If there's one rule that can make or break a brainstorming session, it's this: defer all judgment. This isn't just a friendly suggestion—it’s the bedrock principle that turns a routine meeting into an engine for innovation. Get this right, and everything else falls into place.
Why Deferring Judgment Is the Golden Rule
Think of it like tending a new garden. You wouldn't dig up a tiny sprout five minutes after planting it to see if it’s growing, would you? Of course not. Ideas are the same—they need a little time and space before you start inspecting them.
The whole point of holding back on criticism is to create a sense of psychological safety. You're building an environment where everyone, from the senior lead to the newest intern, feels confident enough to toss an idea into the ring without fear of it being immediately shot down.
When judgment is off the table, the team's energy shifts. Instead of hunting for the one "perfect" idea, the mission becomes about generating the most ideas. This is crucial. Volume is your best friend in the early stages, because somewhere in that big, messy pile of ideas is the nugget of gold you’re looking for.
The Power of Unfiltered Ideas
Embracing this "no judgment" mindset unlocks some powerful dynamics:
- It Encourages Wild Thinking: People feel free to share those off-the-wall, "this might be crazy, but…" ideas. And that's often where the real breakthroughs are hiding.
- It Boosts Participation: The quieter voices in the room finally have a chance to be heard. When the fear of instant critique is gone, more people are willing to contribute.
- It Prevents Good Ideas from Dying Early: A thought that seems impractical at first might be the very thing that sparks a brilliant, workable solution for someone else.
The goal is simple: separate the act of creating ideas from the act of evaluating them. Trying to do both at the same time is a recipe for failure. You stifle creativity and you don't do a very good job of evaluating, either.
This core principle is supported by a few other key pillars. They all work together to create the right atmosphere for a truly productive session.
The Four Pillars of Effective Brainstorming
| Pillar | What It Means | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Encourage Wild Ideas | Go for the unexpected. The crazier, the better. | Outlandish ideas stretch the boundaries of what's possible and often contain the seeds of innovative solutions. |
| 2. Build on Others' Ideas | Listen actively and look for ways to combine or improve concepts. | This "yes, and…" approach turns individual thoughts into powerful, collaborative concepts. |
| 3. Stay Focused on the Topic | Keep the conversation centered on the problem you're trying to solve. | A clear focus prevents the session from derailing and ensures the ideas generated are relevant. |
| 4. Go for Quantity | Aim for a high volume of ideas, not just a few "good" ones. | A larger pool of ideas dramatically increases the odds of finding a few truly brilliant ones. |
Putting these pillars into practice is what makes the "defer judgment" rule so effective.
This mindset is the starting point for any successful ideation session. To build on this foundation, you can learn how to brainstorm ideas effectively and explore our complete guide on the brainstorming process steps to structure your sessions for maximum impact.
The Four Pillars of Creative Idea Generation
While "don't judge" is the most famous rule of brainstorming, it’s really just one of four core principles that work together. These pillars, first laid out by Alex Osborn in his 1953 book Applied Imagination, create a simple but powerful system for coming up with truly creative ideas.
Understanding how they all fit together is the secret to running a session that actually works. Think of them as the rules of the game—they help turn a dull meeting into an idea factory where every single contribution matters.
As you can see, when a team has clear goals, these principles provide the structure needed to unlock a flood of possibilities.
Go for Quantity Over Quality
The best way to find a great idea is to start with a lot of them. In the beginning, it's all about volume. Seriously, try to shoot for 100 ideas in 60 minutes if you can.
It’s like a photographer taking hundreds of pictures just to get that one perfect shot. Most won't make the cut, but the sheer number of attempts dramatically increases the odds of capturing a masterpiece. This focus on quantity also takes the pressure off any single idea to be a game-changer.
Encourage Wild Ideas
This is where the real fun begins. Wild, out-of-the-box ideas are what stretch the boundaries of what everyone thinks is possible. Ask your team to think like explorers charting unknown territory. Sure, most paths might lead nowhere, but one could lead to incredible treasure.
