You need to facilitate a remote brainstorming session. What are the best tools to use?

Adding to what others have shared: 1. Miro is a good online brainstorming tool which can be used in real-time. It has a wide variety of templates that the team can use acc. to their requirements. 2. GroupMaps: Virtual tool that helps teams make decisions and come up with impactful ideas. 3. Retrospected : This too is a good tool to initiate brainstorming and Retrospective sessions with wide variety of templates. Hope that helps!

I mostly choose the platform according to my audience. When I work with corporate teams, the best-known platforms are Microsoft Teams, Google Meets or zoom. They have internal licences and prefer to work on these platforms. When I work for start-ups or freelancers, I prefer to use the butter platform, which has a number of advantages with the integration of digital whiteboards (Miro, Mura), the integration of pdf presentations, youtube videos, and so many templates and tools that make the sessions much more fun and engaging.

I find that Zoom is the easiest platform to use for remote faciliatations. Besides ease of use, Zoom has breakout rooms, a white board, polling, and share screen capability. I also like seeing each person clearly displayed with their name.

It's context dependent upon the audience. What type of technology can they support? Mural, Miro, and Lucidspark are some of the main players with Figjam being a great option as well. In addition, there are several newer platforms that took what Zoom, Google, and Microsoft did - and improved upon it. The ideal is setting it up so the technology fades into the background and the team can focus on the discussion.

The TOOLS you consider should be the last thing on your mind! First things first - before even considering any tools to use ask yourself - what stops people from sharing ideas? Some of the obstacles are: Fear of making a mistake, fear of ideas being lame, & fear or being put on the spot and judged. And lack of brainstorming techniques (yes they exist and are important). If you don't address these issues, it doesn't matter what kind of tools you use your session won't be a good one. That means that you need some of the following to consider before any tools: 1. Rules - e.g. no slanging of people's ideas 2. Space for people to capture their ideas without the whole group seeing them/ judging 3. Use some idea prompts to help people ideate

Besides the essentials like a stable internet connection and a quiet environment, consider taking it to the next level. You can leverage your setup step by step by integrating tools like a stream deck, which makes switching settings a breeze. Don't forget the power of virtual cams like ecamm or OBS, which can enhance your presentation quality. To make the most of these tools, investing time in learning from YouTube videos or with a coach is absolutely worth it. With the right setup and knowledge, your remote brainstorming sessions can become even more efficient and productive

It is important to keep in mind that there may be various objectives to achieve during a remote brainstorming session. You may also need to address issues such as team misalignment, business pressures, or uncertainties about strategic goals and impacts. It may be helpful to use certain communication techniques to facilitate the brainstorming session. These techniques may require different levels of physical presence, such as being on video with the full body or being close to the camera. When setting up your workspace for the session, it can be helpful to have a clear order in mind. This should include technology and working tools in their designated places. The layout of the workspace can be adjusted based on the size of the room.

Für eine effiziente Brainstorming Session mit vielen Ideen eignet sich die 1-2-4-All Methode sehr gut. Hier reflektiert erst jeder für sich (1 Minute), dann tauschen sich zwei Personen für 2 Minuten aus Danach zu viert in 4 Minuten und zum Schluss kommen alle Personen zusammen und nehmen sich gemeinsam noch mal 5 Minuten Zeit. Idealerweise bereitet man vorab einzelne Bereiche auf dem Online Whiteboard vor. So können einfach Ideen auf virtuellen Zetteln festgehalten und über die Gruppenarbeit verschoben und bearbeitet werden. Am Ende laufen alle in eine finale Gesamtübersicht. Im Folgeschritt kann hier eine gemeinsame Bewertung stattfinden.

Salle de réunion spacieuse ou bien un grand open Space, qui permettent à tout le monde d’être à l’aise et confortablement installé pour pouvoir voir entendre et partager durant tout le brainstorming. Un grand vidéo projecteur une connexion Internet qui nous permette de diffuser la réunion en Visio en grand écran. Une grande table qui puisse accueillir tous les collaborateurs avec des chaises confortables. Chacun aurait droit à un bloc-notes, un stylo, une bouteille d’eau.

Google slides, docs, or sheets, can be shared outside of presentation mode with participants and utilized as one would flip chart paper in a room together. These can also be themed with the organization’s vibe, participants can jump ahead or go back as necessary, and co-facilitators can work ahead in real time to make the brainstorming session more organic in nature.

