And he has made subservient for you the night and the day and the sun and the moon, and
the stars are made subservient by His commandment; most surely there are signs in
this for a people who ponder. (Al-Nahl 16:12)
He it is, Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He Istawa (rose over) towards
the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of
everything. (Baqarah 2:29).
UNDERSTANDING PROBLEM
Properly defining a problem is half-way of finding the right solution

Problem definition through questions

What and why? Where and why?

Problems

When and why?

What extent and how?
“WHY” IS A BIG QUESTION
Why is involved with all questions
WHY?

What? Where? When? How? Who? Which?

 A THREADBARE ANALYSIS
What? Specific description.
• What is it?
• What are the symptoms?
• What are the characteristics?
• What data is available?
• What is expected?
• What resources are involved?

Where? Specific location.

• Where is it?
• Is it inside or outside?
• Does this problem exist?
• Can it be eliminated, combined or simplified?
• Can assistance be obtained?
 A THREADBARE ANALYSIS
• When? Specific time.
• When did it arise?
• Could it be removed earlier?
• Could it be prevented?
• Should it be removed?
• Should it be automated, consolidated, eliminated,
contracted, expanded?
• Should it be consulted with vendors?
• Should it be post-audited?
 A THREADBARE ANALYSIS
• What extent? Specific magnitude.
• Who is/are affected?
• How large is the size?
• How much benefit is lost?
• How much direct and indirect losses?
• What other impacts?
• Who and how much resources should be involved?
• What is level of previous experience?
• Who can analyze?
• Which equipment or facilities should deploy?
• How can it be avoided?
 Design Process
• Clearly define problems, goals and objectives including
the moral issues
• Locate all possible alternative designs
• Consider the possible consequences of the various
alternatives (effect analysis)
• Consider how likely/unlikely and how
valuable/undesirable the possible consequences are
• Take adequate account of moral or ethical commitments
• Weight up which alternative is best in light of the effects
A Thinking Map for Good decisions
• What makes the design NECESSARY (objectives)?
• What is RECOMMENDED and on what GROUNDS?
• What are the ALTERNATIVES/OPTIONS (realistic or unusual)
• What are the POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES of the various options
– and HOW LIKELY are they? (on the basis of what evidence and
how reliable is it?)
• How IMPORTANT are these consequences – for all those affected?
• When COMPARE the alternatives in the light of their consequences,
which is best? Is the recommended design best?
• How can one implement this design?
• Now, CREATE A THINKING MAP
Group Decision-making
 Design Decision-making methods
& tools
• Traditional technique (still very much dominant)
a. The Chair is the commander.
b. Too much “red-herring”, “intimidation”,
“noise”, “narrowly defined & loosely
supported issues”, “halo effect”, “in-
fighting, criticism, free-style expression”,
“shifting agendum without decision”,
“bossing”, “coterie sub-grouping”, etc.
 Decision-making methods & tools
• Modern Techniques
i. Brainstorming, Delphi conferencing/NGT
ii. PMI technique for generating ideas: plus,
minus and interesting
iii. ALU to judge ideas: advantage, limitations,
and unique connections
iv. Cause-and-effect analysis
v. Pareto (priority) ranking
vi. Quality function deployment (QFD) in design
and production
vii. Statistical tools and techniques
 Brainstorming
• Human being is the best of creations of Allah(swt)/God for they are
awarded virtue of consciousness or ability to think
• We need to use our thinking power to make our existence in this
planet more meaningful and beneficial to each other
• Peter F. Drucker mentioned that Organization Design should
simultaneously structure & integrate three different kinds of work:
1. The operating task which is responsible for producing the result of
today‘s business
2. The innovative task , which create the company‘s tomorrow, and
3. The top management task which directs, and gives vision and sets
the course for the business of both today and tomorrow.
• One of the modern techniques of decision-making is brainstorming
• This is a lovely word to many people, a meaningful methodology to
a few.
 What is Brainstorming?
• Can any one make all decisions? Should anybody alone be
allowed to make any decisions in business or academic
institutions? NO!
• Can anybody be called upon to ‘contribute’ in a specialized
decision-making? Or, can every decision-making be termed a
specialized one? NO!
• Brainstorming is an innovative decision-making technique used in
team environment through the cultivation of wisdom. Each person
in the team thinks creatively and places as many ideas as possible
without any intimidation. The ideas are discussed or reviewed only
after all ideas by all members are placed.
• Brainstorming is a method of specialized decision-making - for
medium and long terms, principally for long-term decision-making
• It is about creativity – generation of creative ideas or products
 Defining Creativity
• Creativity is a means to define, re-define, and improve processes. It
is about newness and usefulness. For instance, manufacturing is a
process-focused and team-based environment. The definition of
creativity in manufacturing is different from traditional creativity.
Creative brainstorming is thus important in manufacturing.
• Table 1: Modern process based and traditional definitions of
creativity.
• Traditional definition of creativity - Identify individuals who produced
new and useful things, study these individuals’ personalities.
• Process-based (system context) definition - It is an act, idea, or
product that changes an existing domain, or that transforms an
existing domain into a new one. Someone who can do that is a
creative person.
 Process-based (system context) creativity
elements
• Process-based (system context) creativity elements:
• The domain: set of symbolic rules and procedures (mathematics,
engineering, etc.), culture in a domain is formed by sharing
knowledge by a society or groups.
• The field: defined as all of the people who serve as gatekeepers to
the domain.
• The individual: create new/novel idea or concept when selected by
an appropriate field for inclusion into the relevant domain or idea or
concept to establish a new domain.
•
• Here, domain includes process or sub processes and the relevant
knowledge. Team represents a few members. Field is composed of
decision-makers who decide the fate of the idea/concept. A system
concept is a creative system to address vision, mission, core
outcomes, goals and objectives. Systems model of creativity is more
effective over the restrictive “trait” models.
 WHY IS BRAINSTORMING?

