Ideation/Creativity

Brainstorming Workshop

This dynamic workshop applies systematic brainstorming methodologies to generate diverse, high-quality ideas. Participants will practice divergent and convergent thinking techniques to explore solutions and identify the most promising concepts.

Duration
24 days
Group Size
4-8
Category
Ideation/Creativity
Format
In-person

  • Generate large quantities of diverse, creative solution ideas

  • Apply structured ideation techniques for maximum creative output

  • Practice building on others' ideas through collaborative thinking

  • Learn to suspend judgment and encourage wild, innovative concepts

  • Develop skills in idea evaluation and concept prioritization


  • Diverse range of creative solutions generated

  • Breakthrough ideas from cross-functional perspectives

  • Prioritized concepts ready for further development

Day 1

8:30am-9:00am
BREAK 30 min
Breakfast

Breakfast and informal networking

9:00am-9:15am
BREAK 15 min
Welcome & Introductions

Facilitator introduction, agenda overview, and workshop goals

9:15am-9:25am
Exercise 10 min
Alternative Uses

Generate creative alternative uses for common objects to warm up divergent thinking.

9:25am-9:40am
Ideation/Creativity 15 min
Ideation Rules

This exercise sets ground rules for effective brainstorming. It fosters psychological safety, encourages wild ideas, and...

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9:40am-9:50am
Ideation/Creativity 10 min
Yes, And

Use "Yes, And" to build on ideas together. It creates a culture of expansion. Forget restriction.

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9:50am-10:10am
Ideation/Creativity 20 min
How Might We

Turn problems into opportunities using optimistic questions. Reframe problem statements and insights into actionable "Ho...

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10:10am-10:25am
BREAK 15 min
Morning Coffee Break

Refreshments and informal networking

10:25am-10:40am
Ideation/Creativity 15 min
Crazy 8s

Crazy 8s is a rapid ideation exercise using time constraints and sketching. Generate eight distinct solution ideas in ei...

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10:40am-11:10am
Gamestorming 30 min
6-3-5 Brainwriting

This is a silent brainstorming exercise. Participants build on each other's ideas in structured rounds. Six people gener...

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11:10am-11:40am
Strategy 30 min
Brainwriting

Silent brainstorming works. Participants write ideas and build on them through rotation. No talking means no interruptio...

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11:40am-12:40pm
BREAK 60 min
Lunch

Lunch break

12:40pm-1:10pm
Ideation/Creativity 30 min
Rapid Sketching

Speed crushes perfectionism. Rapid sketching forces ideas out before overthinking kicks in. Many think they can't sketch...

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1:10pm-1:40pm
Ideation/Creativity 30 min
Inspiration Cards

Stuck? Use curated examples to spark fresh ideas. Explore solutions from different industries to break out of convention...

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1:40pm-1:55pm
BREAK 15 min
Afternoon Coffee Break

Refreshments and informal networking

1:55pm-2:55pm
Strategy 60 min
Ideation And Solution Exploration

You've defined the problem; now, it's time to generate solutions. This focused 60-minute ideation session helps teams qu...

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2:55pm-3:10pm
BREAK 15 min
Daily Wrap-up

Key takeaways, reflections and next steps

Day 2

8:30am-9:00am
BREAK 30 min
Breakfast

Breakfast and informal networking

9:00am-9:15am
BREAK 15 min
Day 2 Welcome & Recap

Recap of Day 1 insights and overview of today's agenda

9:15am-9:45am
Strategy 30 min
Five Whys

The Five Whys is a classic technique to find the root cause of a problem. By repeatedly asking "why," you'll drill down ...

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9:45am-10:45am
Strategy 60 min
Empathy Mapping

An empathy map helps teams deeply understand their users. It's a visual tool for capturing user needs, thoughts, and fee...

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10:45am-11:00am
BREAK 15 min
Morning Coffee Break

Refreshments and informal networking

11:00am-11:45am
Strategy 45 min
Assumption Mapping

Every project has assumptions. This exercise makes them visible. Write down what you think you know. Be honest about wha...

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11:45am-12:45pm
Ideation/Creativity 60 min
Product Box

Make your value proposition tangible with a product box. This exercise clarifies what matters to customers. It also alig...

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12:45pm-1:45pm
BREAK 60 min
Lunch

Lunch break

1:45pm-2:30pm
Strategy 45 min
Design the Box

Design a retail box to envision your product's success. Teams create packaging with taglines, features, testimonials, an...

