Brainwriting is a method for generating ideas in writing, in which all team members first silently write down their thoughts and then add to or develop the ideas of others. This ensures that not only the fastest or loudest voices are heard. Brainwriting is particularly practical for South Tyrolean SMEs: The method structures small and multilingual teams, limits the time required, and provides a documented collection of ideas.
In my work with owner-managed businesses, I often observe that good ideas exist but don't become apparent in meetings. Some people think best in conversation, while others need a few quiet minutes. A structured brainwriting method takes both approaches into account and then brings the team back together.
What is brainwriting?
Brainwriting translates the basic idea of brainstorming into a written process. Instead of immediately shouting out suggestions to the group, each person first writes for themselves. Afterwards, the contributions are shared, read, and supplemented.
Brainwriting is a structured, silent brainstorming process: First, thoughts are generated independently, then the group develops these thoughts further together.
The crucial element is the temporal separation of idea generation, exchange, and idea evaluation . During the first phase, proposals are not discussed, defended, or rejected. The joint classification process only begins after the collection of ideas.
Empirical research compares interactive brainstorming groups with, among other things, nominal groups, in which individuals work independently and their non-redundant ideas are subsequently combined. The research review "Beyond Productivity Loss in Brainstorming Groups" describes how nominal groups generated more ideas and that the production blockage caused by alternating speaking is a significant cause of productivity losses in interactive groups.
Nominal groups and brainwriting are not identical. In brainwriting, ideas can be exchanged and developed during the process. Therefore, research does not prove that every written method automatically produces better results. However, it does explain why a silent initial phase can promote participation and the number of ideas.
Brainwriting or brainstorming: Which is appropriate when?
Brainstorming and brainwriting pursue the same goal: to develop as many usable approaches as possible to a clear guiding question. However, the group dynamics differ significantly.
Brainwriting is particularly suitable when
- Quieter team members should be given sufficient space.
- Conversations are often dominated by individual people.
- the group works in German and Italian
- Ideas need to be documented directly.
- Hierarchies make open discussion more difficult,
- The meeting time should be clearly limited.
- Several proposals should be developed in parallel.
Brainstorming is particularly suitable when
- spontaneous contributions trigger quick associations,
- Questions are essential for understanding,
- the team is well-coordinated and can openly disagree,
- A first idea should be quickly explored in more depth through direct conversation.
- The question requires a narrative exchange.
Brainwriting doesn't have to replace brainstorming. In practice, a combination often works best: first, collect ideas in writing, then openly discuss selected approaches. Connections between the suggestions can then be structured visually, for example, using a mind map.
The right group size for small businesses
As a guideline, I recommend a group size of four to eight people . Four people usually bring enough diverse perspectives. With more than eight people, the reading effort, repetitions, and coordination requirements increase.
For larger teams, divide them into parallel small groups. All groups work on the same guiding question and only combine their results during the clustering phase. This keeps the silent brainstorming focused and the process clear.
The composition of the team is more important than the sheer number of people involved. For example, sales, reception, operational implementation, and management can each contribute a different perspective to improving an inquiry process. Different roles are valuable as long as all participants have sufficient context regarding the issue at hand.
Brainwriting method: the standard procedure in seven steps
1. Formulate a precise guiding question
The guiding question influences the quality of the results. "How can we improve?" is too broad. A useful formulation specifies the goal, target group, and framework.
Example: "How can we structure the response to new inquiries so that interested parties receive clear feedback within one working day and our team receives all the necessary information?"
2. Explain the rules and the objective
The presenter explains five rules before the start:
- One idea per note or input field.
- Use short, understandable formulations.
- Do not discuss during the writing phase.
- Allow unusual proposals for now.
- Other people's ideas may be supplemented, combined, or made more concrete.
3. Write silently and simultaneously
All participants receive the same guiding question and write simultaneously. Three to five minutes are usually sufficient for a first round. The moderator should neither comment nor hint at their own favorites during this time.
