When you are thinking of creating a breakthrough product or working on a code, you have to engage your team a lot. In most cases, it is more challenging to brainstorm with just a plain sheet on the table. You have to think outside the box and ensure your thoughts are leading you somewhere.

Brainstorming doesn’t come when you are most inspired, making it a bit challenging for most of us. For instance, it may be pretty challenging if you plan to operate a CNC Machine for the first time.

Brainstorming is a process of using your brain to find solutions to a problem more creatively. Here are some tips to help you brainstorm with your team when working on your next project.

1. Focus on quantity first 

When brainstorming, focus your mind on quantity first. That means when you storm, you should ensure you come up with as many ideas as you can. The more ideas you have, the better your chances of picking the best. Work towards quantity to come up with many ideas instead of thinking of one great idea.

2. Shy away from criticism 

In a brainstorming session, negativity has no place. No one is better at coming up with ideas, and criticizing your team members will only limit the many ideas you can come up with. This is the first rule you should observe when brainstorming; never criticize.

When you withhold criticism, you create a free environment for your team to share their thoughts without fear of being judged, resulting in more ideas. No idea should be considered stupid or wrong.

3. Give room for unusual ideas 

When brainstorming, you should allow all ideas to flow and be expressed. Encourage your team to write down all their ideas, no matter how bizarre or inferior they may sound. In most cases, unusual and eccentric ideas spark innovative solutions that you may not have thought of before.

By welcoming unconventionality in your brainstorming session, you open doors for creativity, adding more ideas to the table. Most people will always tone down a new idea then think of a new one.

4. Invite new people to the table

If you’ve been brainstorming with your team for long without getting a new idea, you should consider inviting new people. Inviting new people from different backgrounds to the group can shake up thoughts.

When you keep brainstorming with your team for long, the ideas become stale, and you end up converging on the same opinion for long.

5. Copy a good idea

There is nothing wrong with copying a good idea as long as you can improve it. You get inspired by your pioneer, and once you can copy their opinions, you can come up with a more creative way to do something.

Engage your team in researching how others met the challenges they faced when coming up with a product. Learn from their mistakes and discover new ideas to make a better invention.