Brainstorming

What is Right for Your Group?

How can you determine what the entire group of 10, 20 or maybe even 30 people would like to do? I like to use a method of brainstorming that involved a bunch of sticky notes, and a flip chart (or other big piece of paper).

The example I am going to use is with our Jr. Fair Board. Feel free to adapt this situation to fit the group you are a part of or working with. Sometimes group just need a little jump start to get going on talking about the ideas they are most interested in.

Activity Brainstorming

Use these instructions when working on your brainstorming for the session.

Supplies needed: Flip Charts (more than one or divided for groups), large stack of sticky notes, and about 30 minutes of time.

1.       Ask each member to take a small stack of sticky notes and something to write with.

2.       Ask them to privately think of something they would like to do with the group

a.       Before Fair

b.       During Fair

c.       After Fair/Follow Up

3.       Have them stick their ideas to the board in an appropriate section.

4.       Start talking about the ideas. Do not throw ideas away unless they are inappropriate.

5.       Then start asking youth about the major or most suggested ideas.

a.       What do you like? What don’t you like?

b.       What is the cost of this activity?

c.       What time/date would work for the majority of the group?

6.       Once you have narrowed the ideas down you can vote on them or if the group is more casual go by general opinions of the group.

Why use this method?

The sticky notes allow everyone from your group both shy and outgoing to have an opinion.

Sometimes it’s hard to think of ideas, but other people’s ideas may help different ideas to form.