Brainstorming

Brainstorming: The Creative Process
(An Artist’s Model)

A definition

the act of imagining new ideas, new solutions, new relationships. It is almost synonymous with creativity itself.

The practice of brainstorming is an activity common and widespread in the arts community, particularly in the area of theatre in which many disparate departments and disciplines (set construction, costume construction, music, sound, lights, publicity, management etc.) must work toward a single goal—a successful and coherent production.

An important premise:

Creativity is a human faculty that can be exercised and improved. It is not exclusively a matter of "talent" or "divine gift" or "chance."

There are some important perspectives that are crucial to the success of brainstorming/creativity (not in any particular order or priority).

Willingness to take risks
Willingness to suppress editorializing
Willingness to appear ridiculous
Willingness to give up and let go of an idea
Willingness to endure hearing others’ opinions of your ideas
Willingness to relinquish individual territory
Willingness to draw a line between personal and professional
Willingness to care more for a successful result than individuals and their feelings

In the process of collaborative brainstorming, it is important to realize that by using the above perspectives one quickly begins to realize that any and all suggestions are possible solutions. Knowledge and experience inform the choices, but what may initially seem ridiculous to offer to a discussion might contain only a germ of an idea to be further developed or may trigger another idea in the mind of a colleague.