<aside> 💡

</aside>

The 5 Big Key Factors when Brainstorming:

• Empathize
  • Develop a deep understanding of the challenge
• Define
  • Clearly articulate the problem you want to solve
    • How do you score? What are some of the different ways you can score?
• Ideate
  • Brainstorm potential solutions; select and develop your solution
• Prototype
  • Design a prototype (or a series of prototypes) to test all or part of your solution
• Test
  • Engage in a continuous short-cycle innovation process to continually improve your design

Some Rules When Brainstorming:

• Defer Judgement
  • Creative spaces, such as robotics, are judgement free zones. Let ideas flow so people can build from each other’s great ideas!
• Encourage Crazy & Wild Ideas
  • Embrace out-of-the-box ideas—there’s nothing wrong with it.
• Build on the Ideas of Others
  • Try to use “and” instead of “but”. This encourages positivity and inclusivity and leads to many more ideas.
• Stay Focused on the Topic
  • Try to keep the discussion on topic.
• One Conversation at a Time
  • We understand this may be difficult with lots of creative people in a single room, but always think about the challenge and how to stay on track. You’re going to slow down the track of getting somewhere if your conversation is everywhere.
• Be Visual
  • CAD, draw, write, it doesn’t matter what you use, but as long as everyone understands and sees your idea, we’ll be on the same track.
    • Convergent & Divergent Thinking:
      • Sticky Notes, Thick Pens, and walls or surfaces are all you need to visualize each other’s ideas

Brogan M. Pratt’s “9 For 9” Method

1. Break ideation into discrete categories.
   1. Shooter
   2. Intake (human or robot)
   3. Indexer (how you’re going to sort the balls)
   4. Drive Train
      1. We are going to get bullied in the field if we stick with mecanum
   5. Lifting (level 2 base [+10 points])
   6. Strategy
2. Set an interval timer for 9 minutes; 1 minute intervals.
   1. 1 minute per idea, the buzzer goes off, then stick with a new idea for 1 minute
   2. 9 x 1 min intervals
   3. You may not finish or start a new idea early. Each idea gets 1 full minute.