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2:30pm-3:15pm
Ideation/Creativity 45 min
Storyboarding

Create comic strip-style stories to visualize user scenarios. Each storyboard shows user context, problem, solution inte...

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3:15pm-3:30pm
BREAK 15 min
Afternoon Coffee Break

Refreshments and informal networking

3:30pm-3:40pm
Gamestorming 10 min
Dot Voting

Dot voting is a fast, democratic way to prioritize. Participants get a limited number of votes to allocate. This forces ...

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3:40pm-4:10pm
Strategy 30 min
2×2 Matrix

Force tough choices by visualizing trade-offs. A 2x2 matrix plots items across two dimensions, highlighting what's impor...

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4:10pm-4:25pm
BREAK 15 min
Daily Wrap-up

Key takeaways, reflections and next steps

Day 3

8:30am-9:00am
BREAK 30 min
Breakfast

Breakfast and informal networking

9:00am-9:15am
BREAK 15 min
Day 3 Welcome & Recap

Recap of Day 2 insights and overview of today's agenda

9:15am-9:45am
Strategy 30 min
Impact & Effort Matrix

Prioritize ideas and tasks by mapping them on a 2x2 matrix. This framework clarifies the potential impact versus the eff...

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9:45am-10:15am
Strategy 30 min
NUF Test

The NUF framework scores ideas based on novelty, usefulness, and feasibility. This provides a quantitative way to priori...

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10:15am-10:30am
BREAK 15 min
Morning Coffee Break

Refreshments and informal networking

10:30am-10:50am
Strategy 20 min
Forced Ranking

Prioritize ruthlessly using comparative evaluation and voting. Force the team to make tough calls, ranking items definit...

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10:50am-11:20am
Strategy 30 min
The $100 Test

Give each participant $100 (in play money). They distribute it across features, needs, or design priorities. This forces...

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11:20am-12:20pm
BREAK 60 min
Lunch

Lunch break

12:20pm-12:50pm
Ideation/Creativity 30 min
Rapid Sketching

Speed crushes perfectionism. Rapid sketching forces ideas out before overthinking kicks in. Many think they can't sketch...

Learn More
12:50pm-1:35pm
Ideation/Creativity 45 min
Storyboarding

Create comic strip-style stories to visualize user scenarios. Each storyboard shows user context, problem, solution inte...

Learn More
1:35pm-1:50pm
BREAK 15 min
Afternoon Coffee Break

Refreshments and informal networking

1:50pm-2:25pm
Strategy 35 min
Start, Stop, Continue

This simple retrospective helps turn insights into action. Participants decide what to start, stop, and continue doing t...

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2:25pm-2:40pm
BREAK 15 min
Daily Wrap-up

Final reflections, action items and next steps

Unlock Full Agenda & Timing

Create a free account to access step-by-step instructions, agendas, and resources for all activities.

For Facilitators

  • Review participant profiles and expectations
  • Prepare all materials and supplies
  • Test technology and room setup

For Participants

  • Complete pre-session survey
  • Review background materials
  • Prepare examples or case studies

Unlock Pre-Work Requirements

Create a free account to access step-by-step instructions, agendas, and resources for all activities.

These exercises can enhance the workshop or be used as alternatives depending on your team's needs and available time.

Mind Mapping
40 min
Creative Matrix
45 min
Alternative Worlds
90 min
Inspiration Cards
30 min
Dot Voting
10 min

Basic Materials


  • Large format paper (A1 or flip chart paper)

  • Sticky notes (multiple colors)

  • Sharpie markers (black, blue, red)

  • Fine-tip markers for detailed work

  • Pens and pencils for note-taking

  • Dot stickers for voting exercises

  • Masking tape for wall mounting

  • Timer or stopwatch for activities


Category-Specific Materials


  • Workshop-specific templates and worksheets

  • Relevant industry examples and case studies


Technology Requirements


  • Laptops/tablets for digital work

  • WiFi access for online collaboration tools

  • Digital camera for documentation

  • Presentation projector/screen

  • Power strips and extension cords

  • Backup printed materials


Venue Requirements


  • Large wall space for posting materials

  • Moveable tables for group work

  • Comfortable seating for all participants

  • Natural lighting or adequate artificial lighting

  • Quiet environment free from interruptions

  • Temperature control for participant comfort

Unlock Materials Required

Create a free account to access step-by-step instructions, agendas, and resources for all activities.

  • Facilitator Guide (PDF)
  • Participant Workbook Template
  • Presentation Slides
  • Printable Materials

Unlock Resources & Templates

Create a free account to access step-by-step instructions, agendas, and resources for all activities.

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