Brainwriting Template

Think of a friendly worksheet as a brainwriting template, that gives everyone on your team a space to dream up great ideas without the pressure of speaking up in a crowded meeting. Unlike those traditional brainstorming sessions where the loudest voices usually win, brainwriting lets everyone jot down their thoughts quietly before sharing them with the group. 

The most popular version is called the 6-3-5 brainwriting template, which is basically a creative game where 6 people each write down 3 ideas within 5 minutes. Then, everyone passes their sheet to the next person who builds on those ideas. It's like a silent brainstorming worksheet that makes sure even your quietest team members get their brilliant thoughts into the mix! 

Why Use the Brainwriting Template? 

We've all been in those brainstorming meetings where two people do most of the talking, right? The brainwriting technique fixes that common problem by: 

Giving everyone a voice - Even your shy team members contribute equally. 

Keeping things fair - Ideas get noticed because they're good, not because they came from the boss. 

Creating more ideas - When people have quiet time to think, they come up with way more concepts. 

Letting ideas grow - Thoughts get a chance to develop before anyone can shoot them down. 

Working great for remote teams - Everyone can participate fully, no matter where they're located. 

When your team feels stuck or you're hearing the same old ideas, a free brainwriting sheet can be like a breath of fresh air for your creative process! 

Who is This Template For? 

This friendly collaborative writing template works wonders for all kinds of teams: 

Product folks looking for cool new features your users will love 

Marketing teams brainstorming their next awesome campaign 

Teachers wanting to get all their students involved in class discussions 

Leadership teams figuring out where to take the company next 

Designers cooking up multiple concepts before picking a direction 

Remote teams needing a way to collaborate that doesn't require everyone to be online at once 

Mixed groups bringing different departments together to solve tricky problems 

Basically, if you need fresh thinking with equal input from everyone, the idea generation brainwriting approach is your new best friend! 

Benefits of the Brainwriting Template 

When you bring brainwriting technique examples into your team's process, you'll notice some pretty amazing changes: 

1. Way More Creative Ideas

By giving people quiet thinking time first, you'll get a much wider range of concepts than regular out-loud brainstorming. Teams typically come up with 42% more original ideas this way! 

2. Everyone Actually Participates

The silent nature means that everyone contributes equally – no more meetings dominated by the same two people while everyone else checks their email. This taps into your whole team's brain power! 

3. Super Time-Efficient

A brainwriting session usually takes just 15-30 minutes but generates dozens of ideas. No more two-hour meetings that somehow produce only three usable concepts! 

4. Ideas Get Better as They Go

The first ideas spark even better ones! As worksheets get passed around, everyone builds on each other's thoughts, and the concepts keep getting stronger with each round. 

5. Less Meeting Burnout

The quiet periods of focused thinking give everyone a nice break from constant talking, making these sessions feel energizing rather than draining. 

6. Perfect for Remote Teams

The printable brainwriting format works just as well in digital form, making it ideal for teams spread across different locations who still want to collaborate effectively. 

How to Use the Template? 

Here's how to run a fun and productive brainwriting session: 

Getting Ready 

Pick your challenge - Frame it as an interesting question that gets people thinking 

Gather your crew - Invite 4-8 people with different perspectives and experiences 

Set up your materials - Give everyone access to the silent brainstorming worksheet 

Explain the game - Make the rules clear: think quietly, write ideas, then pass to the next person 

During the Session 

Start the ideas flowing - Everyone writes their first few thoughts on their worksheet 

Pass it along - After 5 minutes, everyone hands their sheet to the next person 

Keep the cycle going - Continue until everyone has added to every sheet 

Share the treasure - Gather all the worksheets and look at the ideas as a group 

Group similar thoughts - Cluster related ideas and spot the gems 

Plan next steps - Decide which ideas you'll actually move forward with 

Tips for Success 

Encourage wild ideas - The crazier the better during the writing phase! 

Aim for quantity - More ideas increase your chances of finding something brilliant 

Build positively - When adding to others' ideas, look for ways to make them even better 

Stay quiet - Keep the silent parts silent to preserve independent thinking 

Watch the clock - Stick to your timeframes to keep things moving 

Summary 

The brainwriting template is like a secret weapon for getting better ideas from your whole team. This silent brainstorming worksheet creates a space where everyone contributes equally, and ideas can flow freely without being shot down too early. 

Using the 6-3-5 brainwriting technique or similar approaches helps your team tap into all that creative brainpower that often gets lost in regular meetings.