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It is interesting how brainstorming has been sometimes led by people who
know nothing about what they are doing. I have always felt uncomfortable
with brainstorming because it never seemed to involve any critical thinking
about the ideas. The emphasis was always in getting out a lot of ideas and
then ranking them without any critical thinking. I found this unsettling.
It was a revelation to read the New Yorker article which emphasized the
role of coming up with lots of ideas and then a critique of them to prune
to useful,  good ideas. It seems that the critique is the power of brain
storming .

I think forcing people to say something positive about an idea before
critiquing is interesting. I wonder how many times forcing this positive
thought, as Lorne describes,  has reversed someones reaction to the idea
they thought they were going to critique?


Martin

On Wed, Mar 21, 2012 at 8:23 PM, Lorne Covington <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
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>
> I think they are being a tad sensationalist with the angle that
> brainstorming was a huge mistake, and only makes sense in a definition of
> the process that is narrower than most people associate with the term.  But
> they are correct in that criticism must not be omitted.  In my experience
> (decades of new product development and research, and most recently
> coaching an Odyssey of the Mind group of eight-year-olds, by far the most
> challenging to date ;^)) the best mix is when the initial round of
> brainstorming is in fact criticism free, but that immediately after no one
> can think of more positive ideas, everyone gets to tear apart anything
> that's been put on the table.  Properly managed conflict can be
> tremendously productive.
>
> A very useful addition I have found is that everyone has to think of a
> positive aspect for each idea; you'd be amazed how many times I have seen
> people who were immediately critical and dismissive of an idea come up with
> wonderful insights and make it far better than the original.  Smart people
> just can't keep from trying to show off how smart they are.  And in a way
> this is an artificial introduction of conflict, in daring someone to come
> up with something good about an idea they don't like.
>
> Thanks for the articles!  I enjoyed them (and enjoy this list).
>
> - Lorne
>
>
>
>
> On 3/21/2012 6:15 PM, Barry Aprison wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>> institutions.
>> ****************************************************************
>> *****************
>>
>> An interesting article (by Jonathan Lehrer) about creativity related to
>> Charlie's links was in the January 30, 2012 New Yorker Magazine.
>> www.newyorker.com/reporting/**2012/01/30/120130fa_fact_**lehrer<http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/30/120130fa_fact_lehrer>
>> I wonder what IDEO (www.ideo.com) will say.
>> Barry Aprison, Ph.D.
>> University of Chicago
>>
>> On 3/21/12 4:57 PM, "Charlie Carlson"<ccarlson@**exploratorium.edu<[log in to unmask]>>
>>  wrote:
>>
>>  ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>>> institutions.
>>> ****************************************************************
>>> *****************
>>>
>>> http://www.npr.org/2012/03/19/**148777350/how-creativity-**
>>> works-its-all-in-your-i<http://www.npr.org/2012/03/19/148777350/how-creativity-works-its-all-in-your-i>
>>> magination
>>>
>>> http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-**Creativity-Works-Jonah-Lehrer/**
>>> dp/0547386079<http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Creativity-Works-Jonah-Lehrer/dp/0547386079>
>>>
>>>
>>> Live and learn, after all the years of hearing the benefits of group
>>> brainstorming and being "forced" to engage its practice, I come to find
>>> it was
>>> cooked up by an addman, Alex Osborn in 1939 without a shred of objective
>>> evidence.  It turns none of his hypothesized tenets are supported by
>>> evidence.
>>> Au contraire: working alone, criticism, and dynamic exchange and defense
>>> are
>>> the coin of the realm.  A new book by Jonah Lehrer, explores realm of
>>> creativity.  The link to NPR and a link to Fresh Air will get you their.
>>>
>>> An remember think like a 7 year old, and avoid the 4th grade slump; we
>>> can
>>> only be adults so long.
>>>
>>> C
>>>
>>> Sent from Charlie's iPad
>>>
>>> Berkeley, CA
>>> Mobile 510-499-8086
>>> Skypein: (510) 984-3543
>>>
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> Exploratorium
>>> 3601 Lyon St.
>>> San Francisco, CA 94123
>>>
>>
>>
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