Why Brainstorming Doesn't Work



Brainstorming is one of the most popular creativity techniques used by organisations. The problem is: it doesn't work. In a study conducted as far back as 1958, forty-eight undergraduate students were divided into twelve groups and given a series of creative puzzles to solve. They were instructed in how to follow the brainstorming guidelines. Another group of forty-eight students working by themselves were given the same puzzles to solve.

The solo student group came up with twice as many solutions to puzzles as the brainstorming group, and their solutions were deemed more “feasible” and “effective” by a panel of judges. "Groups think of far fewer ideas than the same number of people who work alone and later pool their ideas".

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