I’ve spent years running ‘blue sky thinking’ workshops. Where anything goes. Where every idea is a good idea. I now realise that this is a waste of time. Firstly, people find it difficult to come up with ideas when there are no boundaries. Secondly, in the post-workshop review, the ideas are impossible to implement. No wonder ‘brainstorming’ workshops have got a bad reputation.

Instead, I would recommend the opposite. I like to call it ‘black sky’ thinking. It involves setting up the workshop completely differently. Here’s what to focus on.

Sharpen Up the Brief

Firstly, be crystal clear on what you want to achieve from the workshop. Be as specific as you can. For example, specify how many ideas you intend to generate. Be explicit with the format of the output. Provide a simple idea template.

Be prescriptive. We enjoy working towards a clear goal in a workshop. Otherwise chaos will ensue.

Incorporate Your Constraints Within the Brief

Everyone has constraints. You may have zero budget. Or you could have a tough deadline or a small team. Whatever it is, be transparent about it. By all means, be ambitious in setting your goal, but equally, be clear on the constraints you’re up against. In the book ‘A Beautiful Constraint’, this is called a ‘Propelling Question’.

This may seem impossible at first, but the juxtaposition of a bold ambition and a significant constraint is essential for creative thinking. You’re forced to think of new pathways, beyond the tried and trusted ‘best practice’ models.

Summary

Blue sky thinking workshops have got a bad name and rightly so. This doesn’t mean that you should abandon idea-generation workshops altogether. Getting the right people together to solve difficult problems or invent new ideas can be invaluable. You need to design them better. Focus on getting a sharp clear brief. And don’t shy away from including your constraints within it. As a consequence creativity will increase and solutions will be realistic. You may even enjoy taking part in them.