Brainstorming:  How to Create More Ideas and Better Ideas

April 28, 2022

On Thursday, April 28 the HCD Community of Practice explored brainstorming. A brainstorming session likely comes to mind when tasked with generating ideas to solve a problem or dream up an innovative solution. But does it work?

Quick answer: Yes. But if facilitated poorly or approached with a rigid perspective, it may lead to groupthink or an environment where good ideas go to die—the opposite of what you set out to accomplish.

Whether facilitating or participating in a brainstorming session, you will succeed by approaching the process with a creative mindset and embracing best practices. So, what does success look like? More and better ideas!

The session included:

• A definition of brainstorming
• How to protect and nurture ideas
• Virtual brainstorming warm-up exercises
• Brainstorming best practices

Our guest presenter was Senior Design Strategist Scott Reed with the HCD Center of Excellence and . 

Session Speaker

Scott Reed  – Senior Design Strategist, HCD CoE and adjunct faculty at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Brian has spent the better part of three decades pitching creative and communications services to an extensive list of proponents and naysayers alike. He is currently a Senior Design Strategist with the CCSQ Human-Centered Design Center of Excellence, has been a graphic designer for 30 years, and has been practicing HCD for 12. In addition, Brian spent 11 years as a Creative Director, Communications Supervisor, and HCD Practitioner at Johns Hopkins University. He holds a BA degree from the University of Pittsburgh, where he majored in Creative Writing and Public Relations. Brian is married, has a daughter preparing to head off to college, two cats, two dogs, 26 chickens, four ducks, a crested gecko, and an alpaca named Skinny Pete.