3-12-3 Brainstorm
The 3-12-3 Brainstorm is a rapid ideation exercise designed to spark creativity and quick thinking. It involves generating ideas, developing concepts, and presenting them in a structured yet fast-paced manner. Ideal for energizing teams or as a standalone activity, it helps groups swiftly capture and refine ideas.
How to run it
- 1
Introduce the topic to brainstorm, boiled down to two key words.
- 2
Distribute index cards and markers to each participant.
- 3
First 3 minutes: Participants write down as many aspects of the topic as possible, one per card.
- 4
Next 12 minutes: Divide into pairs, draw three cards, and develop a concept based on these cards.
- 5
Final 3 minutes: Each pair presents their concept to the group, highlighting how the cards influenced their ideas.
Tips
Maintain strict time limits to keep the session dynamic and focused.
Encourage participants to think in terms of nouns and verbs during the initial aspect generation phase.
Ensure that the topic is clear but concise to spark diverse interpretations.
Variations
For larger groups, consider forming teams of three to maintain the pace. Alternatively, use this method to refine existing ideas by focusing on improvements rather than entirely new concepts.
Where it fits
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Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Gamestorming.