MindSpin Group Ideation

The SLAM makes this “Mind Spin” activity even more effective. Encourage participants to keep moving! This is a fast-paced LOUD activity – if they have no ideas grab the one to their left – I have seen ideas make their way around a table 10 to 15 times. The idea behind the 2nd round is to really wring out the ideas and to encourage the full spectrum of thoughts.

Break the group into teams of 3 – 5 participants.

Ask each team of 3-5 participants to sit at the tables. Each participant is dealt 5 blank index cards. The remaining cards (~100) are placed in the centre of the table. Explain that this is going to be a brainstorming session that will be individual as well as team based. Within a brainstorming session, there are no wrong or right responses and no idea is off limits. The participants are going to have two, five-minute rounds to write down as many solutions as possible on the index cards – one idea per card (one idea is written on one card). If they use more than the five index cards grab another card from the center pile. After an idea is written on the index card the participant SLAMS the index card down on the table face down to their right (face down is the side that the idea is written on). The SLAM is important – the sound and the vibration of SLAMming the card on the table adds a tangible feeling to the “Mind Spin” that makes the activity more fun! If at some point a participant cannot think of any solutions to the topic question they may grab one card from the top of the participants pile to their left. They have 3 options before SLAMming the card down to their right.

Ask the participants to continue until they hear the train whistle, bell etc…

Once round 1 is complete – the facilitator gathers all the idea index cards (from ALL teams) and shuffles them. The facilitator them evenly distributes the idea index cards to the small teams. Ask the participants in each team to distribute the idea index cards amongst team members and place them face down in front of each participant.

Round 2 – Begins the same as round 1 – this time if the participant reaches an idea block they grab an idea index card from the pile in front of them – then they SLAM it to their right. NOT until all the cards from round 1in front of the participant are gone can the participant grab a card from their neighbors pile to the left. Ask the participants to continue until they hear the train whistle, bell etc… Once round 2 is done the facilitator gathers all the idea index cards.