The Art of Brainstorming
Today, most of us live and work in a deadline-driven, highly scheduled world with little inactivity and time away from screens.
It’s all too frequent that we cut the time we spend thinking in favor of time spent executing.
For example, a painter might jump into to the fun, color-adding stage of their process, shortchanging the under-sketch stage. Perhaps the composition needed a bit more work, or the perspective was slightly off. Diving into color might get the piece finished quicker, but if the painter taken the time to ensure the original sketch was how they wanted it to be, they could have achieved a more intriguing final product.
The same idea applies to design. Visual communication doesn’t rely on aesthetics alone. The strategic goal is woven into visual story, the copy or tagline, and even the medium and placement of the ad or asset. Even a simple graphic needs to be recognizable and relatable, connecting with the viewer emotionally or intellectually.
How do I push my idea to the next level?
Thinking creatively and conceptually is a muscle — the more you work it, the more agile it becomes.
It’s easy to get stuck reusing visual preferences, diving into one or two ideas you know will work well.
It’s important to dedicate time in our daily schedules to separate thought from action. Often times, this means removing myself from my desk and computer, and to spend time in an analog world for a while.I believe a change of environment can trigger our brains to think differently, and can make us better creators once we return to the screen.
Brainstorming doesn’t always have its place in day-to-day projects for work. Coming up with new ideas “off the clock” allows us to re-associate our creativity with having fun. It might allow you to take your own ideas less seriously and spur more out-of-the-box thinking.
These “just for fun” projects may end up influencing the work you do for your job. You might find yourself more willing to play with different ideas before jumping into one you know you like. You might question yourself more, look at things from different angles, or even be more open to coworkers’ suggestions.
Brainstorming asks you to search the far corners of your mind, for images, words and associations. It asks you to transport yourself into your targeted consumer, or even into the product itself.
Why iterate?
Did you have one of those college professors that asked you to draw 50 thumbnails for one idea? It’s a painful process, I know. But what if you didn’t do 50, what if you drew 20, or 10. What if they weren’t all drawn out, but some were just written? Would it feel more doable?
Coming up with as many ideas as possible for a single concept forces you to think through all preexisting associations. It pushes you to dive into research. It begs you to consider all five senses, your life experiences, stereotypes and assumptions, shapes and colors and wordplay!
It’s the process of going deep into an idea — of taking something simple and making it complex, so when you simplify it again, it seems effortless, clever, relevant and purposeful.
Even if you love your first idea, the iterative process is a way to validate the strength of that concept.
Time dedicated to thought and exploration is never wasted.
So what does the brainstorming process look like?
Everyone has their own process for coming up with ideas. Usually I’ll write out a whole page of notes before drawing a single thumbnail. Jotting them down preserves the thought faster than I can sketch.
I’ll think through visuals that I associate with the product or idea. I’ll think of some funny examples, others that feel culturally relevant, and some that feel genuine and endearing.
A recent exercise I completed was taking a product that fulfilled one very simple job — and iterated upon that. I thought about my Kelty sleeping bag and how to demonstrate its one simple purpose of keeping you warm while sleeping outdoors.
Here are my initial brainstorm notes:
Here are my thumbnail sketches based on initial ideas:
It’s harder than you’d expect to push yourself away from obvious solutions — but that’s when you might find a really innovative interpretation you wouldn’t have otherwise reached.
So where do I start?
Take courses
Read books about your field
Study competitors’ work and dissect what you like or dislike
Do brainstorming exercises
Any of these steps will help develop valuable new skills and perspectives that will push your creative thinking.
So start where your interests take you. If you have a pet, brainstorm a fun accessory you think they’d enjoy — and create a brand or an ad based on that imaginary product. Or come up with new campaign ideas for an existing brand you admire. The idea may be silly or impractical, poorly drawn or end up not looking like you want. But I assure you, you’ll be farther along than you would be if you had never experimented.
Happy brainstorming!
