头脑风暴是个听起来很现代化的技巧，但它其实是一个百年前的想法，并在 60 多年前就已传播得广为人知。如今大大小小、各行各业的公司也都会在日常使用头脑风暴这个工具，但其实际的效果差别很大，这当中会有各种各样的实操问题。但不管怎样，头脑风暴作为一种脑力练习是值得推崇的，可以帮助我们自己跳出许多思维定式以及鼓励我们打破惯性。
很多人认为开展一场头脑风暴能想到新的好想法，然而等到自己实操的时候发现并不如意。一些最近的认知科学研究也是这么认为的，例如这篇论文《头脑风暴小组的生产力损失：元分析集成》 。他们的研究发现可以简单总结成以下两方面：
大脑的局限
- 人们对眼前的材料进行思考时，大脑会对那些更容易想到的想法赋予最高优先级，然而这些最容易想到的想法未必是合适的
- 人们的大脑更容易记起最近遇到、看到的信息，尤其是那些带以感情、生动而具体的信息
- 人们更倾向于喜欢最初产生的想法，即便它们跟题目不太相关也不愿舍弃
这一部份的问题，主要来自人类大脑的限制，所以最好通过外部系统帮助解决，比如养成记笔记的习惯。这样是把短期有时间限制的头脑风暴，拉长作为长期的行为，让每个想法能得到充分的发酵和评估。
协同的影响
- 多人头脑风暴时，产生的好想法往往越少，而且参与者往往会不自觉把自己限制在更狭小的想象空间内；
- 帕金森琐碎定理：人多的时候往往会对琐碎简单的小事花费大量时间讨论，反而对那些重大决议用很少时间，且参会人数越多越明显；
这一部份的问题，主要是来自协同工作的衍生问题。自己独处时产生的想法可能比一群人头脑风暴时产生的想法要好，换句话说就是回避头脑风暴。例如可以通过“让参与者事先准备好自己的头脑风暴，随后把所有人的结果归总整理”来规避；或者可以通过“把大会拆成小会、减少与会人数”来解决。
如何解决
基于以上问题的考虑，我开发了「创意便签」InspireNote 这款应用。首先它是一个轻量级的笔记，可以记录日常的所有想法，按项目进行整理，这种随身的笔记形式让你可以随时翻阅，让每个想法能得到充分的发酵和评估，不断打磨。此外它提供了一些经过验证有效的常用思路卡片，利用这些卡片可以更好地帮助你进行头脑风暴练习。它特别适合创意工作者、设计专业学生等人群。点击下方按钮即可在苹果 App Store 进行下载（暂无安卓版本）。
Problems in brainstorming practice
Many people expect a brainstorming session to yield innovative and valuable ideas. However, when put into practice, the results often fall short of expectations. Recent cognitive science studies support this observation, revealing several underlying issues:
The Brain’s Limitations
- Prioritizing the Obvious
When thinking about available material, our brains tend to prioritize ideas that are easiest to recall. Unfortunately, these readily available ideas are not always the most appropriate. - Recency Bias
Our minds are more likely to recall recent, emotionally charged, vivid, or concrete information, which can skew our thinking. - Attachment to Initial Ideas
People often become attached to the first ideas they generate, even if these ideas are only loosely related to the topic, making it hard to let go of them.
These issues stem from the inherent limitations of human cognition. To address them, it’s best to leverage external systems, such as adopting a habit of note-taking. By transforming brainstorming from a time-limited exercise into an ongoing practice, ideas can be revisited, refined, and evaluated more thoroughly over time.
The Pitfalls of Collaboration
- Fewer Good Ideas
Group brainstorming sessions often yield fewer valuable ideas, as participants may unconsciously confine themselves to a narrower range of imagination. - Parkinson’s Triviality Law
Groups tend to spend disproportionate amounts of time on trivial matters while allocating minimal time to critical decisions. The larger the group, the more pronounced this effect becomes.
These challenges arise from the dynamics of collaborative work. Surprisingly, ideas generated in solitude can sometimes be better than those produced in a group setting. To mitigate these issues, consider alternative approaches, such as:
- Individual Preparation: Ask participants to brainstorm independently beforehand, then consolidate everyone’s ideas for review.
- Smaller Groups: Break large meetings into smaller, more focused sessions with fewer attendees.
A Solution: InspireNote
With these challenges in mind, I developed the InspireNote app. It serves as a lightweight note-taking tool to capture and organize ideas by project, making it easy to revisit and refine them over time. This approach ensures that every idea has the opportunity to mature and be thoroughly evaluated.
In addition, InspireNote offers a collection of proven brainstorming prompts and cards designed to stimulate creativity and guide brainstorming exercises effectively. It’s particularly well-suited for creative professionals, design students, and anyone in need of a structured way to cultivate and manage their ideas. Download it now from the Apple App Store (currently iOS only).
