Thoughts on brainstorming with global teams

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by J.S. Gilbert on July 27, 2007 at 7:27pm

Brainreactions.net might be an answer. you create online brainstomring rooms, but it seems like web conferencing is what you're really after. I see that you mention doing this over the phone. Premier Global has a number of conferenceing and collaboration solutions

http://collab.premiereglobal.com/ca/en/customer-support/page_000005...

They also offer integrated audio and web, so ou don't have to worry about participants having to type the whole time.

And while I'm not saying that you need this, there are a number of companies that will look at your specific needs sets and can train you in how to better facilitate. This would assist you regardless of what technology you ultimately adapted. It's kind of like chairing committees before and after learning Robert's Rules of Order.

Personally, I'd just go to the beach and have my avatar handle things. A lot of course depends upon materials being used and created. Perhaps a virtual shared whiteboard would help.

The one thing I know that never works is relying upon email for anything.

Permalink Reply by Steve McNamara on July 28, 2007 at 11:45am

Interesting problem, Amy

My only practical experience has been with conference call brainstorming. Which I have found to be more or less successful depending on the personality, the chemistry of the teams.

As JS suggested - you might explore technological solutions, like video conferencing, to enhance your participation in the brainstorming process.

Maybe try phone + bloging software that both sides can update quickly with visuals, video clips, sketches.

You can also look at ways to manage the process to make it work better.

Example: You could pre-start the brainstorming process by sending the creative team in, say, HK, a creative director’s brief with some preliminary concepts or possible approaches. Let them generate some ideas first, fax or email those ideas to you. Then get on the phone and start the brainstorming process from there.

Example: Identify and solve a specific problem. Do you have difficulty getting the sessions boiling with ideas? Do you have a problem capturing the ideas? Do you have a problem getting your ideas into the conversation?

Example: Consider a more formal brainstorming process, starting with a written objective and posted rules. Something along these lines:

http://www.adcracker.com/brainstorm/index.htm

Have you asked your creative teams to suggest solutions?

If you’re looking for an easily accessible Web tool to get the brainstorming session started, take a look at AdCracker’s Concept Cracker:

http://www.adcracker.com/conceptcracker/index.htm

Permalink Reply by iSLa Planet on July 31, 2007 at 11:40pm

How about using Second Life as a virtual meeting place. Once in Second Life you will ALL have access to the following tools:

IM
Chat,
Voice Chat (in the near future)
Shared audio and video streams, slide shows, presentations, etc.

And it's free !

Of course you will need a meeting place ... you can use mine to try things out.

Ricart Prats
www.islaplanet.com

Permalink Reply by Eugen Suman on August 1, 2007 at 3:27am

theoretically you can't really have a brainstorm over the phone or via conferencing (be it in SL or any other media) because brainstorming (in the classic, psychological sense) needs: 1. human presence and 2. subtle interactions that can only happen when nr.1 is achieved (body language, voice tone etc).

Of course you can have some sort of brainstorming over the phone and etc, but in my opinion they will be less effective than the real thing.

Permalink Reply by Kurt Beren Geiger on August 2, 2007 at 10:10am

At my last agency we had primary creative groups in five other countries/offices working on the same briefs that we worked on "centrally". Over the course of two years we hammered out a process that worked relatively satisfactorily.
The brief was sent out to all the creative teams involved.
Then our ECD, planner and account on the project organised a conference call and walked them through it step-by-step.
Then the teams went to work. After a pre-decided period of time all he teams sent their work to our ECD.
Then the Global Business Director, ECD and Head Planner, along with the account on the project, discussed the work. The ECD got back to the teams with the relevant feedback.
And then we went through the process until we either had the ideas we wanted to present to the client or the deadline made us present what we had.
Even though the central teams had easier access to our “knowledge base”, over the course of the years almost every team came up with a winning idea for at least one project.

Permalink Reply by Ken Church on August 10, 2007 at 11:41am

Everyone in the session should do the basic home work and be spot on as it applies to the clients product or services. A brainstorming sessions is not the place to be learning about the basics of your clients stuff.

Read the brief, understand the brief, buy in on the brief. Each participant must come to the
brainstorming session with an understanding of the objectives, the mandatories, etc. etc.

Everyone has a buy in on the copy platform, (the premise written from the brief).

No editing, no crits, no judging, no dismissing or ridiculing of another persons idea.
Just a free form lightening storm of impressions and ideas. In a brainstorming session, that old saying, “no idea is bad idea” is a good rule. At least at this level.

Participate at peak performance. Throw out thoughts and ideas. You don’t have to score, but you do have to shoot. If all you can do is edit other peoples ideas with little participation of your own
you should not be in the brainstorm session and makes you less then useful to the process.

Ideas belong to the group. Give credit to the people who participate in your flash of inspiration.

My job is to keep the group on point, searching for the shiny objects and focused on the copy platform. With the exception of the inevitable comic relief episodes. And to control or dismiss the editors.

Permalink Reply by Sunil Shibad on August 29, 2007 at 12:23pm

Hi Amy,

I too work with teams on the phone and the best way is brief everybody and then break them up into teams of two: art director and copywriter.
Let these teams brainstorm and then you can conference over Skype.
Another simple and easy way is to email the brief and let them all email you back within 5 minute intervals for about 30 minutes with as many ideas.
Hope this helped.

Sunil

Permalink Reply by Cori Donohoe on August 29, 2007 at 1:26pm

Strangely enough, the solution that has always worked for me when working remotely is IM. I know it sounds crazy low-tech compared to second life and everything else mentioned, but I've always found video conferencing to be a distraction and kind of a cramp on creativity, and don't even start me on brainstorming over the phone. IM allows you to focus on the pure idea and is a bit more freeing when you aren't so worried about body language or what you look like or how you're being perceived. Granted, I am a writer by trade, but even my partners have always preferred it to phone or video conferencing. Just a view from the trenches for you.

Permalink Reply by Susanna K. Hutcheson on September 3, 2007 at 7:56pm

I had the same problem until I discovered Skype. Aside from being a pretty decent (and cheap) VOIP, it has lots of extras you can get. One of those is a white board and other plug-ins that allow you to collaborate with others in your group. This seems like an ideal solution. There are other Web sites that have collaboration functions. I've never tried them so I don't know how well they work. But I think you'd find Skype worth the try if you haven't already tried it. By the way, it works PC to PC or PC to landline and has conference call function. In addition, there are programs that let you record your meeting.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Thompson on January 25, 2008 at 10:44pm

Try this... http://www.cinesync.com/

You've probably seen or heard about tools like this in the past, however this one actually works well. Popular for creative reviews between directors and their global vendors on major features, but relatively unheard of in the ad world. I would love to use it with agencies but have to push more. Tech support is friendly but lemme' know if you have questions. I'm not affiliated with the developers, we simply dig it.

Ryan
Giantsteps
Venice
ryan@giantsteps.us
www.giantsteps.us

Permalink Reply by Jack Goldenberg on May 25, 2008 at 6:18pm

As far as I know, there really is no ideal way to brainstorm beyond in-person contact. Certainly, video conferencing could help a little because there is some interaction in seeing other people and being seen. At least it's more personal than a pure audio brainstorm via phone.

Everybody has their own way of brainstorming, but I've found the best way is to start on a non-brainstorm topic, like kinds of cars or uses for a brick, or recipes for a disaster. Three or four of those non-topic topics is usually a good way to get the brain cells moving and it gives people a sense of participating before the real "work" begins.

Jack Goldenberg
www.obamawatches.com