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Exercises/Ideation Warm-Ups & Brainstorming
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Exercises for Ideation Warm-Ups & Brainstorming

Short structured prompts push a group to generate many possible ideas quickly, before narrowing to a direction, using techniques like forced connections or rapid listing. Reach for one right before a brainstorm or design session to loosen up thinking.

Explore exercises grouped by theme. Read each run sheet to check the task, group size and setting before choosing.

204 exercises

Awestruck 3 Minutes

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

How Might We

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Skill Will Matrix

Team Reflection · 30 to 60 minutes

Image Brainstorming

Prompted Conversation · 15 to 30 minutes

SCAMPER Idea Generation

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Personal Buzzfeed

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

3-12-3 Brainstorm

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Random Words

Prompted Conversation · 15 to 30 minutes

Idea Boxes

General Collaboration Exercise · 15 to 30 minutes

Creative Problem Solving Suite

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Idea Speed Dating

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

50 Word Epiphany

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Use Your Amygdala

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

The Emperor's Thumb

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Serial Jolts

Team Reflection · 5 to 15 minutes

15% Solutions

General Collaboration Exercise · 15 to 30 minutes

7Ps Framework

Applied Improv · 15 to 30 minutes

Responses to No

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Phone Stacking

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Synesthesia

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Time Wasters

Personal Disclosure · 30 to 60 minutes

Place Your Bets

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Divergent Thinking Mind Map Style

Relationship Mapping · 15 to 30 minutes

Argue It Out

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Hot Potato Tags

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Cups and Straws: UWT Prototype Version

Team Reflection · 30 to 60 minutes

Brain Shifter

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Q Test

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Business Books

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Twenty-Two Habits for Better Creativity

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Prediction Markets

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Generations

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Structured Sticky Note Brainstorming

Prompted Conversation · 30 to 60 minutes

Team Role Development Matrix

Ideation Warm-Up · 60+ minutes

Image-ination

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Drawing Toast

Visual Thinking · 5 to 15 minutes

Silent Deck Reading

Silent Review · 5 to 15 minutes

Concerns in a Hat

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Impromptu Networking

Prompted Conversation · 5 to 15 minutes

PechaKucha 20x20

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

One Word Whip

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Backchannel Screen

Team Reflection · 15 to 30 minutes

The Relationship Start-up

Relationship Mapping · 15 to 30 minutes

Fishbowl

Circle Dialogue · 30 to 60 minutes

Crazy 8s

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

Brainwriting

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Idea Volume Brainstorming

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Ideas Marketplace

Team Reflection · 30 to 60 minutes

Metaphors

Team Reflection · 30 to 60 minutes

Phone-a-Friend Resource Mapping

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Building and Shifting the Discourse

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Practicing Deliberation with Others: Legislative Jury

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Phillips 6/6

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Restart Your Morning

Collaborative Story Building · 5 to 15 minutes

Elephant in the Room

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

I Like, I Wish, I Wonder

Team Reflection · 15 to 30 minutes

Plus/Delta

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

4 Markers for Your Odds

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Build the Checklist

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Too Fast Too Slow

Prompted Conversation · 5 to 15 minutes

Seeking Innovation with Good Word Connections

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Braindrawing

Visual Thinking · 15 to 30 minutes

Nippon

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Jeffersonian Dinner Discussion

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Sound for the Source

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Random Inputs

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

The Pitch

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Triangles

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

New Personality Research

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Situationist Drift

General Collaboration Exercise · 30 to 60 minutes

Hackman Five-Factor Team Diagnostic Workshop

General Collaboration Exercise · 60+ minutes

Concept Route

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Better Solution

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Walk in the Door Big Share

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Porter's Five Forces Workshop

Applied Improv · 30 to 60 minutes

Affinity Diagram

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Rain Maker

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Plus Delta Feedback

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Idea Storm

Applied Improv · 15 to 30 minutes

Speed Networking People Science Style

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

Luck in an Envelope

Adventure Initiative · 60+ minutes

One Simple Post-It for Success

Arrival Check-In · 5 to 15 minutes

Triads

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Feel or Be in AWE

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Mandela Strategies: UWT Reading Discussion

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Crazy 8s

Visual Thinking · 15 to 30 minutes

Big Solutions in a Box Walk

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Action Needed

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Anticipating Challenges

Prompted Conversation · 30 to 60 minutes

Group Line-Up Strategy

Team Reflection · 5 to 15 minutes

Quick Share Experiments

Team Reflection · 5 to 15 minutes

Air Time Mastermind

Name Learning · 15 to 30 minutes

Time Savers

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Point to Present

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Encouraging Bold Imagination

Team Reflection · 30 to 60 minutes

WhoDo

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

The Kipling Method

Prompted Conversation · 15 to 30 minutes

Product Pinocchio

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Curiosity Quotient

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Growth Mindset Workshop

Introductions · 60+ minutes

Round Robin Brainstorming

Circle Dialogue · 15 to 30 minutes

Brainstorming

Prompted Conversation · 30 to 60 minutes

Lumberjack Stack

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

Urban Sketching

Visual Thinking · 30 to 60 minutes

35 Prioritization

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Pixar Critique Sessions

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Whip Around

Prompted Conversation · 5 to 15 minutes

Brainwriting

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

The Sunset

Visual Thinking · 5 to 15 minutes

Your Add

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

Reaction Envelopes

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Smarter Faster Better Workshop

Applied Improv · 60+ minutes

Radical Candor Workshop

General Collaboration Exercise · 60+ minutes

Affinity Frame

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

Peacock Focus

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Walk About

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

5-3-1 Summarizing Technique

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Saturate and Group

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

App Kick-Off Long Term Digital Connections

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

If Then

Relationship Mapping · 5 to 15 minutes

Reverse Brainstorming

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

5-Minute Ideas

Team Reflection · 30 to 60 minutes

Mask Making

Visual Thinking · 30 to 60 minutes

Prune the Future

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Switch It Brainstorm

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

25/10 Crowd Sourcing

General Collaboration Exercise · 15 to 30 minutes

Black Swan Workshop

Personal Disclosure · 60+ minutes

Fishbowl Panel

Prompted Conversation · 30 to 60 minutes

Min Specs

General Collaboration Exercise · 30 to 60 minutes

C.I.A. Crazy Idea Brainstorm

Ideation Warm-Up · 60+ minutes

Draw Your Feelings

Team Reflection · 5 to 15 minutes

Read Weirdly and Widely

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

What is in Your Toolkit?

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Visualize It!

Ideation Warm-Up · 60+ minutes

Lo-Tech Social Network

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Reading Club

Relationship Mapping · 30 to 60 minutes

Round Robin Brainstorming

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Flip It

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Remember and Do Build

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Atomize

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Fishbone Diagram

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Is Scrum Right for Us?

General Collaboration Exercise · 60+ minutes

Status Center

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

How-Now-Wow Matrix

Ideation Warm-Up · 15 to 30 minutes

Apples

Visual Thinking · 15 to 30 minutes

Do, Redo & Undo

Prompted Conversation · 30 to 60 minutes

Double Brainstorming

Ideation Warm-Up · 30 to 60 minutes

Hemingway Memoirs

Ideation Warm-Up · 5 to 15 minutes

Preparing for AI Disruption

General Collaboration Exercise · 60+ minutes

Cross-Team Connections

General Collaboration Exercise · 5 to 15 minutes

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