Brainstorming

Principles

• Quantity over quality: Generate many ideas first

• No judgment: Defer criticism until later

• Build on ideas: Combine and extend

• Wild ideas welcome: Encourage creativity

Techniques

Mind Mapping

Start with central concept, branch out associations.

                ┌── Mobile App
                │
     ┌── UI ────┼── Web App
     │          │
     │          └── CLI
     │

Product ─┼── Features ── [list features] │ │ ┌── PostgreSQL └── Data ──┤ └── Redis

SCAMPER

• Substitute: What can be replaced?

• Combine: What can be merged?

• Adapt: What can be borrowed from elsewhere?

• Modify: What can be changed?

• Put to other uses: Different applications?

• Eliminate: What can be removed?

• Reverse: What if we flip it?

How Might We (HMW)

Reframe problems as opportunities.

Problem: Users abandon signup HMW: How might we make signup feel rewarding? HMW: How might we reduce signup friction? HMW: How might we show value before signup?

Crazy 8s

• Fold paper into 8 sections

• 8 ideas in 8 minutes

• One idea per section

• Sketch or write

Idea Evaluation

After brainstorming, evaluate ideas:

Idea Impact Effort Risk Priority

Idea 1 High Low Low Do First

Idea 2 High High Med Plan

Idea 3 Low Low Low Maybe

Diverge → Converge

• Diverge: Generate many ideas (no filter)

• Organize: Group similar ideas

• Converge: Select best ideas to pursue