What Is Round-robin Brainstorming? Round-robin Brainstorming In A Nutshell

Round-robin brainstorming is a collective and iterative approach to brainstorming. Brainstorming is an effective way of generating fresh ideas for an organization. Round-robin brainstorming is a balanced approach, employing an iterative, circular process that builds on the previous contribution of each participant.

Element	Description
Concept Overview	Round-Robin Brainstorming is a structured group creativity technique used to generate a wide range of ideas or solutions to a problem or challenge. It ensures that all participants have an equal opportunity to contribute their thoughts and encourages diverse thinking.
Key Components	Round-Robin Brainstorming typically involves the following components: (1) Small group setting, (2) Sequential idea sharing, (3) Timed rotations, (4) Facilitator guidance, (5) Idea recording, (6) Group discussion and evaluation.
Small Group Setting	Participants are divided into small groups, usually consisting of 4-6 members. These groups provide a comfortable environment for brainstorming and encourage active participation.
Sequential Idea Sharing	In each group, participants take turns sharing one idea at a time in a clockwise or counterclockwise rotation. This sequential process ensures that everyone’s ideas are heard and avoids interruptions.
Timed Rotations	A facilitator or timer manages the process, allocating a specific time limit for each rotation. This keeps the brainstorming session structured and efficient. Participants are encouraged to think quickly and stay focused.
Facilitator Guidance	A facilitator guides the session, sets the problem statement or topic, explains the rules, manages the timing, and encourages positive and open-minded interactions. The facilitator ensures that the process flows smoothly.
Idea Recording	Ideas shared during the round-robin process are recorded on a whiteboard, flipchart, or digital tool visible to all participants. This recording allows everyone to see and build upon previously shared ideas.
Group Discussion and Evaluation	After all participants have had a chance to contribute ideas, the group engages in a discussion to elaborate on the generated ideas, clarify their potential, and evaluate their feasibility. This phase helps refine and select the most promising concepts.
Implications of Round-Robin Brainstorming	– Equal Participation: It ensures that all participants have an equal opportunity to contribute, regardless of their speaking order. – Diverse Ideas: The structured approach promotes diverse thinking and reduces the influence of dominant voices. – Efficient Idea Generation: Timed rotations maintain focus and efficiency during the brainstorming process.
Benefits of Round-Robin Brainstorming	– Inclusivity: It fosters an inclusive environment, making it suitable for diverse groups. – Idea Generation: It generates a wide range of ideas and encourages creative thinking. – Minimizes Interruptions: Sequential sharing reduces interruptions and ensures that each idea receives attention.
Drawbacks and Limitations	– Time-Consuming: The process can be time-consuming, especially with larger groups or complex topics. – Limited Interaction: It may not allow for immediate discussion and elaboration of ideas. – Idea Evaluation: In-depth evaluation may require additional time outside the session.
Applications of the Approach	– Business Innovation: Organizations use round-robin brainstorming to develop innovative product ideas or marketing strategies. – Education: It is applied in educational settings to encourage creative thinking and problem-solving among students. – Problem-Solving: Teams utilize this approach to address complex challenges and find solutions. – Research and Development: Scientists and researchers employ it to generate new hypotheses and research directions.
Examples of Round-Robin Brainstorming	– Corporate Strategy: A team of executives gathers to brainstorm strategies for entering a new market, taking turns to share their ideas. – Classroom Exercise: Students participate in round-robin brainstorming to generate project topics, each contributing one idea at a time. – Product Development: A cross-functional team in a tech company engages in round-robin brainstorming to ideate new features for a software product. – Scientific Research: Researchers employ the technique to brainstorm potential experiments and hypotheses for a scientific study.

