Brainstorming is a creative solution-seeking process in response to specific problems. This activity—which can be individual or collaborative—generates diverse perspectives, solutions, and opinions. Expect to leave a brainstorming session with new approaches to try and fresh insights to expand your thinking.

Conducting a brainstorming activity? To record the various ideas that arise during the session, consider using our free template for brainstorming. With a shared document at everyone’s fingertips, you can jot down the wide range of thoughts and questions that pop up—and revisit them at any time.

Wondering how to do brainstorming or what factors to keep in mind during your meeting of the minds? First off, plan to arrange for both individual brainstorming and group ideation time. That way, you can encourage everyone to come up with unique ideas before sharing them in a collective setting.

Giving space and time for personal and shared problem-solving speaks to why brainstorming is important. Divergent solutions and conflicting ideas? That’s how brainstorming can be helpful: by showcasing the scores of different ways that a team or an individual can approach a problem.

So with this collaborative exercise, the greater the number of viewpoints, the better. Any example of brainstorming will show you that what’s essential is the volume of different perspectives—not the specific conclusions that you draw.

To conduct a brainstorming session, simply ask the right questions and record the insights that emerge.

If you’re wondering how to make brainstorming questions, choose ones that encourage discussion and ideation around a specific purpose

A narrow, yes-or-no question may not inspire productivity or relevant insights within the context of a team meeting. On the other hand, an overly general question like can be conversational quicksand. A generative brainstorming question will include a clear jumping-off point and encourage follow-up questions and ideas.