Innovation and Engagement through Silence

About This Session

Traditional brainstorming and design sessions can ruin your attempts at innovation and collaboration. In fact, decades of research have shown that traditional methods can actually be less creative and collaborative than generating ideas individually and pooling them. However, the latest science behind brainstorming shows how you can use silence to not only produce more innovative ideas, but also increase the engagement of your team.

This practical session will give you the tools you need to increase the effectiveness of your brainstorming and innovation sessions using silence. You will also learn a few different ways you can use silence effectively to increase creativity, engagement, and collaboration on any project or in any department.

You’ll get the opportunity to use this session to help you generate actions you can takeaway from the sessions you attended at Spark.

What You’ll Learn

1. You will learn the science behind brainstorming.
2. How to use the science to help you innovate better, while also building a better team.
3. Some new patterns for using silent brainstorming in your organization.

About Steve

Recognizing that software development culture, management, and process can be frustrating and inhibiting, I’ve invested significantly in finding ways to overcome and counteract those effects. What I’ve found is that valuing simplicity, respect for people, continuous improvement, and short feedback loops are powerful tools for addressing these shortcomings. Since software development doesn’t own those frustrations I’ve also been translating what I’ve learned into other areas of the organization, family life, community groups, and coaching. I speak regularly at conferences in Canada and the United States, have been featured on InfoQ, co-founded the Winnipeg Agile User Group, and work at Protegra. You can read more about what I’ve learned at WinnipegAgilist.Blogspot.com