Brainstorming with remote teams

Is brainstorming possible with remote teams?

Some of my best memories of office life centred on group problem solving sessions. Formal or informal brainstorms were typically energetic and fun and it would be my proud boast that I would be the guy to reduce the collective IQ to a point at which a decision could be made! - Wayne, Director & Founder‍

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‍Remember the traditional approach?

‍Brainstorming has been a mainstay business tool since the 1940s when Alex Osborn of the advertising firm BBDO was credited with introducing the concept to develop new ideas. His work was published in 1953 and the consumerism boom of the 1950s and 60s presented a wealth of opportunity to apply his brainstorming theories and find new ways to sell new things to an eager, growing, audience. ‍

‍It is possible that my own memories of brainstorming have been edited as time has passed. In truth, the formality and structure necessary to fulfil the basic principles of successful brainstorming often gave way impromptu chats over a coffee. The free flow of new ideas, approaches to challenges, or inclusion of different perspectives, would be overrun by poor facilitation, pre-determined outcomes or the weight of overbearing personalities.

There are many factors that made brainstorming a valuable problem solving tool. A commonly recognised framework calls for the acceptance of all ideas, without judgement, and the obligation to build on each other’s ideas with a focus on quantity and creativity rather than quality – that comes later. There is, of course, the need for a pragmatic hand to guide the group and ensure there are outcomes and actions.

The changing world

Today, it seems there are many more problems to solve and less time to find answers but teams are far less likely to be office based which introduces practical considerations to the traditional approach. Even if we haven’t yet found the stable balance of home versus office working it is hard to imagine teams crowding around a white board in one place at one time will ever be considered ‘normal’ again.

In recent years, the traditinal approach has been heavily criticised, especially in creative industries. Many argue that the brainstorm has the opposite effect of what was originally intended:

• Introverts are excluded
• There is opportunity for ‘social loafing’
• Ideas are often adapted to fit with the previous contribution
• The most dominant person in the room runs the discussion
• The developoment of new ideas is inhibited

Here is an example from Time magazine. Collectively these issues lead to ‘group think’ and the prospect of rehashing or rewording for the purpose of appearing to be ‘present’. ‍

‍There is an element of ‘hashtagging’ in the way the dissent is expressed but the points are valid. I propose we tread carefully to find the balance between the opportunities presented by brainstorming and the dilution described above. The concept is almost 100 years old so we should perhaps celebrate the longevity of the thinking while recognising what has changed. The original concept has perhaps been diminished first by the proliferation of business schools and business texts making everyone an ‘expert’ and, more recently, by the volume and speed at which the internet disseminates ideas.

It can be argued people value open minds or original ideas less when they have unlimited access to all the world’s existing ideas to promote and defend by being ‘one page ahead in the manual’.‍

‍An updated approach‍

‍Whether you are comfortable with the term brainstorming, or prefer the language of thought showers, ideation, cerebration or brain swarming (you decide, I’m not here to judge!), the framework for successful brainstorming has remained consistent while many human aspects have evolved.

Our understanding of behavioural and perceptual preferences has developed such that we better understand that genius ideas don’t necessarily come from the loudest voices and the tools and apps available really do make the whiteboard and pen look like slate and chalk!‍

‍There are many references and resources for organising a brainstorm and each team will have its own established norms, but traditional hooks for the cohesion and rhythm or working life have been diluted, adapted or simply forgotten. Instead, let’s consider the prompts for successful brainstorming in remote or hybrid teams.

Hygiene warning: this is hard! Anyone can make a list but putting it in to practice requires effort, diligence, clarity and genuine compassion.‍

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‍Let’s break it down into Before, During and After and consider the most relevant topics for success in a ‘Zoomville’ brainstorm. Other remote settings are available.

‍Before

1. The session should have clear objectives.
I strongly advocate that the output from any piece of work will only be as good as the quality of the exam question it tries to address. In a physical setting there are clues to the level of understanding in the room but that is harder on a video call so this single action will have a tangible impact on the quality and pace of the exercise.‍‍

2. Give a little extra thought to justifying the list of contributors.
There will be obvious candidates to a given topic but remote participation introduces additional considerations, such as the tech platforms, which will amplify some behaviours and risk quickly draining natural energy reserves. Consider who will naturally bring a discipline such that everyone is heard and the benefit of different perspectives, or even devil’s advocacy, challenges or validates outcomes.‍‍

3. Be prepared to convince the contributors that the brainstorm, and their contribution, matters.
Why should they care? Teams expect to have ‘meaning’ to their work and a brainstorm is likely to be poor quality if the contributors are there simply because they accepted a diary invite! 

4. Share a brief and allow time for contributors to qualify their understanding and develop ideas.
The isolation of remote working makes it more difficult to ‘hack’ preparation but does allow individuals space to think and prepare their ‘A’ game if they are given the opportunity. ‍One of the difficulties of the hybrid world is the blending of remote and office contributions. Team calls, especially brainstorming, are difficult if there is an office group with some remote contributors. The office group will inevitably speak more freely while those on screen may struggle to be heard or to hear. Facilitators must be mindful of this dynamic and ensure there is only one discussion taking place. It will also pay to make sure the tech works before the call starts rather!

During

Make it visual for the benefit of the group

A brainstorm should be centred on surfacing ideas and creativity but there are ways to make it visual to the benefit of the group, especially those whose perceptual preference is to process information visually. There could be some prepared material to share but let’s think about tools that are native to some video platforms or apps designed to capture and organise ideas. There are many options but here is an external link to 10 brainstorm apps.‍‍

Facilitate independent working and break out groups

A growing body of research challenges the value of brainstorming arguing that people are more creative when working independently. While that changes the dynamic of the brainstorm concept, it is a gift in the world of remote work where it is possible to close down the distractions of email, messaging apps, phones and people in a way that you cannot in an office setting. The apps and platforms in common use also accommodate independent working and break out groups as well as teamworking. I participated a brainstorm session on a recent project which was brilliantly facilitated and used Miro to capture and develop ideas with people working independently and then collaborating to develop ideas. It turns out great tech + great facilitation trumps expensed muffins + fluorescent tube lighting!‍

Ensure the faciliator steers the way

No-one wants to be seen as the ‘headmaster’ but maintaining the discipline, and call etiquette, of any session will help improve results. The facilitator must be accountable for encouraging and guiding the contributions to remain true to the exam question and the target outcomes. The sessions should also stick to time. Yes, that is a painfully generic statement but remote work diaries will likely be ‘back to back’ and such hygiene factors build trust in the process.

‍After

Having set out the exam question and objectives of the call, it is important to capture the progress that was made. As challenging as this will be for some personalities, actions, owners and timelines should be published back to the group. I would encourage that specific focus should be given to what, specifically, happens next to increase the prospect of action being seen to be taken. Being wound up to contribute and then hear nothing more will quickly become an energy drain.

Margin notes

Leading or participating in remote team sessions demands new skills. We have all become competent in that environment but consider how we might become ‘masters’. Consider how your workspace offers enough clear desk to participate without distraction and a monitor of sufficient size and quality that calls are not uncomfortable. To participate effectively, make time to learn the functionality of the video tools and be proactive in making sure your broadband offers enough bandwidth to avoid untimely dropouts. Finally, if, like me, you are not ready to ditch the ‘olden days’ completely then how can you include a whiteboard in your workspace set up?

Email me at wayne@mybridity.com if you have any thoughts or questions.