• The purpose of this technique is to generate:

• To determine the Mission statement (purpose of an organization),
vision(s), key results areas (KRAs), goals and main objectives.
• To identify the problems or ideas in the areas of, for instance,
product quality problem, cost reduction, production flexibility,
innovativeness, productivity improvement, hazards identification and
control, etc.
• To locate the well-thought opportunities or ideas to solve the
identified problems;
• To nursing the creativity or intellectual ability of the internal people;
• To sharing the contemporary modern thinking through the external
experts.
 Types of Brainstorming

• Brainstorming could be both in-presence and off-presence of participants

• In this in-presence brainstorming, a group of experts sit together and
conduct the brainstorming sessions until they fulfill the needful. The size of
the group should be between 5 and 10.
• This process is less time consuming and less expensive. Adequate data or
information may be quickly delivered to the members if asked for, and the
analysis could be more realistic. Learners can sit beside the participants
and get acquainted with the process.
• However, to bring a larger pool of heads together, the off-site brainstorming
what could be termed as Internet brainstorming or Delphi conferencing is an
option. As many as 30 experts from all over the globe(!) can be
accommodated in electronic/Internet type of brainstorming
• In this latter case, the role of the facilitator is to produce issues/agenda at
the first stage to each member in written form either via electronic media
(computer/internet) or postal letters. After getting back of their opinions,
he/she will produce them to each member without any attribution, alteration
or change and seek the opinions of every member. He/she will continue in
doing so until a consensus is developed among the members. This process
is definitely, more time consuming and costlier than the former one.
 WHERE IS IT MOST APPLICABLE?

• Brainstorming is generally applicable in long-term

decision-making or the major decision areas that will
bring a ‘big’ change in an organization. For instance:
• To create a new factory, academic institution, or for new
product design and introduction;
• To make a long-term and medium-term plan for an
organization (for over two years);
• To adopt a new systems in an organization such as total
quality management (TQM), just-in-time production (JIT)
philosophy, enterprise/manufacturing resources planning
(ERP/MRPII), business process re-engineering (BPR);
• To extend business in a new region or country (plant
location, market intervention, etc.).
 WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THIS
TECHNIQUE?

