Brainwriting (or “Silent Brainstorming”) is a group technique designed to overcome the common pitfalls of verbal brainstorming, such as dominant personalities and “evaluation apprehension.” In Brainwriting, everyone writes their ideas down in silence. This ensures that every voice is heard equally and allows the group to generate hundreds of ideas in a fraction of the time.
The 6-3-5 Method
A popular version of Brainwriting is the 6-3-5 Method:
- 6 participants.
- 3 ideas per round.
- 5 minutes per round. As sheets are passed around, participants build on the ideas of others, creating a massive web of interconnected solutions without ever saying a word.
Define the Problem
Write the question clearly at the top of every participant’s sheet.
Example: “How can we reduce employee turnover in our customer support department?”
Round 1: Silent Creation
Each person writes 3 ideas in 5 minutes. No talking, no looking at others’ sheets yet.
- Implement a 4-day work week.
- Create a ‘peer-to-peer’ recognition bonus system.
- Offer 100% remote work flexibility.
The Pass and Piggyback
Pass your sheet to the person on your right. Read their 3 ideas, and then add 3 new ideas that build on them or pivot to a new direction.
- (Building on 4-day week): “Offer ‘Deep Work Wednesdays’ where no meetings are allowed.”
- (Building on Bonuses): “Give a ‘Learning Stipend’ that employees can spend on any course they want.”
- (New Pivot): “Assign a dedicated mentor to every new hire for the first 6 months.”
Consolidate and Vote
After 6 rounds, collect the sheets. You will have 108 ideas (6 people x 3 ideas x 6 rounds). Transcribe them, remove duplicates, and vote on the top 5 to move into action.
Practice
Problem: “Making our product more sustainable.” One person writes: “Use recycled plastic.” How can you “piggyback” on this to make it even more radical?