1. Nailing the Scope
Just like you would for an in-person brainstorming session, it’s crucial to clearly define the scope of your discussion. However, when conducting a remote session, the importance is amplified: Every minute becomes valuable when you’re on a video call, as screen fatigue can set in easily, and distractions from Slack messages, GChats, and email notifications abound.
To accomplish this, ensure you can:
Articulate the Why
Why is this brainstorm necessary, and why now? What are your objectives, and what outcomes are you aiming for? A good litmus test for this is to ascertain if the topic warrants multiple voices collaborating in real-time. So, ask yourself: Is the topic complex? Will stakeholder alignment be crucial? Are you working towards actionable next steps? If any of these questions yield a negative response, there’s a risk of wasting participants’ time on something that could have been handled through email or asynchronously.
Remote brainstorming sessions are particularly effective for tackling intricate topics that may be challenging to articulate via email (e.g., discussions about inclusion), for issues requiring alignment (e.g., gathering several executives to deliberate an issue collectively), or for projects experiencing obstacles that demand immediate action (e.g., deciding on the next set of features to develop).
Conversely, if you’re seeking straightforward feedback or a simple yes/no decision, a brainstorming session may not be the best approach. Clearly defining your desired output (e.g., a decision, a list of ideas to explore) will also inform how you structure the brainstorming session later on.
Choose Participants
Thoughtfully Limit participation to essential individuals only—a bloated brainstorming session can be chaotic to manage, especially over a video call, where increased participation leads to more interruptions, repetitive points, and wasted time. (“Sorry, could you repeat that?” “Oops, you go first! No, you go first? Sorry, I’ll go first!”) When compiling your shortlist, consider when input from specific individuals, such as decision-makers, influencers, or subject matter experts, will be needed.
Keep It Concise
Cap the session at one hour maximum—going beyond that risks boredom, distraction, or participants dropping off to attend to other priorities. If your topic is too expansive for an hour, use this opportunity to prioritize ruthlessly and reconsider whether all aspects need to be discussed collectively, or if some can be delegated to asynchronous communication channels. If a topic absolutely necessitates group discussion and an hour isn’t sufficient, consider hosting multiple brainstorming sessions over several days, but this should be a last resort.
2. Prepare Your Participants
Whether you’re conducting a brainstorming session in person or remotely, it’s essential to ensure that your participants have the necessary information to contribute effectively. Providing them with clear expectations beforehand allows them to prepare and participate fully, maximizing the productivity of your time together. This may include outlining the session’s agenda, goals, and the specific role you expect each participant to play.
For remote sessions, it’s also advisable to inform participants about the tools or resources they’ll need to access. If you plan to use Google Slides, for example, ensure that everyone has an active account. Introducing new tools? Encourage participants to set them up in advance. Consider assigning pre-work using these tools to ensure that everyone can navigate the documents and resources smoothly during the session.
Examples of pre-work that can enhance participation include:
- Providing pre-read materials to eliminate the need for lengthy context-setting during the session. Utilizing tools like Google Docs allows you to track who has accessed the documents beforehand and identify individuals who may require additional support.
- Requesting participants to input responses into a shared document, such as a spreadsheet or set of slides, where responses will be compiled during the session. Choose a straightforward question that participants can answer in their own time, informing the discussion.
- Inviting participants to share their questions in a shared document, facilitating communication and ensuring that everyone is equipped with the necessary tools for remote brainstorming.
3. Maintain Engagement
During the session, adhere to the agenda and strive to keep the momentum going. It’s essential to inject extra energy to overcome the distance imposed by screens. Encourage participants to keep their webcams on and microphones muted when not speaking, fostering a sense of shared experience while minimizing distractions. Many video conference platforms offer features like gallery or grid views, enabling you to monitor participants’ engagement levels and adjust accordingly.
Furthermore, promote interactivity by assigning roles to participants, ensuring that everyone has a vested interest in the session’s success. Designate tasks such as note-taking, tech troubleshooting, and timekeeping to different individuals, rotating responsibilities to prevent burnout. This not only streamlines session management but also keeps participants actively involved.
Lastly, consider “planting” a couple of allies to help break the ice and kickstart the conversation. Remote environments have a different energy, so having teammates lead by example can encourage participation from the outset and set a positive tone for the session.
4. Facilitate Seamless Collaboration
When it’s time to brainstorm ideas, there are several strategies you can employ to foster collaboration, even in a remote setting. For instance, prepare a shared screen with brainstorming prompts for participants to reference as needed. If you prefer not to keep this screen visible throughout the session to ensure everyone can see each other, you can share the document with participants and use page numbers to direct their focus.
Additionally, consider utilizing breakout groups to discuss prompts and generate ideas, rather than keeping everyone in one large group for the entire session. If you opt for this approach, assign a facilitator for each breakout group to guide the conversation and manage the ideas generated.
5. Utilize Digital Tools for Input
The tools you use for brainstorming sessions don’t need to be complex. While there are specialized brainstorming platforms like Figma, simpler options like Google Sheets can be just as effective. Digital tools allow participants to contribute ideas, vote on suggestions (emoji reactions work well for this), group similar ideas, and more. The key is to facilitate real-time collaboration by sharing your screen or file and allowing everyone to edit simultaneously.
Ensure that each participant has their designated space to input ideas. Prepare your document in advance by assigning each participant a specific area to jot down their thoughts, whether it’s a row in Excel, a set of digital sticky notes in Figma, or their own slide in Google Slides. This minimizes interruptions and ensures everyone’s contributions are captured efficiently.
6. Defer Synthesis for Later
While it’s essential to make sense of the ideas generated during the session, attempting to synthesize them in real-time can be time-consuming and impractical, especially in a remote setting. Instead, acknowledge any emerging patterns or trends but postpone in-depth analysis until after the session. Plan to share the synthesized results in a wrap-up document, presentation, or Slack message, depending on your company’s communication preferences. This approach saves time and allows for more thorough analysis offline.
7. Conclude the Session Effectively
As the session concludes, take a few steps to wrap up effectively. Before adjourning, encourage participants to share any additional ideas or assets not captured in the shared document, ensuring they are included in the synthesis process. Clarify next steps and assign responsibilities to ensure accountability moving forward.