Table of Contents

Implementing a Round-Robin Brainstorming Session

Implementing a round-robin brainstorming session is a relatively straightforward process that can be easily adopted by teams looking to promote equal participation and collaboration. The following steps outline how to conduct a round-robin brainstorming session effectively:

Arrange the Team in a Circle: Gather the team members in a circular arrangement to facilitate equal participation and visibility. Provide each participant with an index card or a similar tool to record their ideas.
Clearly Articulate the Problem: The facilitator should clearly articulate the problem to be solved and outline the company’s objectives for the brainstorming session. Encourage participants to focus on generating ideas and refrain from discussing or evaluating them at this stage.
Silent Brainstorming: Each participant should take a few minutes to brainstorm ideas silently, writing them down on their index cards. This allows individuals to generate ideas without the influence of others and ensures that all ideas are given equal consideration.
Passing Ideas: After the brainstorming period, each participant should pass their idea card to the person seated adjacent to them. This begins the iterative process of building on each other’s ideas.
Iterative Process: Participants should use the idea provided by their neighbor as inspiration for generating a new idea or improving upon the existing one. Some variations of round-robin brainstorming may involve identifying possible risks or obstacles to each idea. The idea cards are passed around the circle, with each participant contributing to the development and refinement of the ideas.
Continuous Swapping: The circular swapping process continues for as long as necessary, with each participant contributing to the ideation process. The facilitator may choose to set a time limit or determine when sufficient ideas have been generated.
Collation and Discussion: Once all ideas have been exchanged and developed, they are collated and discussed by the group. This allows participants to evaluate the ideas collectively and identify the most promising ones for further consideration.

Advantages of Round-Robin Brainstorming

Round-robin brainstorming offers several advantages over traditional brainstorming methods:

Equal Participation: By ensuring that each participant has the opportunity to contribute ideas in turn, round-robin brainstorming promotes equal participation and prevents dominant personalities from monopolizing the discussion.
Collaborative Environment: The iterative and collaborative nature of round-robin brainstorming fosters a supportive and inclusive environment where all ideas are valued and considered.
Diverse Perspectives: By building on each other’s ideas, round-robin brainstorming allows for the integration of diverse perspectives and encourages creativity and innovation.
Structured Process: The structured approach of round-robin brainstorming helps to organize the ideation process and ensures that all ideas are systematically explored and developed.

Disadvantages of Round-Robin Brainstorming

While round-robin brainstorming offers many benefits, it also has some limitations:

Lack of Idea Anonymity: Some participants may feel reluctant to share their ideas openly, fearing judgment or criticism from others. This lack of anonymity may hinder the free flow of ideas and limit the effectiveness of the brainstorming session.
Limited Input: Since each participant can only build on the ideas of the person seated next to them, there is a risk of overlooking valuable contributions from other team members. This limitation may restrict the diversity and creativity of the ideas generated.

Case Studies

1. Redesigning a Company Logo

Step 1 (Silent Brainstorming): Each team member sketches or writes down logo design ideas on their index cards without discussing them.
Step 2 (Pass Ideas): Everyone passes their index cards with logo ideas to the person sitting to their right.
Step 3 (Build on Ideas): Team members use the ideas they receive as inspiration to refine or expand upon the logo concepts.
Step 4 (Pass Again): Index cards are passed to the right again, and the process continues.
Step 5 (Discussion and Evaluation): After several rounds, the group discusses and evaluates the logo concepts to select the most promising design.

2. Improving Customer Service in a Retail Store

Step 1 (Silent Brainstorming): Each team member writes down ideas for improving customer service on their index cards.
Step 2 (Pass Ideas): Index cards with ideas are passed to the person on the right.
Step 3 (Build on Ideas): Team members use the received ideas to brainstorm additional strategies for enhancing customer service.
Step 4 (Pass Again): Index cards are passed to the right again, and the process continues.
Step 5 (Discussion and Evaluation): The group discusses and evaluates the proposed customer service improvements, prioritizing the most effective ones.

3. Planning a Marketing Campaign for a New Product

Step 1 (Silent Brainstorming): Each team member jots down marketing campaign ideas for the new product.
Step 2 (Pass Ideas): Pass index cards to the person on the right.
Step 3 (Build on Ideas): Team members use the received ideas to develop marketing strategies, including social media campaigns, influencer partnerships, and advertising approaches.
Step 4 (Pass Again): Continue passing index cards to the right for further ideation.
Step 5 (Discussion and Evaluation): Evaluate the marketing campaign ideas, considering their potential impact and cost-effectiveness.

