brainstorming

n. A technique for promoting creativity and problem solving through the spontaneous generation of a list of potential ideas or solutions in response to a problem, challenge, or stimulus. While brainstorming can be completed alone or as a group, it is often promoted as a group activity that facilitates the creative generation of novel ideas via the encouragement of group members to build and expand on the ideas generated by others. The goal of effective brainstorming is to generate a wide range of potential ideas or solutions with no evaluation, restrictions, or criticism; as such, brainstorming may produce a number of unique, novel, and/or radical approaches. Brainstorming should be time-limited and remain focused on a single problem or stimulus. The purpose of brainstorming is idea generation, as opposed to idea development, selection, or evaluation.

- BJM