The five sheets of the brainstorming template
The minutes refer to the 50-minute script below. The template covers the idea step only: generate, group and select.
| Sheet | Who fills it in | When | What it holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Question sheet | The facilitator and the person who owns the topic | Before the session | The topic, what is known, what is fixed and one question |
| 2. Silent idea sheet | Each participant | Minutes 6 to 13 | One idea per row, starting with a verb, with no name on the sheet |
| 3. Idea board and grouping board | The group, with the facilitator writing | Minutes 13 to 30 | Numbered ideas, three to six named clusters, and a count of ideas per cluster |
| 4. Selection sheet | The group | Minutes 30 to 44 | The votes, a two-question check of the top ideas and a decision for each |
| 5. Shortlist and next steps | The owners | Minutes 44 to 50 | Up to three ideas to try, each with a first step, an owner, a date and a review date |
Brainstorming question sheet
Blank version. Copy the seven parts into a document and fill them in before the session.
| Part | What to write |
|---|---|
| The topic in one line | The situation you want ideas about. No solution yet. |
| What we know | One or two facts with a number, a date and a source. |
| Who the ideas are for | The people whose work or experience should change. |
| What is fixed | Limits the ideas must respect: budget, rules, dates, tools. |
| The question | One sentence that starts “What could we try so that…” and names one aim. |
| Check the question | No solution inside? One aim only? Could this group act on an answer within a month? |
| After the session | How many ideas go forward, who decides, and where the other ideas are kept. |
Examples of good and weak brainstorming questions
A useful question names one aim, holds no solution and asks for something this group can act on.
| Weak question | Why it is weak | A stronger version |
|---|---|---|
| “How can we improve communication?” | Too wide. Nobody knows which situation to think about. | “What could we try so that a colleague who was absent on Monday knows by Tuesday 10:00 what was decided?” |
| “Should we buy a new handover tool?” | A yes or no question with one solution inside it. | “What could we try so that the late shift can pick up every open case without contacting the early shift?” |
| “Why do people skip the handover note?” | Asks for causes and blame, not for ideas. | “What could we try so that writing the handover note takes less than five minutes?” |
| “How can we cut errors and save time and keep customers happy?” | Three aims. Ideas for one aim will compete with the others. | Pick the aim that matters most this month and ask about that one. |
| “What could head office do about our rota?” | The group cannot act on the answers. | “What could we try within our own team so that a rota change reaches everyone a week ahead?” |
Blank idea board
Blank version. Add a row for each idea. The Excel board has 40 rows, a cluster list to choose from, and counts per cluster.
| # | Idea (starts with a verb) | Cluster | Votes | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 |
Filled example: brainstorming question sheet
A fictional support team of eight people. The session took place on Tuesday 3 November.
| Part | What the team wrote |
|---|---|
| The topic in one line | The handover of open cases from the early shift to the late shift in the customer support team. |
| What we know | From Monday 5 October to Friday 30 October the late shift contacted an early-shift colleague after 14:00 about a handed-over case 23 times. Source: the late shift’s own tally. Handover notes are free text in the team channel. |
| Who the ideas are for | The eight people on the two shifts. All eight take part in the session. |
| What is fixed | The shift times, 06:00 to 14:00 and 14:00 to 22:00, change only if the support manager agrees. No new software. |
| The question | “What could we try in the next two weeks so that the late shift can pick up every open case without contacting the early shift?” |
| Check the question | No solution inside: yes. One aim: yes. Within our reach: yes, except any change to shift times, which needs the support manager. |
| After the session | Up to three ideas go forward. The two shift leads decide what to try. The other ideas stay on the board in the team folder. |
Filled example: idea board
16 ideas and 24 votes: eight people with three votes each. Equal votes share a rank.
