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Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityFaculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies

Creativity in Public Relations by A. Green

Chapter 6. Greenlight thinking brainstorming

Fulfilled: Antonova Anastasia

BrainstormingThe word brainstorming is often used as an umbrella term to describe the process of being creative. In the context of this book, the word is solely concerned with describing a formal group technique to generate new ideas.

The rules of brainstorming

Brainstormers are placed in an informal setting.Brainstormers are encouraged to run wild intellectually.No one should criticize anyone elses idea.The more unusual or crazy the idea the better.

The more suggestions the better. Ideas can be combined and recombined.All brainstormers views are sought.All brainstormers are of equal status.

The advantages of Osborns style of brainstorming

Time and effort arises from several people and therefore there is access to more information and skill. More ideas and more varied ideas are likely to be generated. Errors are more likely to be detected as more than one person is involved. By involving individual team members, brainstorming increases their commitment to any subsequent decisions. Brainstorming avoids the tepid water syndrome (or what we have earlier called Brown Light thinking).

Brainstorming has considerable value outside the arena of creativity

enabling someone to overcome any personal anxieties about being creative by providing a means to involve other people, who can share the problem; team building and staff development, because it provides the opportunity for members of a public relations team and different grades of staff to work together; acceptance of an idea by participation; formally putting creativity on other peoples timetables: if a group of people is ordinarily asked to come up with ideas, only one or two tend to make a serious contribution; the others either never get around to it or only put in a half-hearted effort;

Structured Brainstorming. This technique demonstrates an understanding of the nature of creativity. Structured Brainstorming consists of nine steps.

Step 1: A senior manager analyses the briefThe senior member works through the structured elements Situation: the task is described and put into context. The key outcome is stated as clearly as possible.

Problems: what problems are raised by the brief that need solving?

Objectives: what you want to achieve. Identify any new issues, adding further objectives as necessary.

Audiences: the different groups you need to reach. You can be creativeeither by extending the number of target groups, or by being more specific and targeted.

Step 1: A senior manager analyses the briefMessages: what you need to say. Examine how you can come up with new themes, messages and points of view.Channels: the different communication routes to your audiences.Opportunities: specific events or topical issues that could be used to advantage

Step 1: A senior manager analyses the brief Threats: what could emerge to undermine your Resources: dont just assume your resources. Is there any sponsorship to provide more income? Program: distil all the ideas into a coherent campaign, with deadlines. Evaluation: think up benchmarks and measures, working creatively.Illustration: what ideas will help to sell the program?

Step 2: Criteria are establishedStep 3: An initial plan is devisedUse Red Light thinking to establish criteria for evaluating ideas.An initial plan is drafted as a proposal for action. If you need more ideas, circulate the draft to colleagues before the brainstorming session. They should read the draft as soon as possible, so as to capitalize on their incubation of ideas.

Steps 4 and 5: Green Light thinking -brainstorming sessionOnly at this stage should a brainstorming session be prepared for. You will ideally need a flipchart per group of three or four people, a variety of colored pens, and a set of red and green cards. Hold the session in a room that accommodates everyone in comfort, offers privacy, is free from distractions, and away from interruptions such as telephones

Steps 4 and 5: Green Light thinking brainstorming sessionTiming is important.get people into a relaxed state of mind.The brainstorming session should have a clear structure.Have a Cheerleader to encourage and exhort the group, and to stay alert to any wallflowers in order to make sure they participate fully.The Scribe notes down all suggestions made.At the outset, you should set a strict time limit and stick to it. The whole meeting can be completed in around 25 minutes.

Step 6: A day later collect any further ideas

Next day, the coordinator follows up with each participant and asks everyone to note down in no more than 30 seconds in order not to take up too much time any other ideas that have emerged since the structured brainstorm.

Step 7: Red Light thinking evaluating and judgingideasPlace the criteria alongside the ideas noted. Rather than subjectively evaluating individual ideas, the criteria help to introduce an objective appraisal. Step 8: Establish the planNow establish a program using some of the ideas. Include deadlines and measures of success. Give a copyof the program to everyone who took part in the original brainstorm, inorder to provide feedback on their input.

Step 9:Gain acceptanceThe illustration stage of the creative process is brought into play as it is vital to gain acceptance from those affected by the proposed solution.

Some alternative Structured Brainstorming ideas

60-second soapbox. This consists of giving every participant a notional 60 seconds to write down ideas they already have. This has two advantages; first it is a very time-efficient means for capturing a body of ideas people already have. Second, it enables people to get their own pet ideas down, so they can then have a free mind, without any baggage of existing ideas, to generate new insights and permutations.

Nominal Group Technique

SummaryBrainstorming is just one among many techniques for generating ideas.It is not suitable for all problem-solving tasks.Brainstorming is a good group technique for building upon ideas. Brainstorming has value outside the arena of creativity: in team building, staff development, and in gaining acceptance of ideas.Structured Brainstorming is a highly effective creative technique.If you are in a brainstorming session lasting more than 45 minutes, leave the room.

Sources1. http://www.youtube.com/2. http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=ru3. Creativity in public relations. Fourth edition, by Andy Green