17th November 2007

Turn your next conference into a brainstorming platform. Encourage everyone to take part and generate value through their contributions. Any conference can be turned in an “idea factory”.

A conference brings together a group of professionals in the same space and time. Why not take advantage of this situation to get some feedback and propose some topics for discussion, using their experience and interest in the subject to generate innovative ideas? With the new trend where consumers want to participate, give their opinion and to decide, the more attendees are implicated on the themes during the conference, the more success you can get.

Define the challenge
The key to brainstorming with large groups is to focus everyone on the same challenge or problem encouraging everyone to share their points of view. Define the topic in writing, in order that all participants can read it. Give them some time to think it over and ask them to write down their solutions to the proposed challenge and finally put in all the different points of view in common in a final list.

Duration
The brainstorming session can last for an hour. At first sight, it may seem long, but if we are capable of generating an atmosphere where all the attendees can put in common their own ideas and discuss them, time will surely fly. The key is to make everyone feel comfortable and confident.

Brainstorming session
With large groups, organize round tables with 7 to 10 people each. Define what you want people to brainstorm in writing. Choose a leader for each round table and give them a kit containing all the information: an ‘instructions’ page for the leader to outline the process and a ‘challenge’ page that defines the issues you want people to focus on. Leave the room, let the group work together and get the leader to write down the ideas. Another great opportunity to strengthen teamwork.

Group analysis
Open this session with a 10-minute ‘mini keynote’ to discuss the issue you want to brainstorm. This provides clarification and context about the objective of group analysis. Be clear. Ask for ideas, not opinions.

Give 30 minutes for each group in order to discuss the new ideas that are being generated and ask the group leader to expand each idea to a full sentence or two. Collect all the pages and share them with the whole group. Recognize the group’s effort (with a special mention to group leaders for their work) and communicate the value of the exercise to the group.

Generate value
Compile all the ideas and final conclusions in a document (like a booklet for instance) and send a copy to each of the attendees. This approach allows us to generate an additional value with new ideas and perhaps some participants may use them in their own organizations! The group brainstorming may have a domino effect profitable for all.