4. Enhancing Safety Measures in a Manufacturing Plant

Step 1 (Silent Brainstorming): Each team member writes down safety improvement ideas on their index cards.
Step 2 (Pass Ideas): Pass index cards to the person on the right.
Step 3 (Build on Ideas): Team members use the received safety ideas to brainstorm additional safety protocols and equipment upgrades.
Step 4 (Pass Again): Continue passing index cards for ongoing safety brainstorming.
Step 5 (Discussion and Evaluation): Discuss and evaluate the proposed safety enhancements to prioritize implementation.

5. Creating Innovative Features for a Mobile App

Step 1 (Silent Brainstorming): Team members individually list innovative features for the mobile app.
Step 2 (Pass Ideas): Pass index cards to the person on the right.
Step 3 (Build on Ideas): Use received ideas to develop more advanced features or refine existing ones.
Step 4 (Pass Again): Continue passing index cards for further feature ideation.
Step 5 (Discussion and Evaluation): Discuss and evaluate the innovative features to select those most suitable for the app.

Key takeaways

Round-robin brainstorming is a collective and iterative approach to generating creative ideas.
Round-robin brainstorming is implemented in six easy steps. Each step should be completed without discussion to give creative ideas equal weight. Discussion should only be encouraged at the sixth and final step when ideas are evaluated.
Round-robin brainstorming helps teams build momentum and confidence, leading to creative insights that may not have been apparent in other brainstorming techniques. However, some argue that a relative lack of anonymity might still allow larger personalities to dominate the ideation process.

Key Highlights of Round-Robin Brainstorming:

Definition and Purpose: Round-robin brainstorming is a collective and iterative approach to brainstorming that aims to balance the contribution of all participants. It involves a structured and circular process where each participant builds on the previous idea, making it suitable for situations with a diverse range of personalities.
Advantages of Round-Robin Brainstorming:
- Equal Consideration: All ideas are given equal consideration and can be improved upon collaboratively.
- Momentum: The process gains momentum as it moves around the circle, potentially uncovering overlooked ideas.
- Empowered Teams: Empowers teams to act on larger or more creative ideas.
Disadvantages of Round-Robin Brainstorming:
- Lack of Anonymity: Some team members might withhold ideas due to a lack of idea anonymity.
- Limited Input: Ideas can only be improved upon by the person seated next, limiting input from the entire group.
Implementing Round-Robin Brainstorming:
- Arrange participants in a circle and provide index cards for recording ideas.
- Clearly state the problem and objectives while discouraging discussion.
- Participants brainstorm ideas in silence.
- Ideas are passed to adjacent participants, who use them as inspiration for new ideas.
- Circular swapping continues as long as needed, and ideas are collated, discussed, and evaluated.

Comparison’s Table	Round-robin Brainstorming	Nominal Group Technique	Rapid Ideation Process
Type	Brainstorming technique where each participant shares ideas in a structured, sequential manner, ensuring equal participation and idea generation.	Structured group problem-solving technique that encourages equal participation and idea generation while minimizing dominance and groupthink.	Iterative brainstorming process that emphasizes quick idea generation and collaboration to produce a large volume of creative solutions rapidly.
Purpose	To facilitate equitable participation and idea generation among team members by providing a structured format for sharing ideas one by one.	To encourage active participation, idea generation, and consensus building among group members in problem-solving or decision-making processes.	To generate a high volume of diverse ideas quickly, fostering creativity, collaboration, and exploration of unconventional solutions.
Key Components	– Sequential sharing: Participants share ideas one by one in a predetermined order, ensuring equal opportunity for contribution. – Time limits: Each participant has a set time to share their ideas, promoting efficiency and focused brainstorming. – Facilitator guidance: A facilitator guides the process, maintains time limits, and ensures adherence to the round-robin format.	– Silent idea generation: Group members independently generate ideas or solutions to a problem or question without discussion. – Round-robin sharing: Each participant shares their ideas in a predetermined order, with facilitator moderation to prevent domination. – Discussion and ranking: Group members discuss and evaluate the ideas generated, reaching consensus on the most viable solutions.	– Ideation sessions: Conducted in short, time-boxed sessions focused on rapid idea generation without extensive discussion or evaluation. – Diverse participation: All team members actively contribute ideas, building on each other’s suggestions to stimulate creativity and innovation. – Iterative refinement: Ideas are quickly captured, reviewed, and refined through multiple ideation cycles to generate a broad range of potential solutions.
Application	Utilized in group brainstorming sessions, team meetings, or problem-solving workshops to ensure equal participation and idea sharing among team members.	Applied in decision-making processes, problem-solving sessions, or innovation workshops to generate diverse ideas, prioritize solutions, and reach consensus effectively.	Employed in design thinking workshops, innovation labs, or agile project environments to rapidly generate, prototype, and test creative solutions to complex challenges or opportunities.
Focus	Focuses on promoting equitable participation, idea sharing, and collaboration among team members by providing a structured format for sharing ideas.	Focuses on fostering creativity, consensus building, and decision-making through a structured process of silent idea generation, sharing, and evaluation.	Focuses on rapid idea generation, iteration, and refinement to explore a wide range of potential solutions quickly and efficiently.
Benefits	– Ensures equal participation and contribution from all team members, preventing domination and encouraging diverse perspectives. – Facilitates focused idea generation and efficient brainstorming sessions through structured sharing and time limits.	– Promotes independent idea generation, minimizing groupthink and bias while ensuring all ideas are considered and evaluated objectively. – Facilitates consensus building and decision-making by systematically reviewing and ranking ideas based on their merits.	– Accelerates idea generation and solution development by streamlining the brainstorming process and emphasizing quick iteration and collaboration. – Fosters creativity and innovation through a high-paced, collaborative approach to ideation and problem-solving.

