Page 32 - Transforming an Idea Into a Business with Design Thinking

Democratizing Entrepreneurship ◾ 11

1.7.5 Guidance

As you work on each step in this framework, you’ll need to follow a few
principles of brainstorming. These include:

◾◾ Give time for self-brainstorming. Different members have different
personality traits. Some are more extroverted and get their energy
from other people. Some are intrinsically introverted and get a boost
in energy when they are in isolation. You need to ensure ideas from
all the individuals in your team are extracted and discussed. Self-
brainstorming allows the latter group enough opportunity to think
about and share their ideas.

◾◾ Document every thought on sticky notes. Divergent ideas often yield
amazing results. However, if the ideas are not captured, discussed and
contemplated, they tend to disappear and diffuse sooner than we real-
ize. So it is imperative that you ensure ideas from the team are captured
in a structured manner. If you are brainstorming in a room, capture
these ideas on sticky notes or any other medium that works for your
team.

◾◾ Defer judgment. Since the time of our birth, we have all been sub-
jected to judgments by others. As a child begins to take his/her first
steps, parents jump in to save them or warn them of falling (failing).
As the child grows up to imagine a new world, the culture or school
system puts boundaries of conformity on his/her ideas. In school,
we are trained in critical thinking –closely examining ideas – and
following rules. Throughout this journey, we start internalizing these
judgments and start judging and questioning our own thoughts and
ideas subconsciously. Never pass judgment on your own and others’
ideas.

◾◾ Allow every member to share and describe their thoughts. Another pit-
fall that we all fall into is this: as soon as we have an idea, we tend to
stick to it and consider that it is the best idea put forth by the entire
team. We tend to overlook, dismiss or never listen to ideas from others.
Ensure that you pay close attention to ideas, regardless of where they
are coming from.

◾◾ Allow one person to speak at one time. In the excitement of the moment,
we also fall into the trap of overpowering others and squelching their
voice unintentionally. Ensure that you don’t speak over each other.