Participatory Methods

Idea Storm

Idea Storm is a collaborative activity where ideas evolve and grow as they are shared and built upon by different participants. Inspired by the Round Robin method (LUMA Institute / Google Design Sprints), this activity fosters co-creation and group innovation, enabling the development of unique concepts that might not emerge individually.

This method encourages participants to adopt one another’s ideas, reflect critically on them, and then contribute with improvements or new directions. It’s ideal for solving complex challenges, generating creative proposals, and ensuring that every team member’s voice is heard.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Foster collective innovation and the generation of unique ideas.
    • Ensure equitable participation from all team members.
    • Promote critical thinking and continuous improvement of proposals.
  2. Prepare materials:
    • Worksheets folded into four sections (one per participant).
    • Pencils or pens for each person.
    • Whiteboards or flipcharts (optional, for sharing results).
  3. Set up the space:
    • Arrange participants in teams of 4–5 in a comfortable environment for writing and sharing ideas.
  4. To run the activity virtually:
    • Use collaborative platforms that allow structured interaction through digital whiteboards or shared documents.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Introduce the activity:
    • Explain the purpose: to generate and improve ideas collectively through collaborative building.
    • Emphasize that each stage is valuable and that even criticism can lead to innovative solutions.
  2. Present a challenge:
    • Define a design challenge or problem that needs innovative solutions and share it with the group.
  3. Write the initial idea:
    • Each participant writes the challenge in the first section of their worksheet and proposes an unconventional solution.
  4. Share and critique:
    • Participants pass their sheets to the person on their left.
    • In the second section, each person writes a critique or a reason why the proposed solution might fail.
  5. Propose improvements:
    • Sheets are passed again to the next participant.
    • In the third section, participants write a way to solve the problem identified in the critique.
  6. Share results:
    • Finally, sheets are returned to their original authors, who review and share the developed ideas with the group.
Recommendations
  • Provide examples to inspire participants’ initial ideas.
  • Set time limits for each stage to keep the activity flowing and engaging.
  • Encourage participants to receive feedback constructively and see it as an opportunity for improvement.
  • Facilitate a closing discussion on how the ideas evolved and what key insights were gained.
Inspiration

Guiding questions to inspire ideas and critiques

  • For the initial idea:
    • What unconventional solution could address this problem?
    • What would you do if there were no time or resource limitations?
    • How could this challenge be solved in a disruptive way?
  • For the critiques:
    • What could go wrong with this solution?
    • What assumptions are being made that might be incorrect?
    • What parts of the idea are impractical or unclear?
  • For the improvements:
    • How could we adjust this idea to overcome the critiques?
    • What additional resources could make this idea more effective?
    • How could we simplify or adapt this solution to make it more viable?

Activity variations

  • Themed round: Teams work with a specific theme such as sustainability, leadership, or social innovation.
  • Cross-team challenges: Swap worksheets between teams to explore broader perspectives.
  • Visual ideas: Each team presents their final ideas through drawings or diagrams.
  • Time limits: Shorten each stage to encourage fast, spontaneous thinking.
  • Collaborative results: All teams combine their ideas at the end to form a stronger collective proposal.
  • Role-playing: Assign specific roles to participants (e.g., visionary, critic, problem-solver) to better structure the process.
  • Narrative approach: Each team turns their final idea into a short story or metaphor to present to the group.
  • Real-world adaptation: Participants tackle actual challenges from their organization or community to generate practical solutions.
Materials
  • Worksheets folded into four sections.
  • Pencils or pens.
  • Whiteboards or flipcharts (optional).
Online platforms
Purpose
The purpose of Idea Storm is to foster collective innovation and the generation of unique solutions, promoting equitable participation and critical thinking within teams.
Type of activity
Participatory DesignParticipatory Learning
Level of participation
Collaboration, Knowledge generation, Exchange of perspectives
Target audience
Educators, Facilitators, Students, Community leaders, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams, Government, Creative designers, Researchers
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Organizational and business management, Urban and rural planning, Health and social well-being, Art, culture, and creativity, Sustainability and environment, Public policies and governance, Innovation and design, Research and evaluation, Conflict resolution, Technology and digital environments, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
15-30 minutes.
Ideal number of participants
10–25 participants divided into teams of 4–5 members.
Topics related to this activity
Active CollaborationActive LearningCollaborative DesignCollaborative InnovationCollaborative LearningCollective ConstructionCreative Problem SolvingCritical ThinkingDesign ThinkingIdea GenerationInnovative SolutionsKnowledge GenerationParticipatory DesignParticipatory InnovationProblem SolvingSolution GenerationTeamworkVisual CommunicationVisual Creation
Other activities that might interest you
Share this activity