;bs; describes how to effectively brainstorm using :pb:. Brainstorming is a commonly used method for creating solutions to problems. It aims to create opportunity by breaking limiting thought.
Intent
The purpose of the ;bs; pattern is to show how brainstorming can be enhanced using :pb: for flexiblity and extensiblity. Instead of a simple list of brainstormed ideas, it is possible to link them into an existing brain or research and thereby greatly increase the value of the activity.
Also Known As
There are no other known names for this pattern.
Motivation
Integration of the brainstorming activity with the activities that follow it (research etc.) and the lessening of rework. A single tool can be used for all of the activity.
Applicability
Day-to-day activities. If you are simply collecting thoughts as you work then use :tt: instead.
Collaborations
;bs; is the first pattern to apply when undertaking research through :rp:.
Consequences
There are no known consequences of this pattern.
Implementation
Dr Elwyn Jenkins has written an excellent piece on how to research using PersonalBrain. The initial steps of that process can be applied to brainstorming as separate task, even if the end result is not research but idea generation.
Step One: A New Brain
First, I like to start with a new brain, even though later on I might join the Brain into my main brain I have labeled as “Knowledge” (c/f :isob:). I start with a new Brain as I do not like there to be any existing structure that may impose a logic or process on me. The Home Thought of this Brain will be the topic of the entire research. In the examples I am going to give you, I use examples from my “Search Engine Book” Brain. Thus, I create a single thought “SearchEngineBook”.
Step Two: Thought Collection
I set up a jump thought titled “Brainstorming”. I then set this up and then put it in the center of focus and connect to that one thought anything I can think of concerning the subject. These are, in the first instance, all ideas that come from my head. They are placed as Child Thoughts to the Brainstorm Thought. When I have run out of ideas to work on there, I then take the next step. In the example of the “SearchEngineBook” Brainstorm, I built up 80 thoughts under Brainstorm. The Brainstorm Thought and its children are all labelled as a “Brainstorm Thought” and colored pink.
Step Three: Thought Connection
I then use the Search Tool to identify any thoughts with similar words in them. I look at the first Brainstorm Thought and pick a keywords from that thought. I put that in the Search Tool, and see what other thoughts share that or a similar word. One of those thoughts may in fact be a main idea, and the other thoughts may in fact be subordinate ideas to that main idea. If that is the case, I unlink and link to represent that heirarchy. When I have finished with making connections on that thought, I go to the next that now appears directly under Brainstorm Thought. I continue working through in sorting these thoughts out until I have visited all of those directly under the Brainstorm Thought. It is not as big as job as you might think as through the process, Thoughts have a tendency to be taken from linking directly to Brainstorm and getting linked in some form of categorization with the other Thoughts that are there.
The later steps cover the research activity.
Sample Plex
Sample plex to be added.
Known Uses
Developing new products and services
Terry Frazier suggests using ;bs; and :dt: in order to manage the development of new products and services.
I use Robert Cooper’s Stage Gate framework in developing new product and service ideas with clients. Stage 0 is Ideation (brainstorming) around new products or services — requires divergent thinking. I’ve never used the Brain as a client aid in this scenario, but the ;bs; provides instructions on how to do so. Gate 1 is a simple criteria filter that weeds out obvious non-starters for a company
Stage 1 is preliminary analysis, determining just how much potential might be in an idea and where it can go. This requires you to focus on the details around an idea, but still remains within the scope of desk research. The :dt: pattern could provide good instructions on how clients could use the Brain in Stage 1 to focus, reduce redundancy, and identify the best ideas for going forward.
Idea Generation
;bs; can for the basis of more expansive idea generation that could be held when limited by how much paper is on a flip-chart.
Related Patterns
;bs; is closely related to the :dt: pattern. The difference is that ;bs; is divergent and opens up ideas, where as :dt: converges on the detail surrounding a topic.
Other References
