by Athirah Sofea

Brainstorming is a common way to generate ideas through verbal communication but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming, especially when it is dominated by a few individuals. Luckily, there is an alternative method to brainstorming – brainwriting. 

Incorporating this structured and controlled approach, brainwriting, encourages the generation and sharing of ideas in a way that promotes inclusivity. This method ensures equal participation and for everyone to share their thoughts, without being influenced by others. 

Brainwriting could be especially useful when you have a mixed group of personality types in a discussion. This method helps to reduce anxiety because people can submit their ideas anonymously and this makes them feel less self-conscious. It also minimizes unnecessary discussions that can detract from idea generation during brainstorming. 

There are a few different ways to approach brainwriting, but the basic method is as follows: 

• Set Up the Session: Organize the brainwriting session by determining team size, session duration, and required materials like paper and pens. Create a controlled environment that fosters creativity and participation. 

• Introduce the Challenge: Present the challenge to the team, whether a specific problem or a broader topic. Ensure the challenge is clearly defined and understood. 

• Brainstorm Ideas Individually: Allocate time for team members to brainstorm individually. They write down their ideas on paper without discussing their ideas out loud. 

• Passing Ideas: Pass the papers to different team members. They can build upon existing ideas or generate new ones. Repeat this process until all papers are filled. 

• Sharing and Discussing: Conclude by sharing and discussing the generated ideas. This can be done in a group or paired setting, enabling idea presentation and dialogue. 

Refer to the visual below to gain a better understanding on how brainwriting works: 

Practicing brainwriting as an alternative to traditional brainstorming offers numerous beneficial advantages. It improves not only the quantity but also the quality of ideas. Brainwriting serves as a secure platform for idea sharing, enhancing individual creativity and ensuring inclusivity with diverse perspectives. Do give this a try, especially if you have people with different personality in that session.