| # | Idea (starts with a verb) | Cluster | Votes | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Use one handover note with four fixed fields | Handover note | 5 | 1 |
| 2 | Write the next step for each open case, not only its history | Handover note | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Mark the three cases most likely to come back today | Handover note | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Finish the note by 13:45, before the shift ends | Timing and overlap | 1 | 8 |
| 5 | Overlap the two shifts by 15 minutes | Timing and overlap | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | Hold a five-minute spoken handover at 14:00 | Timing and overlap | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | Add a “handover” tag to open cases in the ticket tool | Tools and tags | 3 | 3 |
| 8 | Pin today’s handover note at the top of the team channel | Tools and tags | 1 | 8 |
| 9 | Build a saved view of cases touched today and still open | Tools and tags | 1 | 8 |
| 10 | Name one handover lead on each shift | Roles and checks | 2 | 5 |
| 11 | Ask the late shift lead to read back the priority cases | Roles and checks | 0 | 11 |
| 12 | Rotate the handover lead each week | Roles and checks | 0 | 11 |
| 13 | Tell the customer who takes over, and from when | Customer contact | 0 | 11 |
| 14 | Send a short holding message for cases that wait on us | Customer contact | 0 | 11 |
| 15 | Take no new complex case in the last 20 minutes of a shift | Timing and overlap | 0 | 11 |
| 16 | Keep a one-week list of the questions the late shift had to ask | Roles and checks | 0 | 11 |
Filled example: grouping board
The number of ideas and the votes in each of the five clusters.
| Cluster name | Ideas in the cluster (numbers) | Number of ideas | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handover note | 1, 2, 3 | 3 | 10 |
| Timing and overlap | 4, 5, 6, 15 | 4 | 7 |
| Tools and tags | 7, 8, 9 | 3 | 5 |
| Roles and checks | 10, 11, 12, 16 | 4 | 2 |
| Customer contact | 13, 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 16 | 24 |
Filled example: selection sheet
Check score = effect + ease, from 2 to 6. For ease, 3 means easiest to try within two weeks. The score orders the discussion; the group still decides.
| Idea # | Idea | Votes | Effect 1–3 | Ease 1–3 | Check score | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Use one handover note with four fixed fields | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | Try now |
| 5 | Overlap the two shifts by 15 minutes | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | Ask for a decision |
| 2 | Write the next step for each open case, not only its history | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | Try now |
| 7 | Add a “handover” tag to open cases in the ticket tool | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Try now |
Filled example: shortlist and next steps
Three things to try from four ideas. Review date: Tuesday 17 November.
| # | What we will try | From ideas | First step | Owner (said yes) | By when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | One handover note with four fixed fields: case, state now, next step and who the customer expects to hear from | 1 and 2 | Draft the note and use it at Thursday’s handover | Early shift lead | Thu 5 Nov |
| S2 | A “handover” tag on every open case that changes hands | 7 | Add the tag in the ticket tool and write one line on when to use it | Ticket tool administrator | Mon 9 Nov |
| S3 | A two-week trial of a 15-minute overlap between the shifts | 5 | Ask the support manager for a decision, with the tally of 23 contacts | Late shift lead | Fri 6 Nov |
How many votes each person gets
One vote for about every five ideas, with at least two and at most five. A rule of thumb written for this kit, not a tested formula.
| Ideas on the board | Votes per person |
|---|---|
| 12 or fewer | 2 |
| 13 to 17 | 3 |
| 18 to 22 | 4 |
| 23 or more | 5 |
What to say when the session gets stuck
| When this happens | Say this |
|---|---|
| Someone comments on an idea while it is read out | “Hold that thought for the vote. For now, only questions that help us understand the idea.” |
| The writing stops after three minutes | “Read the question again. Write one idea for a different person, or for a different moment in the day.” |
| An idea fits two clusters | “Where would you look for it next week? Put it there. It can move later.” |
| A cluster name is a judgement, such as “Quick wins” | “Let us name what the ideas are about, not how good they are.” |
| The most senior person’s idea draws every vote | “Votes are written and counted together. Senior colleagues, please hand in your votes last.” |
| Several ideas tie at the line | “We take all the tied ideas to the check if that gives six or fewer. If not, one more vote each, on the tied ideas only.” |
| Nobody accepts a next step | “Without an owner it is not on the shortlist yet. Who would take only the first step?” |
| Someone asks why their idea was dropped | “Nothing is dropped. Every idea stays on the board, and we look at the parked ideas again at the review.” |
What you'll leave with
In 50 minutes a group of 4–12 people agrees one question, numbers and groups its ideas, votes, checks the top ideas and leaves with up to three ideas to try, each with a first step, an owner who said yes and a date.
