Business English: Brainstorming

     Usually we define brainstorming as a group technique where a group of people generate new ideas and solutions around a specific problem, so they suggest a lot of ideas for a future activity very quickly before considering some of them more carefully. The main idea is to let people speak freely, without any fear that someone will judge what they said in the meeting, so they can express their ideas. It is important to reach quantity in this case.
     The term was popularized by Alex Osborn in his book Applied Imagination. In order to be efficient, according to Osborn, we should respect two main principles:

1) Defer judgement
2) Reach for quantity

     According to him, one of the aims of the meeting, are to reduce social inhibitions among group members, to stimulate generation of some new ideas and to support and increase creativity, and we can reach all that if we:

1) Go for quantity: more ideas we get, better chances there are we'll get some good. 
2) Put your criticism 'on hold': if you don't judge them, participants will feel free to generate unusual ideas. 
3) Welcome wild ideas: new ways of thinking may give you better solutions. 
4) Combine and improve ideas: don't be afraid to play.

     Of course, these days, computers have their roll in business meetings, so now we face with the Computer Brainstorming. Brainstorming can take place through an email, or some interactive web site, and it can be very successful.