Brainstorming is an instrument that is applied in many organisations in order to generate as many ideas as possible within a team. The emphasis is only on the quantity of the presented ideas and not so much on the quality. For the sake of effectiveness, it is good to have the group consist of at least five and up to fifteen people. The composition of the group also needs proper attention. It is important that there is a variety of knowledge, experience and backgrounds, which will allow all participants to provide a contribution from different perspectives.
This is usually used in the beginning stages of a project, when the possibilities for the project have not yet been clearly defined. It is also a very useful way to come up with creative ideas in product development or production methods. Advertising and marketing objectives are also a popular application. The process provides a fast way to stimulate a group’s creativity. Brainstorming encourages participants to come up with unconventional ideas and creativity. All contributions are welcome and can lead to a great diversity of ideas.
It is important that there is a clearly defined question or problem beforehand, where the participants can focus their attention on. Brainstorming is less effective for problems that are difficult to describe or complex, or for problems that require thorough specialized knowledge.
Source: toolshero.com