Brainstorm an Answer

“Two heads are better than one” is a saying you may have heard. When companies make important decisions, they often ask a group of employees to brainstorm some ideas. Brainstorming means everyone throws out ideas for the group to think about.

     You might be surprised at some of the people who use brainstorming:

• Physicians in different specialties brainstorm how patients with series illnesses should be treated. A medical team for a heart-lung transplant patient would include a pulmonary specialist, a cardiologist, an internal medicine practitioner, an anesthesiologist, a surgeon, and other specialists.
When companies make important decisions, they often ask a group of employees to brainstorm the solution.
• Teachers work in teams to decide how best to educate students. For example, all the teachers for the third grade might work together on a new teaching plan for using technology.
• Construction workers meet in teams to determine the order in which work should be completed. A carpenter, a roofer, an electrician, and a plumber might brainstorm the best schedule for completion of a house that is behind schedule.

Brainstorming is usually carried out as an organized activity. People get together for a set amount of time to work on a problem and all members are asked to contribute suggestions or ideas. No ideas are considered bad and there is no limit to the number of ideas or solutions that can be suggested. The more ideas the better because one person’s suggestion can start another person thinking about an even better idea.

     In Activity 4, you are asked to comment on the value of brainstorming.