• Brainstorming is a participatory decision-analysis and decision-making technique

where everyone shares throughout the entire process. This process can be
characterized as follows:
• A draft of the subject matter (SM) is prepared and placed by a facilitator. This subject
matter does not specify the problems in clear terms, but hints about the mission;
• The facilitator is not a typical “president” or “chairperson” in the team;
• The facilitator introduces the matter, explains the style of giving ideas, and sought
active participation of everyone in the team;
• The facilitator is fully unbiased and voluntarily encourage and ensure that everyone is
given an opportunity in idea generation or making comment's);
• The team members should be the “subject matter specialists (SMSs)”;
• Critical to brainstorming is that no arguing, no criticism, no negativism, and no
evaluation of any ideas, comments, problems, or opportunities during idea generation
(brainstorming) session (Summers, 2000). The facilitator has the right to check
criticism or personal attack, if any.
• The length of a session should be at a range of 30-90 minutes, and should not
exceed two hours. There could be several agreed-upon sessions;
• Ideas are accepted mainly on the basis of consensus; and
• Later, the proposed ideas are scrutinized and ranked by category, importance,
priority, benefit, cost, impact, time, flexibility or other considerations.
FACILITATOR and ROLE OF THE FACILITATOR

• Under the concept of “no leadership”, anybody could be a facilitator.

No leadership means every member in a team is more or less
capable of being a leader. However, person who knows what
brainstorming is all about should be the facilitator. Besides,
acceptability of a person and his/her image power in the team may
be taken into consideration. Team members may select the
facilitator on the basis of consensus.
• WHAT SHOULD BE THE Role of Facilitator?
• The facilitator introduces the matter in question and invites the team
members to participate actively in idea generation. He/she will
produce a brief methodology of brainstorming and encourage all
members to give their opinions. He/she must stop any hindrance,
intimidation, criticism, personal attack, loud speaking, analysis or
synthesis during idea generation. He/she will stop “going back” to
make an idea perfect at this stage. The facilitator will take notes and
post all ideas on a board or a piece of big paper witnessed by the
team members.
 WHAT ARE THE COMMON SHORTCOMINGS
EXPERIENCED?

• The main limitation in its application is that many people do not know what brainstorming is all
about. The common pitfalls that were experienced are noted below:
• There is lack of sincerity and the term is used for the name sake instead of its real sense;
• Anybody is invited to participate the sessions as an active member and thus create “noise” in the
process;
• Sometimes the coordinator is more or less ignorant about the concept and its scope;
• Many participants cannot make any distinction between this and traditional decision-making
process;
• Issues/problems in discussion are narrowly defined and loosely supported;
• Senior level people dominate the sessions. They exert influence upon others to accept their
proposals;
• Subordinate people are reluctant to raise proposals and some of them pay “do” attention to highly
placed bosses for some shadow gains. Halo affect influence the acceptance of more ideas from
one person than others;
• Takes it as a traditional way of decision-making – free expression is grossly impeded, criticism
and in-fighting moods are not arrested;
• Sometime too hurry to come up with a solution. Too long sessions, for instance 4-5 hours, at a
stretch are held;
• Team size is usually large and too many irrelevant proposals. People drift from agendum in
question to anywhere. Sometime people make coterie sub-groups within the team and try to
establish ego;
• External experts are seldom invited, and commitment to decision “taking” is lacking.
 HOW THE PROCESS SHOULD PROCEED?