Even a totally impractical or silly idea can be a valuable stepping stone. It can jolt the group out of a rut and spark a more realistic, yet still groundbreaking, solution from someone else. You can find more inspiration with these creative thinking exercises to get your team warmed up.
Build on the Ideas of Others
This one is all about teamwork, sometimes called "piggybacking." Instead of just tossing out isolated thoughts, team members should be listening carefully and looking for ways to combine or improve ideas that are already on the table.
It's all about adopting a "yes, and…" mindset. Just by swapping the word "but" for "and," you can transform a critique into a contribution. This simple shift fosters a positive, constructive vibe and helps a good idea evolve into a great one.
These four pillars create the essential framework for any good brainstorming session. They set the stage for more advanced strategies for finding new ideas and ensure your team is ready to generate a wealth of concepts.
Why Most Brainstorming Sessions Fail
Ever walk out of a brainstorming session feeling like it was a total waste of time? You end up with a handful of weak ideas and a team that’s more frustrated than inspired. The problem isn't a lack of creativity—it's that the session itself was broken from the start.
Figuring out what’s going wrong is the first step to making it right.
One of the biggest culprits is something called production blocking. Imagine a single-lane road during rush hour. Only one person can talk at a time, creating a traffic jam of ideas. While someone is speaking, everyone else is just waiting. In that time, they might forget their own brilliant thought or just lose their train of thought completely.
Another silent killer is evaluation apprehension. It’s that little voice in your head that whispers, "What if everyone thinks my idea is dumb?" This fear of being judged is powerful, and it stops people from sharing their wild, out-of-the-box ideas—often the very ones that lead to a breakthrough.
The Problem with Group Dynamics
It’s not just about what’s happening in our heads; the group’s dynamic can also sabotage a good session. Have you ever noticed how the conversation tends to follow the lead of the most senior person in the room? That’s the "HiPPO" effect in action—the Highest Paid Person's Opinion.
When the HiPPO dominates, others are less likely to challenge them or offer a different perspective. This leads to some pretty common and frustrating results:
- Groupthink: Everyone latches onto the first decent idea just to keep things moving and avoid conflict.
- Social Loafing: A few people disengage, figuring someone else will do the heavy lifting.
- Unequal Participation: A couple of loud voices steer the entire conversation, while the quieter folks never get a word in.
When a session is poorly structured, you aren't getting the collective intelligence of the group. You're just getting the opinions of the most confident people, which is a very different thing.
Breaking down these barriers is key. A simple way to start building a more open and inclusive vibe is by using effective questions for ice breakers to spark connections before you even get to the main topic.
A Modern Approach to Brainstorming That Actually Works
So, if traditional brainstorming is broken, do we just give up on it? Not at all. We just need to fix it. The best way forward is a hybrid model that smart companies are already using. It’s a simple but powerful shift: ideate alone first, then refine together.
This method gives you the best of both worlds. It kicks off with individual, asynchronous brainstorming, where everyone can think without being interrupted or feeling the pressure to perform. This is a game-changer for introverts and deep thinkers, ensuring their brilliant ideas don't get drowned out by the faster pace of a group chat.
Combining Solo Work with Group Synergy
After everyone has had a chance to generate their own initial thoughts, the team comes together. This is where the collaborative magic happens. You share, discuss, and build on the diverse pool of ideas that came out of that solo time. The key is that you’re no longer starting from a scary blank slate as a group.
This isn’t just theory, either. Dropbox recently found that their brainstorming sessions were far more effective when people ideated individually before coming together to share and build on those concepts.
This "alone together" method tackles the biggest brainstorming fails head-on.
By separating idea generation from group discussion, you eliminate production blocking and dramatically reduce conformity. It gives every idea a fair chance and ensures the final solutions are built from the team's true collective intelligence, not just the loudest voices in the room.
This is just one of many powerful remote innovation strategies that modern teams are putting to good use.
The Hybrid Process in Action
Putting this model into practice is pretty straightforward, especially when you have the right tools to help you out.
- Step 1: Individual Ideation: First, the facilitator sends out a clear prompt or problem statement. Team members then get a set amount of time—say, 24 to 48 hours—to add their ideas to a shared digital space, like a session in Bulby.