Before the session
- For facilitators, trainers and team leads who run an idea session with 4–12 adults at work. The group must already know its problem and be able to act on the answers.
- Fill in the question sheet with the person who owns the topic, a day ahead: one or two facts with a source, the limits, and who decides after the session.
- Print one silent idea sheet per person and one of each other sheet, or share the Excel board on screen. Bring paper slips for the vote.
- Ideas and votes are written, anyone may pass, and nobody has to walk to a wall or tell colours apart. Read each idea aloud; online, keep captions on and cameras optional.
How to fill it in with your team
Open and agree the question
Read the question sheet aloud for two minutes: the topic, what is known, what is fixed and the question. Say: “For the next 50 minutes we collect ideas, group them and choose up to three to try. Nobody judges an idea before the vote.” Take three minutes for one check: “Is there a word in the question you would change so that it is clearer?” Change one word or phrase at most. Use the last minute for three working rules: one idea per row, no comments while we write or read, and anyone may pass.
Write ideas in silence
Hand out the silent idea sheets. Say: “Write one idea per row and start each with a verb. Small and unusual ideas count. No names on the sheet.” Give six minutes of silent writing. After four minutes say: “If you have run dry, read the question again and write an idea for a different person or a different moment in the day.” In the last minute each person ticks the ideas they want on the board. They may keep any idea to themselves.
Read out and number the ideas
For seven minutes go round the group: each person reads one ticked idea per turn, or says “pass”. Write each idea on the board with the next number. If people prefer, collect the sheets and read the ideas yourself without names. Say: “Questions to understand an idea are welcome. Opinions wait for the vote.” Merge two ideas only when both writers agree that they mean the same thing. In the last minute, count the ideas and say the number.
Group the ideas and name the clusters
For five minutes ask: “Which ideas answer the question in the same way?” Write a cluster letter next to each idea, or choose the cluster in the Excel board. An idea may stay on its own. For three minutes name each cluster with two or three words that say what its ideas are about, such as “Handover note”, not how good they are. In the last minute read the cluster names and the ideas in each aloud and ask: “Is any idea in the wrong place?” Aim for three to six clusters.
Vote in silence
Take one minute to explain the vote. Give each person one vote for about every five ideas, with at least two and at most five: for 16 ideas, three votes each. Say: “Write the numbers of the ideas you most want us to try on your slip. One vote per idea. Vote for ideas, not for clusters.” Give two minutes of silent voting on paper slips, or by private message online. Count the slips and write the totals on the board for two minutes. Check that the votes cast equal the number of people times the votes each, less any passes.
Check the top ideas and choose
Take one minute to draw the line where the votes drop, so that four to six ideas stay above it. Say: “The vote shows what we prefer today. Now we check the top ideas against two questions.” For six minutes, about one minute per idea, agree two scores from 1 to 3: the effect on our question, and how easy the idea is to try within two weeks, where 3 is easiest. Each person writes a number first; if the numbers differ by two points, hear one reason from each side. In the last two minutes decide for each idea: try now, ask for a decision, or park. Choose up to three. Say: “The votes and the scores order our talk. They do not decide for us.”
Agree next steps and owners, and close
For four minutes fill in the shortlist: what we will try, the first step, the owner and the date. The owner says yes aloud or in writing; an idea without an owner is not on the shortlist yet. Take one minute to set the review date and to say where the full board and the parked ideas are kept. In the last minute read the shortlist back and ask each person for one word about the session, or a pass.
