Enhancing Creativity in Groups and Teams

Course(s) Used:

  • Team and Small Group Communication

Goals and Objectives:

  • Students can describe the seven steps of traditional brainstorming

Rationale:

Generating ideas effectively is important for effective group decision-making. Often brainstorming is used casually, without using many of the important steps.

Materials Needed

Materials:

  • None

Technology:

  • Classroom computer and projector

Outline of the Lesson

  1. Review of previous session's content
  2. Many groups use brainstorming without knowing the steps
  3. Brainstorming1
    1. Select a specific problem
    2. Set a clear time limit
    3. Ask group members to put aside judgements and evaluations
    4. Generate ideas
    5. Permute ideas2
    6. Record ideas
    7. Evaluate ideas when time is complete
  4. Lesson closing

Variations and Accommodations

Follow guidance from local accommodation authorities.


  1. Steps D, E, and F occur simultaneously

  2. The acronym "SCAMPER" is used for ways to permute ideas: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse

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