Brainstorming sessions that generate and converge
A good brainstorming session separates divergent idea generation from convergent selection. Without structure, a few voices dominate and the same obvious ideas win.
Session
Quarterly Planning
Facilitator guide
Set the context, then invite each participant to share their top priority before opening discussion.
Step 2 of 4 · 18 min left
Decisions & next steps
The typical problem
Without safety and structure, people self-censor or build on the first idea. The session produces a short, biased list and no clear next steps.
When to use this format
- Exploring new opportunities
- Generating product or feature ideas
- Finding fresh approaches to a stuck problem
Who should attend
A mix of perspectives — product, design, customer-facing, technical. Keep it diverse but small enough to hear everyone.
Recommended structure
- Problem framing
- Silent idea generation
- Round-robin sharing
- Clustering
- Dot-voting
- Experiment selection
Common facilitation risks
- Judging ideas too early
- Dominant voices skewing the list
- No selection step
- No owner to test the chosen ideas
How Moderando helps
The Brainstorming Session template separates divergence from convergence, with silent generation and round-robin prompts that protect quieter voices, and a selection step that picks experiments with owners.
Sample agenda (90 minutes)
- 0:00–0:10
Problem framing
A clear question to brainstorm.
- 0:10–0:25
Silent generation
Individuals write ideas alone first.
- 0:25–0:50
Round-robin sharing
Each person shares in turn.
- 0:50–1:05
Clustering
Group similar ideas into themes.
- 1:05–1:20
Dot-voting
Prioritize promising ideas.
- 1:20–1:30
Experiments and owners
Pick ideas to test and assign owners.
Run a brainstorm that produces real ideas
Generate a brainstorming session facilitation plan.