Skip navigation

12 impactful activities for a team brainstorming session

Brainstorming sessions spark creativity and generate innovative ideas. But, gathering the team and saying "Let's brainstorm!" won’t work.

A diverse team of people are standing and sitting around a tall conference table looking at two men in front of a flip chart during a brainstorming session.A diverse team of people are standing and sitting around a tall conference table looking at two men in front of a flip chart during a brainstorming session.

Table of contents

Insights from Ellen Raim, Founder of People MatterWe focus more on solving than preventing People problems.

Brainstorming sessions spark creativity and generate innovative ideas. However, simply gathering the team and saying "Let's brainstorm!" can lead to scattered thoughts and unstructured conversations.

A well-designed brainstorming session, on the other hand, can be far more fruitful. By incorporating structured activities into your agenda, you provide clear guidance and focus, allowing team members to channel their creativity more effectively.

These activities listed below encourage diverse perspectives, helping everyone contribute and build on each other's ideas. The result is a more productive session that leads to actionable and innovative solutions.

1. Mind mapping

Mind mapping helps teams visualize connections between ideas. Start with a central theme and branch out with related ideas. This activity encourages team members to think non-linearly, helping uncover unexpected connections.

2. Round-robin brainstorming

In round-robin brainstorming, each team member takes a turn sharing an idea. The round-robin structure ensures everyone contributes and can lead to unique suggestions. It especially benefits quieter team members who hesitate to speak up in open discussions.

3. Rapid ideation

Set a timer for 5-10 minutes and have everyone jot down as many ideas as possible. The goal is quantity over quality. This fast-paced activity reduces the pressure of developing the "perfect" concept, allowing creativity to flow freely.

4. SWOT analysis

Examine your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) at the beginning of a brainstorming session. This structured approach helps teams assess the current environment and gets everyone thinking about ways to improve on the status quo.

5. Brainwriting

Instead of verbal brainstorming, try brainwriting. Team members write down their ideas on paper and pass them around. Each person builds on the ideas they receive. This method fosters collaboration and helps develop more refined concepts.

6. Worst idea first

Flip the script by encouraging team members first to suggest their worst possible ideas. This can break the ice and remove the fear of judgment. Plus, often, these "bad" ideas lead to surprisingly innovative solutions.

7. Thinking hats

Assign each team member a different "hat" representing a specific way of thinking — logical, emotional, optimistic, etc. Thinking hats encourage people to look at ideas from unique and multiple perspectives, leading to a more comprehensive evaluation.

8. SCAMPER technique

SCAMPER stands for substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate and reverse. Use these prompts to challenge your team to consider how existing ideas or products can be improved or repurposed.

9. Role storming

Ask team members to brainstorm ideas from someone else’s perspective — a customer, competitor, famous innovator or anyone else. Role-playing can lead to fresh insights by allowing brainstormers to think outside their usual parameters.

10. Affinity diagrams

After generating ideas, group similar ones together using an affinity diagram. This helps the team see patterns and common themes, making it easier to narrow down the best ideas for further development.

11. Dot voting

Give each team member a set number of votes (dots) to place on their favorite ideas. This democratic approach helps prioritize ideas based on the team's collective preferences, helping get buy-in from everyone involved.

12. Forced connections

Combine two unrelated concepts to see what ideas emerge. For example, ask the team to brainstorm how a smartphone could solve a transportation problem. Forced connections can lead to creative, out-of-the-box thinking that might not occur in a traditional brainstorming setting.

Incorporate these activities into your next team brainstorming session to boost creativity, foster collaboration and land on more innovative solutions. Mix and match these brainstorming techniques to suit your team's needs and watch the ideas flow.

Learn live. Adapt faster.

Latest resources

Learn more about creating a culture of learning throughout our resources below.

How shared language can build the culture your team needs
Electives team
 
Feb 18, 2025

How shared language can build the culture your team needs

A shared language makes work smoother, teams more potent and culture more explicit.
Culture + collaboration
Gender equity issues you can address during Women’s History Month
Trish
 
Feb 18, 2025

Gender equity issues you can address during Women’s History Month

Discover how Electives can meet your team’s needs to celebrate Women’s History Month and other DEI holidays while creating enduring impact.
Culture + collaboration
9 ways AI can help make your workplace the happiest place on Earth
Electives team
 
Feb 17, 2025

9 ways AI can help make your workplace the happiest place on Earth

Forget boring dashboards and endless emails. AI can crank up the fun, spark creativity and sprinkle a little joy into everyone’s day.
Culture + collaboration
Why is career development important in today’s workplace?
Electives team
 
Feb 16, 2025

Why is career development important in today’s workplace?

Explore why career development is vital for employee engagement, adaptability, attracting talent, and enhancing organizational capability.
Learning best practices
15 surprisingly fun ways to build stronger connections at work
Electives team
 
Feb 14, 2025

15 surprisingly fun ways to build stronger connections at work

Building connections at work doesn’t have to feel forced or awkward.
Culture + collaboration
How to celebrate Take Your Child to Work Day in a fun + inclusive way
Electives team
 
Feb 14, 2025

How to celebrate Take Your Child to Work Day in a fun + inclusive way

Take Your Child to Work Day is happening on April 25, and it is the perfect opportunity to invite the parents of your organization to bring their child(ren) to work for the day.
Culture + collaboration

View all posts

ENJOYABLE. EASY. EFFECTIVE.

Learning that works.

With live learning + AI simulations, Electives is a learning platform that makes it easy to design, execute and measure effectiveness.

Request a demo

Request a demo

Learn more

Learn more