Technique	Description	When to Apply
Mind Mapping	Visualizes ideas and their relationships.	When exploring connections between ideas.
Brainwriting	Silent brainstorming where participants write down ideas.	When you want to encourage individual input without group influence.
SCAMPER	Modifies existing ideas through Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse.	When you need structured creativity to improve or change an idea.
Round-Robin Brainstorming	Participants take turns contributing ideas.	When ensuring equal participation in idea generation.
Affinity Diagrams	Groups ideas into categories for analysis.	When organizing a large number of ideas into meaningful categories.
SWOT Analysis	Identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.	When assessing strategic position and opportunities.
Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa)	Identifies root causes of problems.	When solving complex problems by tracing causes.
Six Thinking Hats	Examines ideas from multiple perspectives.	When needing a comprehensive evaluation of an idea.
Brainstorming Sessions	Group activity to generate ideas.	When needing to generate a wide range of ideas quickly.
Rapid Ideation	Generates ideas quickly under time constraints.	When time is limited and you need a burst of creativity.
Idea Board	Visual display of ideas for collaboration.	When needing a central place to gather and refine ideas.
Random Word Association	Uses random words to trigger new ideas.	When stuck in conventional thinking patterns.
Brainstorming Web	Connects related ideas visually.	When exploring the relationships between different ideas.
Reverse Brainstorming	Focuses on how to cause a problem instead of solving it.	When needing to identify potential pitfalls or weaknesses in an idea.
Gap Analysis	Identifies gaps between current and desired states.	When assessing the current situation against goals.
Wishing Technique	Participants wish for ideal outcomes.	When looking for aspirational and innovative ideas.
Concept Fan	Expands on an initial idea to generate more ideas.	When needing to deepen or broaden an initial concept.
Question Storming	Generates questions to uncover new ideas.	When needing to explore a problem deeply through questioning.
Starbursting	Explores an idea through questions starting with Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.	When needing a thorough examination of an idea from all angles.
Trigger Method	Uses triggers to spark new ideas.	When needing external stimuli to generate ideas.
Lotus Blossom Technique	Expands on core ideas by surrounding them with related ideas.	When needing to develop a central idea in detail.
Idea Box (Morphological Analysis)	Combines different parameters to generate ideas.	When needing to explore all possible combinations of factors.
Crawford’s Slip Writing	Participants write down ideas anonymously.	When needing to gather uninfluenced and honest ideas from participants.
Nominal Group Technique	Structured method for group brainstorming.	When requiring structured and equal participation from all group members.
Disney Creative Strategy	Uses three roles: Dreamer, Realist, and Critic.	When needing to refine ideas by looking at them from different perspectives.
BRAIN	Blueprint, Random connections, Assimilate, Integrate, New thinking.	When needing a structured approach to creative problem-solving.
Attribute Listing	Lists attributes of a problem and explores variations.	When needing to dissect and innovate on a specific aspect of a problem.
Analogies and Metaphors	Uses analogies to generate new ideas.	When needing to think about problems in a new and unfamiliar way.
Collaborative Brainwriting	Participants build on each other’s ideas in writing.	When encouraging collaborative idea development without verbal discussion.
Dot Voting	Participants vote on the best ideas using dots.	When needing to prioritize ideas quickly and democratically.
Forced Connections	Combines unrelated concepts to generate new ideas.	When needing to break free from conventional thinking patterns.
Negative Brainstorming	Focuses on what not to do.	When needing to identify risks and potential pitfalls.
Freewriting	Writes continuously to generate ideas.	When needing to bypass internal filters and generate raw ideas.
Crowdsourcing	Collects ideas from a large group of people.	When needing a wide range of ideas from a diverse group.
