GENERATOR
This basic activity has a wide range of applications. As an alternative to the usual Brainstorming activity, this will produce lots of ideas for future work.
TIME REQUIRED
50 minutes.
RESOURCES
A variety of sticky notes: colours, shapes, sizes – the more the better.
Prepared QUESTIONS on A4 card. (agreed with the organisers in advance of the session).
Marker pens.
ACTION
- The Facilitator posts an A4 card QUESTION on a wall space.
- In silence, participants write their ideas in answer to the A4 QUESTION on sticky notes; one answer per note. (10 minutes)
- Participants are invited forward to post their notes on the wall under the QUESTION and offer a brief explanation – no discussion. (10 minutes)
- When everyone has posted, anyone who has been inspired to write additional notes may post them on the wall. (2 minutes)
- This ACTIVITY can be repeated if there are several linked QUESTIONS.
- The ideas generated will be returned to later in the training event depending on the purpose for which they were created: additional ACTIVITIES may be used, for example, CLUSTER MAPPING or DOT VOTING, to further explore a theme.
DISCUSSION (maximum 20 minutes)
Any discussion will be relevant to the theme at issue.
EVALUATION (5 minutes)
QUESTION: “Is GENERATOR effective and relevant for the use to which it is put?”
ADAPTATIONS
How would the group use this ACTIVITY in the future and would they make changes? Capture, record, circulate.
