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3 • Brainstorming - Part 1

Probably no group technique has ever been so widely publi­cized, acclaimed, used, and, at the same time, so misunderstood, damned, and abused as Brainstorming. In some fields, it has been hailed as the first really "great" development in democratic par­ticipation. In others, it has been looked down on as a product of commercial hucksterism, fit only for extrovertic advertising and sales promotional types.

Part of this latter attitude is undoubtedly due to the name "Brainstorming," which does, in a way, suggest a flash-in-the-pan approach to problem solving. Part of it is undoubtedly due to the origins of the technique. Developed by advertising man, Alex Osborn, and introduced into his advertising agency, Batten, Bar­ton, Durstine & Osborn, in 1939, Brainstorming more or less cut its teeth on promotional problems. And it was the advertising and promotional departments of BBDO's clients who were the first "outsiders" to be exposed to the results of the technique, and who began to spread its use. Therefore, Brain storming history is replete with new product names, supermarket promotional ideas, and wing-ding, razzle-dazzle whoop deedo's which, though they did solve the problems for the people who needed just such ideas, did not contribute anything to gaining a respect for the technique among more conservative minds.

It is not really important to a business executive that Brain-storming is called "Brainstorming," or that it was originated by an advertising man, or that its chief advocates are still "promotional types." The only thing that is important is whether or not the technique has any value in the kinds of problems your company faces.

Basically, a Brainstorm session is a conference aimed at produc­ing ideas. It has no other objective. It differs from conventional conferences in that all criticism is ruled out during the Brain-storming, and evaluation of ideas is strictly reserved until a later time. Thus participants are free to express any and all ideas they can think of, without fear of censure, ridicule, or disagreement. It works because of the inter-stimulation of the group—each mem­ber of the group stimulates every other member. The power of association becomes a two-way stimulus: when a panel member spouts an idea, he immediately spurs his own mind toward another idea. At the same time, his ideas stimulate the associative power of all the other members of the group.

Much of the misunderstanding about Brainstorming stems from a lack of understanding of both the aims and the use of the tech­nique. Brainstorming is used as a supplement to individual think­ing. In fact, in the sense that it is a tool of the individual, it should not be used if the individual responsible for solving the problem feels that he can do it entirely alone. It should never be used until and unless an individual has had opportunity to attack, orient, and define the specific problem he wants Brainstorming assistance on.

Brainstorming should always be thought of as a three-step procedure: the preparation to brainstorm, which includes ori­enting the problem and careful selection of panel members; the Brainstorm itself; and the follow-up to the session wherein the ideas are screened and evaluated and the best possibilities selected for further development or action.

Related terms include how to start a small business and apply for a small business grant.