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'Brainstorming Doesn't Work' (fastcompany.com)

Posted by msmash on from the science-of-work dept.

People aren't necessarily more creative in groups than alone, or vice versa, according to numerous studies. An anonymous reader shares an article: In fact, creativity needs both conditions; our performance peaks when we alternate -- first working alone, then coming together to share our ideas, then going off by ourselves again to mull over what we heard. It's a process. This is because our brains' creative engines are fueled both by quiet mind-wandering, allowing novel and unexpected connections to form, and by encountering new information, which often comes from other people. The typical brainstorm over-delivers on the latter and under-delivers on the former, which means that for lots of people, brainstorming is an utter nightmare. Introverts just feel alienated, and extroverts aren't pushed to reflect more deeply on the ideas they've batted around amongst themselves.

5 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. Bullshit! by Eloking · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well, the headline escalated quickly from "People aren't necessarily more creative in groups than alone" to "Brainstorming Doesn't Work".

    Ever heard of Duck Debugging? : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    The idea is that if you're stuck in a code, only by explaining line by line your reasoning to someone (or even a rubber duck), it'll help you to find the solution yourself.

    But you know what's even more efficient? Talking to another person.

    The number of time I got stuck for like half an hour, quickly poked a coworker to talk about it only to find the solution 5 min later.

    Expert to Expert brainstorming work. It's useless corporate meeting that doesn't : https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    --
    Elok
    1. Re:Bullshit! by Bongo · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The idea is that if you're stuck in a code, only by explaining line by line your reasoning to someone (or even a rubber duck), it'll help you to find the solution yourself.

      Similar principle in designing buildings. When the architect is sketching, it is called "having a conversation with himself",

      I do the same writing scripts, when I get stuck, I write (in the comments) what I'm thinking, and by writing down thought 1, that makes space to have thought 2.

      Kinda like a pipe, or stack, you pop the first one off, so you can see the next one.

  2. Brainstorming is best by jenningsthecat · · Score: 4, Interesting

    when it happens organically, in small companies or in small cohesive groups within a company. Planning brainstorm sessions in the way that HR types would prefer doesn't work as a rule. What does work is an informal get-together in a comfortable space with a whiteboard, and passionate people who know what they're talking about, respect each other, have no time for political BS, and trust each other enough to blurt out the stupid-sounding stuff that can lead to innovation.

    I remember when I was no more than 12 years old, reading a Reader's Digest article on brainstorming. One example given was a group of people who were trying to find a way to deliver some kind of explosive charge to the bottom of a liquid-filled bore hole, that was cheaper than the aluminum devices currently in use. They weren't making any headway, and one of the frustrated participants said 'why don't we just put the damn thing in a paper bag?'. That led fairly quickly to the solution - basically a variation on a paper tube. Happily, that lesson has stuck with me all my life.

    It's the uncensored moments that make brainstorming work; that's why it tends NOT to work in most corporate environments, where failure to self-censor may be career-limiting at best, and career-ending at worst.

    --
    'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
    1. Re:Brainstorming is best by codeButcher · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It's the uncensored moments that make brainstorming work; that's why it tends NOT to work in most corporate environments, where failure to self-censor may be career-limiting at best, and career-ending at worst.

      Edward de Bono observes the same in his writings on "Lateral thinking" - lateral thinking in his definition is the quintessential uncensored, creative thinking were one (or the group) generates as many ideas as possible, no matter how whacky or impractical. Only after this process has finished, one applies "linear" (critical, rational) thinking to select the workable out of the rest.

      According to him, doing the former in group sessions (brainstorming) has the benefit that one person's whacky, playful, and not-serious idea may trigger an association with another person that may very well lead to the needed solution. But he suggests a fairly rigid methodology of conducting such brainstorming sessions, in which critical, judgmental "linear" thinking is verboten.

      Unfortunately many orgs do something (e.g. brainstorming, or agile) because they've heard the name and benefits somewhere, but have no idea about the critical workings under the hood - and what they do is that thing only in name. And THEN there are organizations where the vast majority of us work, where creativity is frowned upon...

      --
      Free, as in your money being freed from the confines of your account.
  3. Re:The boss can take credit this way by omfglearntoplay · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sounds like a subordinate I had in reverse... actually nothing to do with brainstorming. I'd give him a task... he'd do it, but then make me "check" his task to make sure I was OK with it. That sounds OK at first to you the reader, but the reality was I'd have to spend the exact amount of time on the task that he did in order to check every detail. I hired him so I would get more time, not less. I gave him the benefit of the doubt once or so but caught on real quick on what he was up to and let him know.