How to Be the Ultimate Brainstorming Partner Without a Single Good Idea
Discover how to become a sought-after brainstorming partner, without needing to generate a single good idea yourself! Alli Torban, author of Chart Spark, shares three tips for setting up the ideal brainstorming environment:
Remember:
- Avoid Execution Talk: Keep the focus on generating ideas rather than how they’ll be implemented. Encourage more depth with responses like, “Tell me more…”
- Point Out Connections: Actively listen and build on others’ ideas. What does this idea remind you of? Have you seen something similar before?
- Share Thought Experiments: Introduce prompts that challenge conventional thinking and assumptions. What’s the opposite? What’s an obviously wrong idea? What’s the extreme?
If you’re looking to boost your (or your team’s) innovative thinking, then join Alli’s on-demand course Chart Spark: Innovative Thinking in Data Communication.
Alli Torban is the author of Chart Spark and a Senior Data Literacy Advocate at Data Literacy LLC, with more than 15 years of experience solving complex data challenges for government agencies, research institutes, and corporate clients. Alli possesses technical expertise in data communication and a demonstrated talent for combining data and design in an inclusive way, making her a highly effective information designer and trainer. She shares her knowledge on her popular podcast, Data Viz Today, which earned her the Impactful Community Leader award from the Data Visualization Society. When she’s not teaching clients the language of data, Alli enjoys designing tessellations and walking to the library with her daughters.