Here's how I do this: 1. establish the outcomes you want from the session 2. go through my toolbox of exercises that will lead to those outcomes while making sure everyone is feeling seen, heard and is having fun 3. Set up my whiteboard (On Mural or Miro or Google Jamboard for example) with fun cartoon visuals that encourage people to jump in and add their thoughts. Rocket ships, roads and bridges, icebergs, hot air balloons, and other metaphors and story visuals invite imagination and participation. They also help people remember, share -- and IMPLEMENT -- the key takeaways and decisions from the session. Visuals help put an end to fun but pointless brainstorms that don't yield a real result!

When preparing your agenda for remote brainstorming, it's essential to keep your team's attention in mind. Sessions lasting over 2 hours can be taxing, so plan breaks of at least 15 minutes to reenergize. Welcome participants back with simple movement activities like eye exercises or muscle stretching. These small breaks not only boost productivity but also keep everyone engaged and refreshed throughout the session

Make sure the challenge is clear, understood the same way by all participants, and intriguing!! Can frame as ‘ help me to ….’ , ‘how can I….’ Select appropriate size and mix of working groups for breakout sessions. A tool to capture the expansive thoughts. A method of grouping ideas, refining and contracting to clear priorities. Group selection - add a creative thinker from outside of the team Leave enough time to have clear next steps, gaps to close, parking bay to address, responsible person and timeline Have fun! Encourage, provoke, push, celebrate, laugh🌞

Start by defining your goal and then choose from a range of suitable methodologies that will help you achieve it successfully. Consider any potential resistance that may arise from the group and prepare alternatives accordingly. Finally, ensure that your work environment is well-prepared. In my case, I tend to use Miro or Mural to facilitate my work. Make sure to include enough breaks and fun activities, as well as visually appealing content that is related to the facilitation process. For instance, I often use sketchplanations to explain complex concepts.

Mon ordre du jour est affiché une semaine à l’avance et envoyer sur chaque boîte mail des participants. Ainsi ils ont le temps de le travailler et de leur côté eux aussi. Le jour même, je prends le temps de présenter mon ordre du jour et la raison pour laquelle je l’ai choisi . Je définis le temps du brainstorming qui sera d’environ 2h30 . J’affiche à l’écran le déroulé de la matinée et les points qui vont être abordés. Cela sera affiché sous forme de PowerPoint sur l’écran géant .

Je vais utiliser le tableau blanc numérique de Tom Board, qui va me permettre de schématiser tous les points qui ont besoin d’être retravaillé avec les collaborateurs sous forme de croquis, pour que toutes mes explications soient claires et comprises. Je prends le temps à chacun de suivre mes schémas, et si besoin de les recopier sur leur bloc-notes, pour ainsi pouvoir les réutiliser .

Digital whiteboard is an amazing tool and do not assume that everyone know how to use it, even you have give them the instructions or video to learn how to navigate. My recommendation is to organise an optional orientation for those who need to learn. This is to avoid time lost during the session so that you can stay on track with your agenda.

Lorsque vous avez sélectionné votre plateforme ( Zoom, Google Meet, Teams...) pour organiser votre classe virtuelle, se pose la question cruciale de l'outil à privilégier pour animer votre session de brainstorming. Il est difficile de définir un meilleur outil ! La priorité est de déterminer quel est l'outil que vous percevez comme efficace au service de vos objectifs pédagogiques, et s'il est facilitateur pour accompagner la progression de vos apprenants ! En retour d'expérience, je vous propose 3 outils clés Génially Wooclap Padlet

Again the whiteboard is where the magic can happen. Ideally the tool fades into the background and easy for the team to use. Thinking through how you want people to engage with the whiteboard is as, if not more important, than the tool itself. I'll ask myself: 1. How do I want people to engage with the tool? 2. What are some of the blockers that could happen while using the tool? 3. How do I want to guide people around the whiteboard space - usually you can find templates in the tools themselves and helpful videos in YouTube. 4. And what do I want to happen with the output of the session. Screen shots of the board, saving it, something else?

Also prepare for the unexpected like powerfailure.Even if there is a backup power supply.Always perepare for the worst. The best way is to have hard copies sent to participant prio the brainstorming session and if you experience connection failure and power supply problems.You can still run your session telephonically on confrence call.

Above all, encouraging participation is the most important element of successful facilitation. Establishing purpose, goals, and a flexible, inclusive starting ground is imperative to that encouragement. Learning about your audience is key to establishing that baseline. Do your homework and come ready to meet the audience where it is in order to achieve the participation level needed for desired outcomes.