Idea Lottery	Randomly selects and combines ideas.	When needing to combine elements in unexpected ways to generate new ideas.
Whiteboarding	Uses a whiteboard to visualize and connect ideas.	When needing a collaborative space for group idea generation.
Bodystorming	Acts out scenarios to generate ideas.	When needing to physically engage with a problem to generate ideas.
Role Storming	Participants assume different roles to generate ideas.	When needing to see a problem from various perspectives.
Group Passing Technique	Each participant adds to the previous idea.	When needing collaborative idea building with a structured process.
Storyboarding	Visualizes ideas in a sequential format.	When needing to communicate and develop ideas through a narrative.
Mind Scripting	Writes scripts to explore different scenarios.	When needing to explore and develop ideas through detailed scenarios.
Idea Ranking	Ranks ideas based on criteria.	When needing to prioritize ideas based on their potential impact and feasibility.
Circle of Opportunity	Uses a circular diagram to explore ideas.	When needing to visualize and connect various opportunities.
Problem Reversal	Reverses the problem to find new solutions.	When needing to think about a problem from a completely different angle.
Word Storming	Focuses on key words to generate ideas.	When needing to generate ideas centered around specific terms or concepts.
Concept Mapping	Visualizes relationships between concepts.	When needing to explore and understand the connections between various ideas.
Hexagonal Thinking	Uses hexagons to connect ideas.	When needing to visually and spatially organize and connect ideas.
Idea Speed Dating	Pairs participants to rapidly exchange ideas.	When needing quick and varied input from multiple participants.
Empathy Mapping	Uses empathy to understand user needs and generate ideas.	When needing to generate ideas that are deeply rooted in user needs and perspectives.
Visioning	Imagines future scenarios to generate ideas.	When needing to think long-term and generate aspirational ideas.
Divergent Thinking	Generates many different ideas.	When needing a broad range of ideas and solutions.
Convergent Thinking	Narrows down ideas to the best ones.	When needing to refine and select the best ideas from a large pool.
User Stories	Creates user scenarios to generate ideas.	When needing to develop ideas based on specific user needs and experiences.
Customer Journey Mapping	Visualizes customer experiences to find opportunities.	When needing to identify pain points and opportunities within the customer journey.
Action Priority Matrix	Prioritizes ideas based on impact and effort.	When needing to focus on the most impactful and feasible ideas.
Thought Experiment	Explores ideas through hypothetical scenarios.	When needing to test and explore ideas in a safe, theoretical context.
Pre-Mortem Analysis	Anticipates potential failures to improve ideas.	When needing to identify and address potential risks before implementation.
Brain-netting	Conducts brainstorming sessions online.	When needing to collaborate and generate ideas remotely.
Painstorming	Focuses on pain points to generate ideas.	When needing to address and solve specific problems or challenges.
Idea Splicing	Combines parts of different ideas to create new ones.	When needing to innovate by merging existing concepts.
Socratic Questioning	Uses deep questioning to generate ideas.	When needing to explore ideas through rigorous and thoughtful questioning.
Five Whys	Asks “why” five times to get to the root cause of a problem.	When needing to uncover the underlying causes of a problem.
Innovation Tournament	Competes to generate the best ideas.	When needing a competitive element to drive idea generation and refinement.
SWOT Brainstorming	Combines SWOT analysis with brainstorming.	When needing to assess and generate ideas based on internal and external factors.
Idea Matrix	Organizes ideas into a matrix for evaluation.	When needing to systematically evaluate and compare ideas.
Brainwriting Pool	Collects written ideas in a pool for group discussion.	When needing to gather and pool ideas for collective evaluation and discussion.
Innovation Sprint	Short, focused sessions to generate ideas.	When needing rapid and intense idea generation and development.
Role Play Brainstorming	Uses role play to generate ideas.	When needing to understand and generate ideas from different perspectives.
