Brainstorming sessions in the IT industry often serve as a powerful tool for generating ideas that drive business growth, leading to the launch of new products and solutions to current challenges. Some of the most popular tech products—and we are talking about world-famous gadgets but also about websites like casino online—have emerged from such collaborative sessions.

For instance, Google developers created Gmail through brainstorming, Apple introduced NFC (Near Field Communication) and biometric authentication for secure smartphone payments, and Slack evolved from a side project in game development into a standalone communication platform. In fact, Slack’s creators even pivoted their company from game development to a B2B startup focused on corporate messaging solutions.

To make brainstorming effective, you should not only conduct sessions properly but also prepare thoroughly. These effective techniques will maximize the benefits of this process.

How to Start a Brainstorming Session

The best results come from preparation. A spontaneous suggestion to “brainstorm” at the end of a workday is unlikely to be productive. A few simple steps before the session can significantly boost creativity and efficiency.

Define the Goal and Topic

Before launching a brainstorming session, clearly define its objective. What do you want to achieve? It could be finding a solution to a specific problem, generating ideas for a new project, or even developing a strategic plan. A well-defined goal helps participants stay focused and propose more relevant ideas.

Prepare Materials

Gather everything you need for the session: flip charts, markers, sticky notes, laptops, or tablets. Having relevant materials—such as market research, competitor analysis, and industry reports—on hand can be highly beneficial during discussions.

Select the Right Participants

Invite people who can contribute valuable insights. A diverse team with members from different departments and levels ensures a broader range of ideas. Ideally, a brainstorming group should consist of 5-6 participants.

Set Ground Rules

Establish rules to maintain structure and encourage creativity. For example:

• Document all ideas.
• Avoid criticism in the early stages.
• Set a time limit for discussions.

These rules help keep the session productive and focused.

Warm Up the Team

Kick off the session with a few short warm-up exercises, such as word association games or attention-enhancing tasks. This helps participants relax and get into a creative mindset.

How Brainstorming Works in Practice

Context and Problem

In the early 2000s, email was gaining popularity, but services like Yahoo Mail and Hotmail had limited storage and cumbersome interfaces. Users frequently had to delete emails to free up space, leading to frustration.

Google saw an opportunity to revolutionize email services. The Gmail project began as an internal experiment led by developer Paul Buchheit.

Brainstorming Method and Process

Google’s team used Mind Mapping to structure ideas and explore innovative solutions.

Tackling Storage and Search Issues

During brainstorming, the team focused on solving the storage limitation problem and improving email searchability. They proposed offering users a then-unprecedented 1GB of free storage—an industry breakthrough. Additionally, they developed a powerful search function to help users find emails quickly.

Enhancing User Experience

Using storytelling techniques, the team envisioned various usage scenarios. This led to features such as threaded conversations, which grouped related emails into a single chain for easier navigation.

Evolution and Testing

Gmail remained in beta for several years, with access limited to invitations. This allowed Google to gather user feedback and conduct additional brainstorming sessions to refine the interface and functionality. Today, product testing cycles are much faster, but structured brainstorming remains a key element of innovation.

Now, let’s analyze popular brainstorming techniques that can help teams generate groundbreaking ideas.

7 Effective Brainstorming Techniques

Mind Mapping

This technique helps visualize ideas and their relationships, making it easier to structure thoughts.

How it works:

• Start with a central idea—write the main topic in the center of a page or digital board.
• Add branches—each representing a category or subtopic.
• Expand each branch by adding related ideas.
• Use colors and images to enhance memory and stimulate creativity.

Six Thinking Hats

Developed by Edward de Bono, this method encourages participants to look at a problem from different perspectives by assigning six metaphorical “hats.”

Each hat represents a distinct thinking style:

• White Hat – Focus on facts and data.
• Red Hat – Express emotions and intuition.
• Black Hat – Identify risks and challenges.
• Yellow Hat – Highlight positive aspects and opportunities.
• Green Hat – Encourage creative thinking and innovation.
• Blue Hat – Maintain structure and guide discussions.

6-3-5 Brainstorming

This structured method helps generate up to 108 ideas in 30 minutes.

How it works:

1. Form a group of six people.
2. Each person writes three ideas in five minutes.
3. Pass the ideas to the next person, who builds upon them.
4. Repeat for six rounds, resulting in 108 total ideas.

Free Association

This method helps break away from conventional thinking by generating ideas through word associations.

How it works:

1. Write a keyword or phrase related to the topic on a board.
2. Let participants list all words and ideas that come to mind.
3. Develop chains of associations to expand thinking.
4. Discuss and refine the most promising ideas.

Role Storming

By stepping into different roles, participants can explore ideas from new perspectives.

How it works:

1. Assign roles such as customer, competitor, partner, or critic.
2. Participants analyze the problem from their assigned role’s viewpoint.
3. Discuss findings and extract the best solutions.

Storytelling

This technique turns abstract ideas into engaging narratives, revealing new angles on a problem.

How it works:

1. Define a scenario related to the topic.
2. Introduce characters that represent key stakeholders.
3. Develop a storyline, allowing participants to contribute ideas and challenges.
4. Extract key insights and actionable ideas.

Laddering

Laddering helps bring fresh perspectives to a brainstorming session, especially in teams with strong hierarchies.

How it works:

1. The facilitator presents the problem to the group.
2. Two participants start the discussion and generate initial ideas.
3. Additional participants join one by one, contributing their thoughts.
4. Once everyone has contributed, the team conducts a final review of all ideas.

Maximizing Brainstorming Success

• Document all ideas using whiteboards, sticky notes, or digital tools like Miro or Trello to ensure visibility and organization.
• Combine different techniques for deeper analysis—start with Mind Mapping for structure, then use Six Thinking Hats for evaluation.
• Review and categorize ideas post-session to prioritize the most feasible and impactful solutions.
• Seek expert input when necessary to refine ideas before implementation.

Brainstorming, when done effectively, can be a game-changer in innovation. By using structured methods, fostering creativity, and maintaining a strategic approach, teams can unlock groundbreaking ideas that drive business success.