ABSTRACT
Brainstorming is only one of the weapons in the creative armoury available to managers. It is however the one most used — and most mis-used. This chapter aims to define brainstorming and discusses the stages of a brainstorming session. It illuminates the 'tricks of the trade' in the running of brainstorming sessions. The chapter highlights associated techniques of restating the problem and wildest ideas. There are six stages of brainstorming: state the problem and discuss; restate the problem - how to; select a basic restatement and write it down, 'In how many ways can we'; warm-up session; brainstorm; and wildest Idea. Success in brainstorming depends on the application and enforcement of four guidelines. They are: Suspend judgement, Free-wheel, Quantity, Cross-fertilise. Brainstorming has an honourable antiquity as a management technique. The technique was devised and used during the 1930s by Alex Osborn, in an advertising agency in New York.
