KINETIC - Brainstorming Problems

BRAINSTORMING PROBLEMS

TYPES OF PROBLEMS

UNDERSTANDING TYPES OF PROBLEMS

Before brainstorming problems, it can be helpful to think of some problem categories. Many of the following categories include Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or goals that countries around the world agree are important to solve to reduce poverty and help the environment.

Basic human needs and rights such as water, food, sleep, clothing, shelter, good education
Environment such as climate action, access to clean water, renewable energy
Safety needs such as health, well-being, safety against accidents and illness
Social needs such as friendships, family, acceptance by others, respect, productivity

Additional Sustainable Development Goals good for individual action such as equality, peace and justice

UNDERSTANDING TYPES OF SOLUTIONS

While you brainstorm problems it is also natural to think of solutions at the same time. Before you think about solutions, it may be helpful to think about ways solutions can be innovative. Let’s consider what makes something an innovation, or creating a new product or way of doing things that adds value to the world. They can:

Improve something that already exists
Reduce the cost of something that already exists
Educate by raising awareness and helping to cause changes in people’s behavior
Apply an existing approach to a new situation, or even

Invent a completely new solution, technology, or way of doing things

Solutions can belong to multiple categories. For example, self-driving cars could be an improvement on something that already exists (normal cars) but is also a completely new technology that has never been able to exist before. Keep these categories in mind as you start to think of problems and solutions.

TIPS FOR THE IDEATION PROCESS

Brainstorming is a group activity that is meant to generate a large number of ideas. As you brainstorm you might feel vulnerable as you contribute different ideas. This is normal! Here are some tips for good brainstorming:

Be sure to capture all ideas, even wild ones!
Defer all judgement, on other people’s ideas, and on your own!
Build off each other’s ideas.
Be visual – you can draw instead of writing words.
One conversation at a time – don’t cut each other off.
Go for as many ideas as you can.
Stay focused.

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