Questions: Brainstorming Solutions

Question 1

During brainstorming, a teammate suggests using a catapult to deliver lunch trays. What should you do?

• A. Tell them that is a silly idea and move on
• B. Write it down — all ideas are welcome during brainstorming
• C. Ignore it because it will not work in real life
• D. Stop brainstorming and start building the catapult

Answer: (B)

During brainstorming, every idea gets recorded without judgment. The catapult idea might not work literally, but it might spark a related idea — like a conveyor belt or a sliding tray system — that does work. Judging ideas during brainstorming kills creativity and makes people afraid to share.

Question 2

The best time to decide which brainstormed idea is most practical is during the brainstorming session itself.

• T. True
• F. False

Answer: False

Brainstorming and evaluation are two separate phases. During brainstorming, the goal is quantity — get as many ideas as possible without filtering. After brainstorming is done, you switch to evaluation mode and judge ideas against your constraints and criteria. Mixing the two phases reduces the number and creativity of ideas generated.

Question 3

Why do engineers brainstorm many ideas instead of just going with the first good idea they think of?

Model answer: Because the first idea is rarely the best. By generating many ideas, engineers discover options they would not have thought of otherwise. Later ideas often build on or combine earlier ones to create better solutions.

Research on creative problem-solving consistently shows that people who generate more ideas end up with better final solutions. The first idea is shaped by habits and obvious thinking. The tenth or twentieth idea forces you into unfamiliar territory where creative solutions live.