Participant worksheet
Copy this table into a document, or print the worksheet from the bundle. Share only what you choose.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Question sheet | The topic, what we know, what is fixed and one question that starts “What could we try so that…” |
| Silent idea sheet | One idea per row, starting with a verb. No names. Tick the ideas you want on the board |
| Idea board and grouping board | Every idea with a number, three to six cluster names and the number of ideas in each |
| Selection sheet | Votes per idea, then two scores from 1 to 3 for the top ideas: effect and ease |
| Shortlist and next steps | Up to three ideas to try, each with a first step, an owner who said yes and a date |
Debrief questions
- Which idea on the board surprised you, and what made it possible to write it down?
- Which cluster drew few votes: are its ideas weak, or only hard to picture?
- Where did the check score change the order that the votes gave, and which do we trust here?
- What would make us stop one of the shortlisted ideas early, and who would notice first?
Adapt it for your group
- For 4 or 5 people, keep the silent writing at six minutes and ask for at least four ideas each. Skip the round and read all the sheets yourself. Two votes each are usually enough.
- For a 30-minute version, agree the question beforehand, give five minutes of writing, group into clusters without naming every one, and let the vote alone choose the top three. Fill in the shortlist as usual.
- Online, share the Excel board or a plain document on screen. People send ideas and votes to the facilitator by private message, and the facilitator reads each idea aloud. Keep cameras optional.
- For quiet participants and people who use a screen reader, collect the ideas in writing a day ahead, read them out without names and send the numbered list as plain text.
- When a manager takes part, ask them to hand in their votes last. If the manager decides afterwards, say in the opening that the shortlist is a recommendation.
After the session
Send the shortlist and the full board on the same day, as plain text or as the workbook. At the review date, look at each shortlisted idea: what was tried, what changed, and whether to keep, adapt or stop it. Then read the parked ideas once more. If the question needs a check of causes or a test with a measure, continue with the problem-solving workshop kit; for a fuller plan, use the team action plan template.
Questions people ask
What should a brainstorming template include?
A question sheet, a place for each person to write ideas alone, a board that numbers and groups the ideas, a way to select and a shortlist with owners. This template has those five parts, blank and filled in, and a 50-minute script with words to say.
How do you write a good brainstorming question?
Name one aim, leave out any solution and ask about something the group can act on. “What could we try so that the late shift can pick up every open case without contacting the early shift?” works. “How can we improve communication?” is too wide, and “Should we buy a new tool?” already holds an answer.
How many votes should each person get?
One vote for about every five ideas, with at least two and at most five: two votes for 12 ideas or fewer, three for 13 to 17, four for 18 to 22 and five for 23 or more. This is a rule of thumb written for this kit. A vote shows what the group prefers today, not whether an idea will work, so do not use it to decide about people, safety or legal matters.
Where does brainstorming come from, and what is brainwriting?
Brainstorming is a general word for collecting many ideas before judging them. It is usually credited to the advertising executive Alex F. Osborn, who set it out in his book Applied Imagination (1953). Writing ideas in silence before any discussion is often called brainwriting. This template uses its own sequence of silent writing, reading out, grouping and voting. It does not reproduce a named method, and it does not claim that one way of collecting ideas gives more or better ideas than another.
How is this different from the problem-solving workshop kit?
The problem-solving activities kit is a 90-minute workshop that sorts facts, states the problem, checks causes and compares options with weighted scores. This template is only the idea step: generate, group and select, in 50 minutes, with a vote count and a two-question check. Use it when the problem is already clear. For a wider look at the situation first, use the SWOT analysis template.
What is included in the free and editable files?
The open PDF has the blank sheets, a filled example of each, five pairs of weak and stronger questions, the 50-minute script and a table of words to say when the session gets stuck. Subscribers also receive the editable Word file, an Excel workbook with a board that counts ideas and votes per cluster, ranks the ideas and reads the top six into a selection sheet, and a CSV of the example idea board.
How to use the files
Print the PDF, edit the Word file in Word or Google Docs, or open the CSV or XLSX in a spreadsheet. Open files need no email.
Can I use this with paying clients?
Yes. Use and adapt this original Superglue kit in your own training, including paid client sessions. Please share this page rather than redistributing the unmodified kit. Read the full usage terms.