- Step 2: Group Convergence: Next, the team hops on a call for a really focused session. You review all the ideas together, ask questions to clarify, and use simple techniques like dot-voting to pick out the most promising concepts to move forward with.
And if you're bringing AI into the mix, knowing how to craft effective AI prompts is a crucial skill for sparking truly valuable ideas.
How to Run Effective Brainstorms with Remote Teams
Let's be honest: running a brainstorming session with a team spread across different cities and time zones can feel a little… clunky. You lose that spontaneous energy of being in the same room. But that doesn't mean your team's creativity has to take a nosedive. With the right game plan, the tech that separates you can actually become your biggest asset.
The secret is to adapt those classic brainstorming rules—like holding back judgment and going for wild ideas—for a digital world. This usually means starting the process before everyone jumps on a video call. Think about "brainwriting" in a shared document or a tool like Bulby. This lets people add ideas on their own time, without the pressure of having to be brilliant on the spot.
Structuring for Success in a Digital Space
Once you’ve gathered that initial batch of ideas, it’s time to bring everyone together for a live, focused session. This is where virtual whiteboards like Miro or Mural really shine. They're perfect for mapping everything out and seeing how concepts connect in real-time.
To make sure the conversation is balanced and everyone gets to contribute during a call, you need a little structure. Here are a few simple but powerful techniques:
- Timed Turn-Taking: Just go around the "room" and give each person a couple of uninterrupted minutes to share their thoughts. This small change prevents one or two people from dominating the whole discussion.
- Virtual Breakout Rooms: If you have a larger group, split them into smaller teams of 3-4 people. These mini-sessions create a more comfortable space for quieter team members to speak up and hash out ideas.
- Digital Dot-Voting: When you're ready to narrow things down, use built-in polling or dot-voting features in your tools. It's a quick, democratic way to see which ideas the team is most excited about pursuing.
The point isn't to perfectly copy an in-person meeting. It's about creating a new process that plays to the strengths of remote work—like giving people quiet time to think and then using digital tools for structured collaboration.
When you design your process this way, you make it safe for people to share freely, which is where the best ideas come from. For more ways to keep your team clicking, check out these virtual team engagement ideas that help build a strong collaborative culture.
Got Questions About Brainstorming? We’ve Got Answers.
Even when you know the rules of the road, practical questions always pop up. Getting the small details right can be the difference between a brainstorming session that feels like a chore and one that actually sparks real momentum.
Let's dive into some of the most common questions we hear. We'll clear things up so you can lead better sessions, whether your team is in one room or scattered across different time zones.
What’s the One Rule I Absolutely Cannot Break?
If you only remember one thing, make it this: defer all judgment. This is the golden rule. It means every idea gets a fair shot and is written down without anyone immediately shooting it down.
Why is this so crucial? Because it creates a safe space. When people aren't afraid of being criticized, they share more freely. This simple act unlocks everything else—it leads to more ideas, crazier (and sometimes brilliant) thinking, and ultimately, the breakthroughs you're looking for.
Is It Better to Brainstorm by Myself or With My Team?
Honestly, the best way is to do both. It’s not an either/or situation. Research has shown that people often come up with more—and better—ideas when they have some quiet time to think on their own. This helps them avoid groupthink or waiting for their turn to speak.
But the magic really happens when you bring those individual ideas back to the group. That’s where you can build on them, combine them, and polish them into something special.
The winning formula is to brainstorm alone first, then come together as a group. This gives you the best of both worlds: the focused power of individual thinking and the creative energy of team collaboration.
What’s the Perfect Number of People for a Brainstorming Session?
When it comes to a classic group brainstorm, smaller is almost always better. Think of a sweet spot between three and six people.
That’s enough to get a good mix of perspectives, but not so many that people get talked over or tune out. If you've got a larger team, don't try to cram everyone into one session. Either use the "alone first" method we just talked about, or split everyone into smaller breakout groups. This keeps engagement high and ensures every voice gets heard.
Ready to make your remote ideation sessions genuinely productive? Bulby walks your team through a structured process built to get past creative blocks and uncover your best ideas. Start your free trial today!