“What happened in the weeks and months after each brainstorm? The results were depressing. Not a single new idea generated in the brainstorms had been built or launched. The best ideas—the solutions that teams actually executed—came from individual work,” he writes.
But he still believed teamwork was important. So how to address the problems? Knapp set about designing his own problem-solving process – and a book about it ensued.
Here are synopses of his four ‘big-fixes’.
Brainstorm problem: Shallow ideas from the group
In a group brainstorm, ideas are shouted out loud, rapid fire. The goal is quantity, with the assumption that there will be diamonds among the coal. But details matter, and good ideas require time for deep thought.
Sprint solution: Detailed ideas from individuals
In a sprint, each individual considers several approaches, then spends an hour or more sketching their solution. In the end, there are fewer solutions than in a group brainstorm, but each one is opinionated, unique, and highly detailed.
Brainstorm problem: Personality outshines content
If somebody has a reputation for being smart or creative, their ideas are frequently overvalued. And a group brainstorm can be a nightmare for an introvert. Charismatic extroverts who gives great sales pitches often dominate.
Sprint solution: Ideas stand on their own
The sketches in a sprint don’t have the creator’s name on them. And when we critique them on Wednesday, the creator remains silent and anonymous, saving any sales pitch until after everyone else has given their opinions.
Brainstorm problem: Groupthink
The collaborative, encouraging environment of a brainstorm feels good, but often leads teams to talk themselves into watered-down solutions.
Sprint solution: Opinionated decisions
In a sprint, one person makes decisions: the Decider. The Decider is a CEO, executive, product manager, or other leader.
Brainstorm problem: No results
Worst of all, brainstorms result in a pile of sticky notes—and nothing else. It’s a loose methodology to begin with, and there is no map to get you from abstract idea to concrete implementation.
Sprint solution: A prototype and data, every time
The sprint process requires your team to build a prototype and test it. By the time you’re done, you have clarity about what to do next.
Source: Sprint. For the full story, read https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/stop-brainstorming-start-sprinting-jake-knapp