Do have the brainstorming guidelines explained so that you don’t kill the creativity during divergent stage. Monitor and acknowledge the participation, be it on the chat room or digital whiteboard.

To make everyone be heard and have an equal share in voicing one's ideas and views, I love the 'talking stick method': for a thinking round, pass a virtual talking stick from participant to participant, each person gets 3 uninterrupted minutes, all others listen (no commenting!), the next person is not allowed to judge the ideas of the person before them, only add to it or share a new thought. Circle 3 rounds max (depending on group size).

Liberating Structures work best to unlock group participation. There is an method or activity for most scenarios, and many work well in a remote setting. Breakouts nicely break up the sessions too, and encourage participation. Silent brainstormings encourage even the most introverted person to contribute.

It's important to have a range of engaging activities, ice-breakers, and check-ins/check-outs available to use as a facilitator. Remember that your role is to help the group achieve their best potential. Show gratitude and encourage constructive feedback, especially in more sensitive situations.s.

The follow up will help separate you from others. Most people just leave the board, etc as is and look to others to take tasks away. Setting clear next steps of who is responsible for what and when do you want to achieve those outcomes by takes this exercise to the next level. In addition, can you set the follow ups so that team is encouraged and supported by achieving those results. What are you doing to make sure that people are setup for success post session to reinforce the magic from the session?

Firstly, communicate to them what you plan to do with them, then carry out your plan. In the end, help them to summarize what they have achieved to maintain the flow of productivity. Creating a safe space for constructive feedback is crucial to ensure the momentum of progress. Furthermore, motivate them to define their next steps, establish responsibilities, and determine how they would like to sustain their momentum.

It is important not to let the brainstorming to fall into the trap of those talkshop sessions.There should be datelines and delivery dates on all matters that needed implementation at a certain date.Feedback from participant is also key and this can be done through evaluations forms, looking at the presenter capabilties, on the use of technology and knowledge of the topic presented. Feedback is also imprtant for the participant from the presenter,if there were promises made at the braingning storming,if those promises have been met or not.It is imprtant to let the participant to know about that.

Trello comme plateforme de collaboration : un process découpé en x tâches, confiées a 1 ou plusieurs pilotes selon un timing défini. Au top

Brainstorming is an experiment, rooted in possibility and creativity. Don’t allow limitations, budgets, staffing, time, gravity (ha!), get in the way too early and allow ideas to flow, associative thinking to happen, get off topic, and find the outer boundaries before coming back into focus.

For brainstorming you should remember to separate creative thinking from critical thinking. Allow the ideation of ideas to remain separate from the evaluation of them. This helps more people open up and participate. If they fear judgement right away many ideas will stay in their heads. You could separate these by a break in the session or more ideally a day or two to allow ideas that don’t come out immediately to have a chance to form for participants.

Incorporating visual aids like images, videos, or articles can spark creativity and keep the ideas flowing. Essential to the process is ensuring all participants are technically prepared, with a suggested pre-session check-in to address any tech issues. Assigning a note-taker for documenting discussions and synthesizing outcomes post-session facilitates comprehensive feedback and action steps. Gathering feedback after the session helps refine future processes. Implementing a "Silent Brainstorming" or "Brainwriting" phase, where ideas are written down independently before group sharing, promotes equality, reduces bias, enhances creativity, and efficiently generates a diverse range of ideas.

Für effektive Meetings generell und auch für den Anwendungsfall eines online Brainstormings sind die Meeting Notes aus „Dare to Lead“ von Brené Brown sehr hilfreich. In etwas abgewandelter Form lassen sich ihre Meeting Notes nicht nur für die nachbereitende Dokumentation des online Brainstorming nutzen, sondern auch für die Vorbereitung und Durchführung. Die einzelnen Punkte der Meeting Notes umfassen: Datum/Zeit/Ort/Moderation, Titel des Meetings, Intention des Meetings, Teilnehmer:innen und wie sie einen wertvollen Beitrag leisten können, Agenda, Entscheidungen sowie nächste Schritte und Ownership. So klar vorbereitete, durchgeführte und dokumentierte online Brainstormings sind selten - aber sehr effektiv und werden gern besucht!

En fait je pense qu’il faudrait aussi pouvoir inviter en plus de l’équipe prévue pour un brainstorming, une personne externe afin d’apporter un regard, un point de vue différent Ça pourrait permettre aux intervenants d’élargir leurs horizons, d’avoir des idées nouvelles