What is Brainstorming? Do Designers Need It?

May 14, 2024

Companies have been applying the brainstorming method to solve problems because they assume it is the best problem solving method which does not only overcome problems, but produce brilliant fresh new ideas as well.

Entrepreneurs definitely need to do this technique for a problem solving reason, but the question is ‘Do designers need to be expert in such a technique?’  The answer is ‘Yes, they do.’ The main point in the brainstorming method is to find ideas.

brainstorming

 

The Must-Know Brainstorming Methods

It is generally believed that designers receive pressures implicitly about creating lively various designs meaning each design must be unique and attractive enough to catch people’s attention. Such pressure is never easy.

Designers have difficulty either fulfilling the pressure because of the load of demands or finding new ideas.

Creating an ordinary design is actually easy, but the current era demands us to work faster and the competitions are getting intense, making companies think quickly and accurately based on the environment.

Considering the importance of the brainstorming method, we have provided you techniques to use it. Read the following explanations thoroughly to be able to use it immediately.

Mind Mapping

The first thing to do is the mind mapping which means to collect any ideas, write them on a big board, and use a variety of lines, pictures, symbols, colors to connect them to certain information.

Mind mapping aims to break the deadlock when it comes to confusion with finding ideas and to ease you to follow your customers’ particular desire.

For instance, in a case that a customer would like something different from the ordinary family event symbols of a father, a mother, and a child, you can make use of the brainstorming method to let you freely imagine the most creative ideas.

You may think of other family symbols to include and mix them with the ones your customer wants. When you finish all the symbols, add some proper phrases based on the theme. Finally, it becomes a unity of attractive, unique design.

Solving a problem in the proper, systematic order is the reason why mind mapping is significant. The problem is that a customer wants a family-themed logo that is more unique and different from other common designs, yet it still delivers the message well.

Brain Writing

The next brainstorming method is the Brain Writing which is basically easy because it is the development of the mind mapping method. You need to jot all of your ideas down on a paper.

For example, when you are dealing with a five-star restaurant logo serving the country’s traditional food, try to write down your plans of the design before creating it and see how people react to your design plan.

You may even want to ask the restaurant’s staff their visions and missions to better improve your design. This process will take only about 10 minutes.

If you work with a team, you will be able to extend your working duration to one hour to find as many ideas as possible.

On the other hand, if you work on your own, you will need to apply the ‘stop and go’ method meaning you have to write down everything in your head in the first 10 minutes and stop for an hour to relax by going to the beach, mall, or eating out with friends, etc.

Then, start to write your other ideas and repeat the process four times. Now split your written ideas into several parts to find the final results.

Doing this brainstorming method may leave a question as to why there should be an hour break. Well, finding ideas is a lot challenging.

They sometimes cross your mind unexpectedly when you go to a cinema, see film posters, and watch films, for example. You need to grab those ideas and make your creations with them. Therefore, you should have an hour break for the best results and you do need to go out instead of sleeping or scrolling your cellphones.

Rapid Ideation

The next brainstorming method is the Rapid Ideation which is almost similar to the Brain Writing except that the Rapid Ideation is more free than the latter method. The whole team members should write all of their ideas in one or two days.

Then, do some further discussions to make the right decisions. What if you work on your own?  You need to do the similar steps, but you also have to ask other people their opinions about the design you’d like to create.

It is great to ask other designers their opinions, but even better to ask people with different backgrounds. Furthermore, the ideas in the Rapid Ideation should be well-concepted, unlike the Brain Writing in its random outlines.

To do this brainstorming method well is to create five to six well-concepted ideas and explain them to your friends who understand design concepts to know their feedback.

You may then start to decide which concept you’d like to use after receiving people’s opinions. This process, however, takes a longer time especially when you are given a very limited amount of time to finish, but others’ opinions are very useful to help you because you will open up your mind to see your designs as an ordinary person instead of a designer.

Besides, at the end of the day, it is still people that need to know the results of your designs, isn’t it?

Team Brainstorming

The Team Brainstorming method does not have to be done with a team because you can do it on your own by using the Rapid Ideation steps.

When you have received others’ feedback, write it down on a board. The most important points are their comments and critiques excluding the good rates given as they are less useful for improvement.

If you have three ideas, you will need about ten to twelve respondents. Take notes of what they say and compare them. Then, decide the best concept you’d like to use. This process is similar to doing the work with a team, isn’t it?

Your goal is the client’s request and the  main point to do this method is feedback and suggestions from others with which you can decide the right concept to choose for your client. It is important to note that working on your own is harder than working with the team. But it has better results for sure because you receive people’s comments to understand what to do next to have a mutual concept between the designer and client.

If it works, your designs will be perfect.

Round Robin

The last brainstorming method is the Round Robin in which you have to ask others for their feedback about your designs, but how to work on your own? It is not that difficult.

Use the Team Brainstorming method in a different way by asking people random ideas instead of well-concepted ideas and tell them what you would like to do.

They will surely give their comments and if the conversation goes on, you will need to add some terms and conditions of customers. However, if their feedback resembles each other, you will have to stop it.

Collect everyone’s ideas and write them down separately. Pay attention and read it thoroughly. there must be good points you can get. What makes this method difficult is to find the right person.

Finally, creating designs is not as easy as pie because you need great ideas and creativity. Therefore, the brainstorming method is the best solution to get new ideas to meet your clients’ needs.

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