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Brainstorming 101
A quick primer on brainstorming…
Brainstorming is a process that revolves and iterates around two phases: expansion, where ideas flourish and multiply without constraint, and contraction, where those ideas are thoughtfully refined and distilled.
The beauty of this approach lies in its adaptability—embracing structure and creative freedom allows for ideation sessions that consistently yield meaningful results.
For example, by applying inversion, considering the opposite of what you're trying to achieve, and deliberately breaking established patterns, you can uncover innovative solutions that might otherwise remain hidden.
In brainstorming, there are two fundamentals; the rest is ad-lib, and you decide how creative freedom looks for you. The two fundamentals are expansion and contraction.
Expansion Phase
During the expansion phase, the focus is on generating as many ideas as possible without judgment, allowing creativity to flow freely. This stage benefits significantly from an open mindset and a conducive environment that promotes idea generation.
Physical and mental setting: Critical for creating a comfortable, judgment-free space where ego takes a backseat.
AI-powered tools: Can supercharge the expansion phase by quickly generating diverse ideas. Set prompts aligned with your goal and let AI surface unexpected possibilities.
Collaborative platforms: Use tools like Miro or Trello to visually map and organize emerging ideas into clusters.
This creative process is inherently messy and non-linear. Remember that every great innovation started as a seemingly wild idea.
Contraction Phase
Once ideas feel sufficiently expansive, the contraction phase begins. Here, ideas are refined, evaluated, and shaped into actionable insights.
Systems-thinking methods: Help refine ideas. Frameworks like decision trees or weighted rubrics guide prioritization.
Structured feedback tools: Ensure that the most impactful ideas rise to the top.
When refining, treat each idea like a prototype: test it, tweak it, and discard what doesn't work. Think of the expansion phase as planting seeds—cast them wide without overthinking.
Embrace the chaos, knowing that structure will emerge through the expansion and contraction phases.
The key to successful brainstorming is fully embracing both phases.
Why Brainstorming Matters Now
The convergence of AI tools, remote collaboration platforms, and traditional creative methods demands a fresh approach to ideation.
AI changes the landscape of how we work; we must adapt and leverage AI meaningfully. Adaptability will make you feel more resilient and ready to face the challenges of the future. Define your process or have one defined for you.
The fundamental tools of innovation apply: persuasion, presentation, and storytelling remain constant while our capacity to execute on them expands.
AI amplifies our ability to explore and refine ideas. The fundamental creative process is still the tried and tested, the core principles upon which industries have formed. For good reason, creative ideation tools unlock momentous ideas from yourself and your team. Develop and define your workflows with AI and learn as you go.
Analog is still the boss. Your original input is the key to developing satisfyingly unique output with AI, no matter the stage of ideation. Basic analog tools of design thinking and creativity
Partnered Brainstorming
A trusted brainstorming partner challenges your thinking when self-doubt creeps in. Your partner can be AI.
Human creativity and AI tools each bring unique strengths to the brainstorming process. Retain the essential human elements of intuition and emotional intelligence through your input.
AI tools can function as creative accelerators, elaborating on your insight. Once you find a flow, define it—it will become a feedback loop that enhances divergent and convergent thinking.
Leverage AI to enhance your ideas and gather the results.
Scientific Approach to AI Collaboration
Directionally correct goal: State the outcome you're after in one tight sentence.
Hypothesis: List assumptions you're making.
Experiment: Use AI to implement ideas, gather results, and surface patterns.
Iterate: Adjust inputs and prompts until the hypothesis is validated—or a better one appears.
This loop keeps ideas flowing fast and refines toward the objective simultaneously, achieving clarity through creative iteration.
Frameworks, Walks, and Systems Thinking
Good ideas arrive on long walks. Exercise combined with brain-food podcasts remains my favorite clarity combo.
Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, innovative professional, or team leader, mastering Innovative approaches that combine creative processes with AI can unlock unprecedented levels of innovative potential.
Frameworks help provide clarity and structure amidst uncertainty, allowing for more effective problem-solving and decision-making.
Systems-Thinking Approach:
When chaos hits, map the system:
Inputs: Variables in play.
Feedback loops: Information reinforcing or dampening itself.
Leverage points: Small changes with outsized impacts.
Identifying current uncertainty helps select the right mental model—inversion, second-order thinking, first-principles analysis, or a simple decision tree—to ensure structured next steps and manage anxiety.
Inversion: This mental model involves considering the opposite of what you want to achieve or the worst-case scenario. By thinking in reverse, you can identify potential pitfalls and unexpected solutions. It encourages looking at problems from a different angle to find creative answers.
Second-Order Thinking: Second-order thinking goes beyond the immediate consequences of a decision and considers its long-term and indirect effects. It helps you anticipate outcomes and plan strategically, avoiding short-sighted decisions.
First-principles analysis involves breaking down a problem into its fundamental truths, eliminating assumptions, and increasing clarity toward the desired outcome. This is paired-down reasoning.
Decision Tree: A decision tree is a visual tool that maps out possible choices and their outcomes. It provides a structured way to evaluate options, weigh pros and cons, and make informed decisions systematically.
Concrete vs. Abstract Ideas
Ideas kept only in our minds tend to remain abstract and undefined.
For Business and Strategy Ideas:
Record drafts verbally and identify filler words that signal weak structure.
Test concepts with practitioners who have real-world experience (doers, not observers).
Use AI for initial idea exploration:
Set specific parameters for AI models (user, metric, time).
Generate 20 different perspectives.
Identify overlooked angles and related applications.
Build interactive prototypes to quickly gather team or client feedback.
Tip: Focus on your customer's emotional response when your solution succeeds—let this guide your ideation.
Creative Ideation Process — Multi-Modal Approach
Stage | Goals + Methods
Divergent Thinking | Generate Possible Paths, Rapid Ideation
Pattern Recognition | Identify themes, AI-clustering, concise theme labeling
Concept Development | Create Narratives, persona stories, visuals, AI
Feasibility | Reduce and Curate, Stack Rank
Prototype | Testing, Feedback, Learn
Final Selection | Favorite List and Back-Log for Future reuse and AI ingestion
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Creative AI Partnership
AI is an innovative collaborator, consistently offering fresh perspectives to energize your creative process.
Brian Eno-Inspired Creative Process: Embracing chance, atmosphere, and unexpected connections.
Phase | Purpose
Ambient Immersion | Reset mindset, Eno listening session, AI-generated soundscapes
Pattern Disruption | Habits are Questioned, Oblique Strategies, AI-enhanced
Free Creation | Enable flow, experimentation, raw output
Pattern Discovery | Find structure
Creative Constraints | Focused creation, documented insights
Critical Review | Rapid writing, artifact evaluation
Decision Making | Finalize concept
Helpful Tips:
Welcome unexpected discoveries as creative opportunities.
Mix visual and auditory inspiration.
Maintain a spirit of play within set time limits.
Call to Action
Explore our creations and subscribe to receive this letter each Wednesday and our Friday Digest with AI, Creativity, and Mindset in a weekly digest.
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Join the AICharmLab waitlist to learn more about our app for artists.
Clarity strengthens through challenge.
Walk, experiment, refine—ship the work.
Until next week — Sonia aka SuperSonic
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