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Work Tool: Brainstorming, the Sequel

The ideas fall heavy on your head.  

The brainstorm is in full swing, so let's take advantage of it.  In a previous post on brainstorming, I went over three topics and explained the three structures that I use in my own work.  So, today I will touch more on the 'when' of brainstorming and then provide an example of a brainstorming session in action.

Times to Brainstorm

When do I brainstorm?  I tend to brainstorm when one of three situations rumble out of the deep: Blocks, Prompts, and Horizons.

Blocks

A block is when I run into a problem during my work and I don't have the normal tools ready to go to solve it.  For example, I'm current working on a high volume of water quality data for heavy metals and therefore, visualizing the data is difficult  What to do next?  I'm blocked.  Here, brainstorming addresses the impedance, and generates potential ideas to help get over the block.

Prompts

A prompt is when I'm asked to generate ideas for a specific task.  For example, the head of my research project asked for ideas on how to improve our project this year to bolster the grant renewal process for our project.  How do I proceed?  I've been given a prompt.  Here, brainstorming generates all sorts of potential leads that I can explore and develop into meaningful improvements to respond to the prompt.

Horizons 

A horizon is when I've finished a major task and now need to figure out the next one.  For example, I recently submitted a scientific article to a journal and now want to work on a new avenue of research while it is under review.  Where do I go next?  I require a new horizon.  Here, brainstorming ventures out into the unknown to illuminate potential paths to takes to expand my horizons.

With those situations explained, I will no provide an example.

Example

I have a new training resource that I want to work on called Frontiers of Statistics.  I'll use my three tools--list, mindmap, and scaffold--to brainstorm.  Let's trek out, shall we?  

Lists

I've already given a useful example in an earlier post, but we'll get started here anyways.  To get the storm rolling, I jot down a list of initial ideas on what to include for Frontiers of Statistics.


Mindmaps 

Great, now  I'll want to start connecting the thoughts together into broader categories, adding in additional details as I think of them.  A mindmap forms as I branch out.

 

Outlines/Scaffolds

Steller.  With my mindmap finished, I'll want to shift to ordering the ideas.  Since Frontiers of Statistics will be slides, let's look at what I call scaffolds.  Again, these are like outlines, but for slide decks. 

Thankfully, the scaffolding process is fairly streamlined for this training resource, as it is the latest entry into an established series, Special Topics Talks.  Therefore, I can take the general elements common to previous talks and start there.  Elements include: title, opening, content, examples, conclusions, references, and acknowledgements.  Based on the mindmap, the content will involve four major topics: What is Already Known, Looming Problems, Potential Solutions, and Tools/Resources.  Each can get its own slide.  Later on, when adding details, each piece can get additional slides as necessary.

Pulling all those together, the scaffold is as follows:


There we go.  From a list, to a mindmap, to a scaffold to start filling out, our brainstorming session has been productive indeed.  




 

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