Blue Sky Thinking
Methods:
- Brainstorming
- Mind Mapping
- Automatism
Brainstorming
Group activity of spontaneous idea generation
Setup
- Set a time limit of 20 - 30 minutes
- Appoint a Facilitator
- Appoint a Note Taker
Execution
Facilitator’s Role:
Starts the session by contributing the first idea.
- Allows participants to say the first thing that comes to mind.
- Makes sure only one participant speaks at a time.
- Lets everyone get a chance to speak.
- Encourages strange, weird, silly, odd, and original ideas.
- Ensures participants remain open to any ideas.
- Says “yes and …” to take earlier ideas and encourage participants to add to or modify them.
- Stops any discussion until the end of the brainstorming session.
Note Taker‘s Role:
- Capture all the ideas. Quantity over quality.
- Captures ideas on a whiteboard or shared document.
Mind Mapping
Setup
- Set a time limit of 20 - 30 minutes
- Start with a core idea that you want to explore in greater depth.
- Place a core concept idea at the center of the board.
Execution
- Draw lines to connect new ideas to other ideas already on the board.
- Execute a mind mapping session in a similar manner as a brainstorming session.
Automatism
Setup
- Set a timer between 4 minutes to 1 hour.
- Sit down with a pen and paper or at a computer with a note taking app.
Execution
- Keep writing until the timer runs out.
- Don’t hesitate and transcribe everything that comes from your stream of consciousness.
Review Ideas
- Have a lively discussion and evaluate each idea.
- Prioritize ideas based on participant interest, general feasibility, and/or criteria.
- Establish a consensus of ideas based on shared interest.
The Result
A collection of ideas that can be used to design a game!