• Methodology of brainstorming process

1. Team building
5-10 experts
Competent facilitator
Include learners

6. Rounding-up 2. Setting Agenda

Solutions through consensus Rational (brief)
Documentation Major issues
Thanks giving Sessions times & venues
Distribution in advance

5. Finding Solutions
Case-by-case 3. Listing Problems
No drifting Voice freedom & no intimidation.
List solutions Facilitate/encourage
Analyze &synthesize No discussion on proposals
A few sessions For 1-1.5 hour
Each within 2 hours

4. Problem Analysis
Type/extent/gravity
Use of tools (Pareto chart, Cause-
&-effect, etc.)
Clear problem definition
For 1-2 hour
 CONCLUSION on BRAINSTORMING

• Brainstorming is a method to encapsulate the ideas of shared

decision-making. In theory, it provides a great potential to cater the
best possible and probable decisions.
• Sometimes people spend a lot of hours and resources in the name
of brainstorming. The fruits that are coming out from some gestures
may be termed “giving birth a mouse by a mountain”. Eventually,
everything is thrown away to the garbage bin.
• To crystallize a solution, the proper ingredients must be brought
about at the right times by the right people. It is not difficult to attain
its objectives for it does not include any complex mathematics or
mysterious elements.
• Understanding the concept and systematic application can add
value for every unit of time and resource invested.
 Nominal Group Process/Technique (NGP/NGT)
• Nominal group technique (NGT) is defined as a structured method for
group brainstorming that encourages contributions from everyone and
facilitates quick agreement on the relative importance of issues, problems, or
solutions. Team members begin by writing down their ideas, then selecting which
idea they feel is best.
• A powerful group technique in problem-solving
• In can stimulate creative thinking and avoid underproductive aspects of
face-to-face meetings
• Its steps are:
1. Silent idea generation: the participants receive a formal problem statement
individually, generate ideas silently and independently for 15 minutes.
2. Group round-robin listing of factors: each individual reads one idea out
loud to the group. The idea is recorded. All other ideas are placed and recorded.
No explanation, questions or comments are allowed.
3. Discussion and clarification of factors: clarify each factors recorded in step
2 through discussions by all. Combine factors, delete factors or add new factors.
 Nominal Group Process/Technique (NGP/NGT)
4. Individual voting: each participant is asked to select the most important issues from the list.
The selections are collected and displayed.
5. Discussion of voting results: discusses on ideas ranked in step 4. Clarify misinformation and
approach to a consensus. Can add new ideas.
6. Final individual voting: rank the final ideas by each individual (say on the scale of 0-10
where 0 = not at all important, 10 = absolutely important). Individual ratings are
collected and tabulated.
Nominal Group Process/Technique (NGP/NGT)
 Delphi Technique
• Given by Olaf Helmer and Norman Dalkey from the Greek
name oracle of Delphi in 1950.
• The Delphi method is a process used to arrive at a group
decision by surveying a panel of experts.
• Experts respond to several rounds of questionnaires, and the
responses are aggregated and shared with the group after
each round.
• The experts can adjust their answers each round, based on
how they interpret the "group response" provided to them.
• The ultimate result is meant to be a true consensus of what
the group thinks.
• Explanatory and detailed procedure.
 Delphi Technique
• A systematic process for combining opinions into a reasoned consensus.
• Solicit and collate opinions about a certain subject from anonymous experts, then
• Feedback the digested appraisals to narrow the differences among opinions until a
consensus is reached.
• This is also an on –sitting or off-sitting technique, i.e., circulate/send a well prepared
questionnaire among the experts requesting the written opinions that are reasoned.
• Summarize reasons by the moderator then are returned for consideration by the
whole panel.
• The procedure is a multi-step iterative. In the process reduce redundant attributes,
combine two or more attributes, or decompose an attribute to facilitate the
measurement.
• The selected attributes should be:
1. Completed: covering all aspects of the problem.
2. Operational, to be meaningfully used in the analysis
3. Decomposable for simplification and measurement
4. Nonredundant: avoid double counting of impacts
5. Minimal to minimize the problem dimension
• Advantages: anonymity of written responses can reduce the ‘bandwagon’ and
dominant-personality effects
Delphi Technique
Delphi Technique