Brainsketching as an idea-generation technique

Brainsketching – a type of Brainstorming

Author:

Arthur B. Van Gundy, Jr (1988) (May 24, 1946 – May 5, 2009) was a US communication professor, conference speaker, author and internationally noted expert on idea-generation techniques.
VanGundy contributed more than 16 books and numerous book chapters and magazine articles.  He produced one of the great books on Creativity methods: Techniques of Structured Problem Solving. This book is considered by many as “the bible of problem solving techniques”.
VanGundy contributed more than 16 books and numerous book chapters and magazine articles His book “Techniques of structured problem solving” is considered by many as “the bible of problem solving techniques”.
He served on the board of directors for the Creative Education Foundation (CEF).

Description

Brainsketching is an idea-generation technique, based on brainwriting, that uses sketching as the primary means of recording ideas.

Variation1

Procedure steps

1. A group of 4-8 people sit around a table, or in a circle of chairs. The problem statement is agreed upon and discussed until understood.
2. Each participant privately draws one or more sketches (each on separate sheets of paper) of how it might be solved, passing each sketch on to the person on their right when it is finished. The facilitator suggests that sketches should not take more than 5 minutes or so to draw.
3. Participants take the sketches passed on to them and either develop or annotate them or use them to stimulate new sketches of their own, passing the amended original and/or any new sketches on to their neighbours when ready. 4. After the process has been running for a suitable period or energy is running lower, the sketches are collected.
5. It will probably help to display all the sketches and to discuss them in turn for clarification and comment.
6. Then participants move on to any appropriate categorisation, evaluation and selection process.

Variation 2

Procedure steps

1.  Participants sketch their ideas individually on several large sheets of paper pasted on the wall.
2. Then the participants explain their idea sketches, switch places and continue sketching. Usually, about five such rounds of idea sketching take place.
3. Finally all idea sketches are collected, integrated, discussed and evaluated.

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Sergey Markov is an expert in the psychology of creativity and the author of the projects “Creative Absolute,” “Genvive” and “Creative Vision.” From 2002 to 2006, he headed the Department of Psychology at Chernivtsi National University, and from 2006 to 2011, he held the same position at the University of Economics and Law (Kyiv). His research interests include: Psychology of Creativity. Enhancing Creativity Tecniques. Creative Problem Solving. Creative Management. Creative vision and sense creation. The Nature of Genius. Eastern Philosophy and Art.