by Athirah Sofea

In the world of ideation, there are various techniques to foster innovation and collaboration. 

In part two of our brainwriting series, we introduce the 6-3-5 technique, a structured approach designed to amplify creative idea generation. It is known as the 6-3-5 technique as this method involves six participants, with each contributing three ideas in five rounds, resulting in an impressive 108 ideas generated in just 30 minutes. 

The 6-3-5 technique offers advantages over traditional brainstorming, encouraging inclusivity, idea refinement, and diverse perspectives. Not only that, this alternative to brainstorming also aims to ensure uniform group participation. This efficient and structured process allows the participants to contribute their ideas in silence to prevent mutual influence, and at the same time, it provides an inclusive environment where introverts can comfortably contribute. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to implement the 6-3-5 technique in your brainstorming sessions: 

• Assemble a group of six participants and define a clear problem statement or challenge that you want to address. 

• Distribute a template to all participants.

• Each participant passes the sheet of paper to their left neighbour, and each team member generates the next three ideas. These ideas can be entirely new or build upon existing ones. 

• Participants have five minutes to write three ideas in the top three squares of the provided template to solve the chosen problem. 

• Repeat step 3 until each participant has contributed to every sheet of paper. 

• Review all generated ideas, eliminating duplicates and identifying the top-chosen solutions. After six rounds, a total of 108 ideas are produced in just 30 minutes. 

Example of the 6-3-5 brainwriting template 

Ideally, this technique works best with six participants. However, sessions can be carried out with teams of four, five or seven, resulting in 48, 75 and 147 number of ideas generated respectively. Don’t forget to appoint a moderator to maintain session focus and goal alignment.  

The 6-3-5 technique is a powerful brainwriting method that can supercharge your ideation sessions, enabling numerous of creative ideas and solutions in a short time. Its structured and inclusive approach promotes diverse thinking and idea improvement through collaboration. Consider implementing this technique in your next brainstorming session and witness the effectiveness and magic of 6-3-5 firsthand.