Decision-Making Technique: Brainstorming
On any given day within any organization there are decisions to be made. These may be as mundane as where to go for lunch or what new product to put out on the market. There are several decision-making tools and techniques that a person or group can put to use with brainstorming being one of them.
Brainstorming is "a tool for generating as many ideas or solutions as possible to a problem or an issue" (Simon para 1). Brainstorming does not determine the solution that needs to be implemented rather it allows the showing of all possible solutions. This gives the group or team the opportunity to ensure that every viable, random solution imaginable has been taken into account. This technique will generate radical ideas, which could lead to solid results. In order to determine the best solution to a problem, it is important to consider all possible outcomes.
There are a few requirements needed in order to use brainstorming as an effective decision making tool (Bartle). First, there must be a problem to solve. If there is no real problem or if the issue is already clear-cut, there may not be a need to brainstorm. Therefore, the brainstorming activities would be useless.
There is also a necessity to be able to work as a team. When brainstorming activities begin for an organization, it is important that the group generates the ability and the want to work as a team, to make a decision. At my company, Kwikmed, this is a real problem. We hold meetings to talk about current issues, but we can never seem to get involved as a team. It always seems that the most aggressive speaker person gets their way and to date, it has typically led to the wrong course of action when attempting to solve our problems. It seems that whenever we implemented a solution, it created two new issues. Its always one step forward and two steps back.
The most important requirement of a brainstorming session is a facilitator. A facilitator is important because a designated person will be selected to
Brainstorming is "a tool for generating as many ideas or solutions as possible to a problem or an issue" (Simon para 1). Brainstorming does not determine the solution that needs to be implemented rather it allows the showing of all possible solutions. This gives the group or team the opportunity to ensure that every viable, random solution imaginable has been taken into account. This technique will generate radical ideas, which could lead to solid results. In order to determine the best solution to a problem, it is important to consider all possible outcomes.
There are a few requirements needed in order to use brainstorming as an effective decision making tool (Bartle). First, there must be a problem to solve. If there is no real problem or if the issue is already clear-cut, there may not be a need to brainstorm. Therefore, the brainstorming activities would be useless.
There is also a necessity to be able to work as a team. When brainstorming activities begin for an organization, it is important that the group generates the ability and the want to work as a team, to make a decision. At my company, Kwikmed, this is a real problem. We hold meetings to talk about current issues, but we can never seem to get involved as a team. It always seems that the most aggressive speaker person gets their way and to date, it has typically led to the wrong course of action when attempting to solve our problems. It seems that whenever we implemented a solution, it created two new issues. Its always one step forward and two steps back.
The most important requirement of a brainstorming session is a facilitator. A facilitator is important because a designated person will be selected to
References: Bartle, Phil Brainstorming: structured Group Decision Making. Retrieved October 25, 2004 from: www.airworkers.net/exchange/20030430.html Janasz, Susanne De, Dowd, Karen O., Schneider, Beth, (2002). Interpersonal Skills in Organizations. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-text]. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved October 25, 2004 from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/resource.asp Rohe, Duke. Post-It Brainstorming. Retrieved on October 25, 2004 from: http://shs.iienet.org/public/articles/PostitBrain.doc Simon, Kerri. Effective Brainstorming. Retrieved on October 25, 2004 from www.isixsigma.com/library/content/c010401a.asp The Step by Step Guide to Brainstorming. Retrieved on October 25, 2004 from www.jpb.com/creative/brainstorming.php