Chunking	Breaks down problems into smaller parts to generate ideas.	When needing to manage and solve complex problems by addressing smaller components.
Opportunity Mind Map	Maps opportunities visually.	When needing to visualize and explore various opportunities.
Sailboat Retrospective	Uses a sailboat metaphor to reflect and generate ideas.	When needing a creative and engaging way to reflect on progress and generate new ideas.
Idea Journaling	Keeps a journal to capture and develop ideas.	When needing to continuously capture and refine ideas over time.
Affinity Mapping	Groups similar ideas together.	When needing to organize and make sense of a large number of ideas.
Futurism	Envisions future possibilities to generate ideas.	When needing to think ahead and generate ideas based on future trends and scenarios.
Customer Feedback Analysis	Uses customer feedback to generate ideas.	When needing to generate ideas based on actual customer insights and experiences.
Business Model Canvas	Maps business components to find opportunities.	When needing to explore and innovate on business models.
Lean Canvas	Simplifies the business model canvas for rapid idea generation.	When needing a quick and efficient way to develop and test business ideas.
Problem Framing	Reframes problems to generate new ideas.	When needing to see problems in a new light to find innovative solutions.
Lightning Decision Jam	Rapidly generates and decides on ideas.	When needing quick and actionable ideas with immediate decision-making.
Ethnographic Research	Observes users to generate ideas.	When needing deep and contextual insights into user behavior and needs.
Idea Tournament	Competes to refine and select the best ideas.	When needing a structured competition to drive innovation and idea selection.
SWOT Workshop	Conducts workshops combining SWOT and brainstorming.	When needing to integrate strategic analysis with creative idea generation.
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)	Analyzes failures to generate improvement ideas.	When needing to proactively identify and mitigate potential failures.
Analogical Thinking	Uses analogies to generate ideas.	When needing to leverage similarities between different concepts to generate new ideas.
Interactive Brainstorming	Uses interactive tools to facilitate brainstorming.	When needing dynamic and engaging methods to generate ideas.
Stakeholder Brainstorming	Engages stakeholders in idea generation.	When needing input and buy-in from various stakeholders.
Idea Parking Lot	Keeps a list of ideas for future consideration.	When needing to capture and save ideas that cannot be addressed immediately.
Strategic Brainstorming	Focuses brainstorming on strategic goals.	When needing to align idea generation with long-term strategic objectives.
Productive Thinking Model	Uses structured thinking to generate ideas.	When needing a systematic approach to creative problem-solving.
Opportunity Canvas	Focuses on opportunities within the business model.	When needing to identify and develop new business opportunities.
Conceptual Blockbusting	Overcomes mental blocks to generate ideas.	When needing to break through creative barriers and generate fresh ideas.
Hybrid Brainstorming	Combines different brainstorming techniques.	When needing to leverage multiple methods for diverse idea generation.
Challenge Mapping	Maps challenges to find solutions.	When needing to understand and address specific challenges in detail.
Design Charrette	Intensive planning session to generate ideas.	When needing a focused and collaborative effort to solve a design problem.
Braintrust Sessions	Uses a trusted group to generate and refine ideas.	When needing expert input and collaboration for idea refinement.
Value Proposition Canvas	Develops value propositions through brainstorming.	When needing to create and refine value propositions for products or services.
Innovation Jam	Intensive, collaborative brainstorming sessions.	When needing a concentrated burst of creativity and idea generation.
Delphi Method	Uses expert consensus to generate ideas.	When needing to leverage expert knowledge and consensus for idea generation.
Creative Problem Solving (CPS)	Structured process for generating ideas.	When needing a step-by-step approach to solve complex problems creatively.
World Café	Facilitates large group brainstorming through roundtable discussions.	When needing to engage a large group in collaborative idea generation.