How Product Managers Run Brainstorming Sessions

With video game development, innovation is key. But how do you consistently come up with those fresh, exciting ideas that can capture players imaginations? That's where brainstorming and ideation sessions come in. These creative gatherings are the breeding ground for groundbreaking game features, captivating storylines, and engaging gameplay mechanics. Today, you'll explore how to lead effective brainstorming sessions that unleash the full creative potential of your team, paving the way for truly exceptional video games. By the end of this video, you'll be able to define the concept of brainstorming, describe the key steps involved in leading an effective brainstorming session, and apply various brainstorming techniques with project teams on your own. Let's start by talking about why brainstorming is important. First, it encourages diverse perspectives and helps to break down silos between different teams. When artists, designers, programmers, and marketers come together, they can spark new ideas and approaches that might not have emerged in isolation. Second, brainstorming fosters a culture of innovation. It encourages teams to think outside the box, challenge assumptions, and explore uncharted territories. This can lead to the discovery of groundbreaking features or mechanics that set your game apart from the competition. Finally, brainstorming can be a lot of fun. It's an opportunity for teams to collaborate, build camaraderie, and tap into their collective creativity. When people are excited and engaged, they're more likely to come up with truly remarkable ideas. But how do you lead a successful brainstorming session? First and foremost, you need to set the goal for success at the beginning of a brainstorming session. Before developing ideas, make sure everyone understands the problem you're trying to solve or the goal you're trying to achieve. Are you looking for new game mechanics, ideas for a compelling storyline, or perhaps innovative ways to monetize your game? A clear focus will help keep your team on track and ensure everyone is working towards the same objective. To set the stage, you'll also need to determine who to include. It's important to invite members from all parts of your organization to represent their diverse perspectives and insights. This might include, for example, the marketing team, engineering, user interface, and experience team, as well as other stakeholders. The next step includes creating an environment where everyone feels safe to contribute. Encourage participation from all team members regardless of their role or seniority. Make it clear that there are no bad ideas at this point of the process and that the goal is to generate as many ideas as possible. Finally, don't forget about the tools you'll use. Depending on your team's preferences and the nature of the brainstorming session, you might choose to use whiteboards, sticky notes, digital tools, or a combination of these. The key is to select tools that facilitate collaboration and allow for easy visualization and organization of ideas. Now, it's time to spark your creativity and generate ideas. Don't feel limited to just one brainstorming method. In fact, it's often beneficial to mix things up and use a variety of techniques throughout your session. This keeps the energy high and encourages different types of thinking. One popular method to generate ideas in a brainstorming session is called the lean model canvas. It's a one-page strategic template that helps entrepreneurs deconstruct their ideas, focusing on the most crucial aspects of building a successful business, particularly in situations with high uncertainty. Lean canvas templates can be found using popular whiteboards such as Miro or doing a simple Google search. Another popular method is mind mapping. Here you'll start with a central theme or problem and then branch out with related ideas and subtopics. This visual approach can help teams explore connections between different concepts and uncover new possibilities. Finally, don't be afraid to get a little silly. The worst possible idea technique can actually be quite effective. Encourage your team to come up with the worst possible ideas for the problem you're solving for. Often these bad ideas can spark unexpected insights or lead to truly innovative solutions. Once you've generated a large number of ideas, it's time to evaluate and refine. Group similar ideas together. Identify common themes and start to evaluate the priorities, feasibility, and potential impact of each idea. A common way to do this is by using a physical or virtual whiteboard. Next, create a space for open and constructive feedback. Encourage team members to share their thoughts and perspectives on each other's ideas. Remember, the goal here isn't to criticize, but to collaboratively refine and strengthen the ideas. Finally, as

you gain a clearer understanding of each idea's potential, start to narrow down the list to the most promising ones. Consider factors such as feasibility, alignment with your product vision, and potential impact on the player experience. Brainstorming and ideation are essential tools for unleashing creativity and generating winning video game ideas. You'll find that the best ideas often emerge from unexpected places. So stay curious, stay open-minded, and never stop exploring the endless possibilities.