Innovation Workshop method
Generates and develops a broad set of ideas before evaluating candidates against a shared question.
Generates and develops a broad set of ideas before evaluating candidates against a shared question.
Which ideas could address the defined challenge?
The steps are a practical sequence; adapt them to the method’s purpose and available evidence.
Prompt
Write an open, bounded prompt; agree on silent contribution, building on ideas and deferred judgment.
Ideas
Let participants silently write ideas and variations before group discussion.
Share
Share in turn without critique; invite specific additions and preserve distinct variants.
Select
Group similar ideas, clarify ambiguity and select a few for research or prototyping using agreed criteria.
Revisit the model when evidence, context or outcomes change. Record what changed and why.
Use it when: Early Ideation, Cross-functional Workshops. The group can provide the evidence and authority the method requires.
Independent ideas, clusters and justified follow-up work.
The artifact records scope, date, participants, source version, and owner, including changed assumptions and the reason for each revision.
Fictional worked example
Fictional prompt “How might we make appointment confirmation clear?” A separate idea round produces: add to calendar; summarize in SMS; include change link; let users choose reminder timing. Then cluster similar proposals and agree selection criteria. None is documented as a tested solution.
Write an open, bounded prompt without assuming a solution.
How might we make booking confirmation clear?
Collect ideas individually before critique.
Fictional: SMS summary; calendar export.
Explain ideas and add variations while preserving originals.
Add-on: include a reschedule link.
Group similar contributions without treating count as evidence.
Confirmation details and rescheduling options.
Apply criteria and assign research or prototyping.
Test whether a link reduces support requests.
The example text is fictional; replace it with sourced project information.
Write an open, bounded prompt; agree on silent contribution, building on ideas and deferred judgment.
When a team faces an open question with many obvious directions, the method first creates breadth instead of premature commitment. It separates idea flow from evaluation and makes lines of thought visible, creating a pool for selection and further development.
The group sets a clear focus and gathers ideas in a separate idea space so social restraint and early criticism don't thin out the variety. Contributions are then condensed, related patterns are merged, and evaluation happens only once enough material exists. This keeps the search space open enough to see unusual approaches alongside the obvious ones.
Brainstorming works well because it first opens the search space and temporarily suspends social evaluation pressure. The method only reaches quality once the starting question is narrow enough that ideas target the same challenge, and once subsequent condensing is genuinely carried out. Good use watches for surprising directions, connectable phrasings, and later selection criteria, so quantity turns into real options.
Set a precise focus and make clear before starting what kind of ideas are welcome here. A sensitive point arises when the group comments too early or immediately defends favorite solutions; then the collection needs protected space again. By the end there should be clusters, patterns, and a few candidates for deliberate further development in the next step.
The method guide walks execution through 4 phases, timing, 4 pitfalls, and clear stop criteria.
Open method guideYour perspective
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Prepare the decision, source evidence and next review.
To be confirmed
To be confirmed
Run the method Time: See catalog planning range; no universal duration.
Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.
Write an open, bounded prompt without assuming a solution.
...
Collect ideas individually before critique.
...
Explain ideas and add variations while preserving originals.
...
Group similar contributions without treating count as evidence.
...
Apply criteria and assign research or prototyping.
...
This blank document contains only section prompts.
IDEO U: 7 Simple Rules of Brainstorming
Expected artifact: Facilitation brief and prompt
Facilitation brief and prompt
Entry:
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Expected artifact: Independent idea cards
Independent idea cards
Entry:
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Expected artifact: Shared and expanded collection
Shared and expanded collection
Entry:
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Expected artifact: Clusters and next-step shortlist
Clusters and next-step shortlist
Entry:
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Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/brainstorming/run-sheet
Fitting alternatives with decision guidance, followed by other related methods.
Instead of Brainstorming, when you want to use Brainwriting to enable silent, parallel idea generation without individual voices dominating.
A strict timebox pushes quick idea volume first, then clusters and selects options after the burst is complete.
Expands a core question into topic fields, filters out patterns, and condenses interesting paths into a shortlist.
A single person uses a chosen prompt technique to create, sort, and sharpen ideas before group discussion starts.
Ensures participation in turn, produces a broad idea list, and then leads it into clusters and a shortlist.
Varies a starting idea across seven targeted change questions and condenses approaches into a concept shortlist.
