Page 64 - The Creative Training Idea Book Inspired Tips and Techniques for Engaging and Effective Learning

lucas chap 02 11/20/02 11:37 AM Page 53
Brainstorming Lighting the Creativity Lamp 53
In brainstorming, participants form groups of approximately six to eight individuals
to address a given topic or issue. They shout out any idea they have related to the issue
while someone captures all ideas on a sheet of flip chart paper for later discussion and
prioritization. (See Tools for Trainers in the appendices for Sample Brainstorming Guide-
lines). Competition, time constraints, and specific desired outcomes and rewards are
typically built into the design of the activity.

Nominal Group Technique
With this process, small groups of six to eight participants are given a written question
or issue and a sheet of paper and a pencil. They are asked to individually list as many
ideas or solutions to the issue as they can think of without talking. Five to ten minutes
is normally given to accomplish this.
Following the time expiration, each person offers one idea from his or her paper in
turn. Someone records these ideas, and once a list is developed, all participants in the
group discuss the ideas to clarify or add to them. Participants then vote or rank-order
the ideas from best or most important to worst or least important. This voting can be
done individually and then announced as the votes are added for each issue on the flip
chart, or through some creative means (e.g., provide three different colored markers or
three different colored dot stickers to each participant who uses them to vote, in turn,
for the issues on the flip chart). The items are then tallied and prioritized based on
number of votes each received.

Visualization

Using participants’ past experiences, this is a powerful technique for helping understand
how program content relates to them. During visualization, participants are asked to
close their eyes, relax, and recall an event in their lives (e.g., think of a time when you
were dealing with an irate customer on the telephone who was yelling and cursing at
you). As they think, you ask them questions designed to create reflection and problem-
solving (e.g., What caused the person to be irate? How did you feel when he or she was
yelling at you? Was there anything you said or did that increased his or her anger? How
did you handle the situation? Was there any strategy that you used that was either effec-
tive or ineffective? What was it?). Have participants open their eyes and ask, “How do
you feel about that incident today?” Have them again close their eyes and again think
about the incident. The second time, tell them to think about the program concepts
learned and ask, “Applying what you know now, how would you handle that situation
differently? What would you do or say that incorporates what you have experienced in
the training session?
If you have the time or desire, you could also continue such an activity by having
participants close their eyes after they visualize their own feelings and try to visualize