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Re: The Problem With Brainstorming
By Momus
From: Mark
Your article on brainstorming, originality and the masks we all wear is some of the best work I've read in a long time. It's nice to occasionally hear an interesting piece of literature with some simple logic that coincides with reality.
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Re: The Problem With Brainstorming
By Momus
From: Jeffrey Baumgartner
A very interesting article. Thank you.
An interesting alternative to brainstorming, which takes advantage of the internet's connectedness and anonymity, is an ideas campaign.
An ideas campaign starts with a challenge -- as a brainstorming session does -- such as "In what ways might we improve our corporate creativity?" Then, using web-based software, participants are invited to submit ideas, browse other ideas and build on other ideas rather like they would in a discussion forum.
An ideas campaign lasts as long as you want, although typically 2-6 weeks is best. During that time, anyone can log in and participate. At the end of the campaign, the most promising ideas are sent to experts for evaluation and the top ideas are implemented.
The advantages that ideas campaigns have over brainstorming include several that you mentioned in the article and in your blog: Anonymity (sort of), freedom, lack of silly exercises and possibilities to wear anything you bloody well want (or nothing, for that matter!). In addition, anyone anywhere can participate and the number of participants can be in the hundreds or even thousands. The extended period allows participants to think about the challenge and submit ideas whenever they come.
Companies can run ideas campaigns as one-off events including all employees, customers or the public. Alternatively, they can run regular ideas campaigns as a structured, sustainable idea management solution.
As you have no doubt worked out, my company develops campaign-based idea management software and services. Nevertheless, you will find a lot of non-commercial information about the processes - as well as creativity and innovation - at our web site www.jpb.com.
Keep up the good work.
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Re: Brain Teasers
By Clive Thompson
From: George Wade
Thoughtful article: about time some games headed in this direction, too.
Scott Hagwood, our friendly giant USA memory champion, shows fMRI (functional MRI) scans of his brain as he was recovering from thyroid cancer and the loss of brain function that accompanied it. I'd guess that it was the chemotherapy that caused the loss of mind, but I haven't talked to Scott yet.
As he trained his brain in memory the areas of activity closed down to very small portions; as he got to know what he was doing the brain became increasingly efficient at the task.
I'm hoping to meet Scott when he comes to Vancouver in May. I'm improving my own mind with detoxification from heavy metals; Mind Mapping; memory programs like SuperMemo for Win and iFlash for Mac. This makes learning to read and write Japanese at 65 a reasonable task. Learning Chinese is beginning to look OK.
Math is another problem! I'll need to Mind Map that. I shall get one of those games, too.
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