4. Share posts
On paper, the sheets of paper are passed to the next person. Online, separate sections or digital cards can be used. Each person reads the existing thoughts and adds new ideas, variations, prerequisites, or possible applications.
5. Cluster ideas
After the writing and sharing rounds, similar proposals are grouped together. The group can clarify any questions during this process. Evaluation only begins once all contributions are visible and understandable.
6. Evaluate ideas according to transparent criteria
For small businesses, three criteria are usually sufficient:
- Customer benefit: How much does the idea improve the experience or solve a specific problem?
- Feasibility: Does the company possess the necessary skills, information, and resources?
- Expense: How much time, voting and Budget Does it require implementation?
Each person can award one to three points per criterion. For customer benefit and feasibility, a high score indicates a positive evaluation. For effort, an easily implementable idea receives the highest score. The total score does not replace sound business judgment, but it does make the idea evaluation transparent.
For more extensive projects, you will find a more detailed approach to prioritizing ideas in SMEs.
7. Define responsibility and next step
A collection of ideas without a decision is merely a record. Therefore, note the following for the selected idea:
- What will be tested first?
- Who will take responsibility?
- When will the results be available?
- How does the team know if the test is working?
- When will a joint review and decision be made?
The ready-to-use 30-minute template
This 30-minute template is designed for four to eight people and a clearly defined business question. It is more concise than the full 6-3-5 method.
Minutes 0 to 5: Preparation
- Write the guiding question down clearly.
- Explain the desired result in one sentence.
- State the rules and clarify any questions.
- Define evaluation criteria in advance.
Minutes 5 to 17: Writing and switching
- Four minutes of silent brainstorming.
- Share or digitally release posts.
- Four minutes to read, add to, and clarify.
- Change again.
- Four minutes to combine and add new variations.
Minutes 17 to 25: Clustering and evaluation
- Merge similar proposals.
- Briefly clarify any unclear statements.
- Evaluate ideas based on customer benefit, feasibility, and effort.
- Choose one to three favorites.
Minutes 25 to 30: Ensure implementation
- Choose an idea for a first test.
- Designate a responsible person.
- Determine the smallest sensible next step.
- Document the date and test criteria.
Copyable moderation template:
Our guiding question is: …
We collect written information for twelve minutes and only discuss it afterwards.
Each note contains exactly one understandable idea.
We evaluate based on customer benefit, feasibility, and effort.
Ultimately, we decide what gets tested, who is responsible, and when we check the results.
The 6-3-5 method as a structured variant
The 6-3-5 method is a clearly defined form of brainwriting: Six people each write down three ideas and pass their sheet on after five minutes. After six rounds, up to 108 ideas can theoretically be generated. These often include additions, variations, and overlaps.
The method is attributed to Bernd Rohrbach. Rohrbach presented the method on October 1, 1969, in his article "Creative by Rules – Method 635, a new technique for solving problems" in the journal Sales management .
Six rounds of five minutes each already require 30 minutes of pure writing time . Preparation, explanation, clustering, and evaluation are additional. Therefore, the complete 6-3-5 method is not a full 30-minute session. Plan for 45 to 60 minutes for the entire process or consciously reduce the number of rounds.
The 6-3-5 method is suitable when there is a specific question and many approaches are to be developed in a similar form. For complex strategic topics, the fixed five-minute interval can be too restrictive.
Collective Notebook for asynchronous ideation
A Collective Notebook is a time-shifted brainwriting variant in which several people collect and add to thoughts in a shared or passed-around notebook over a set period of time.
The notebook can be kept physically or digitally. For distributed teams, a clearly structured document is suitable, in which each person records ideas, observations, and additions. A period of several days allows the team to capture experiences from their daily work.
The Collective Notebook is particularly suitable for more complex questions, such as:
- What recurring difficulties do guests experience during a season?
- What information do interested parties need before making an inquiry?
- How could a new offering meaningfully combine different services?
- Which work steps regularly cause unnecessary follow-up questions?
For this option, set a submission deadline, a responsible moderator, and a fixed date for clustering and evaluation. Without this agreement, the collection remains non-binding.
A practical example from a South Tyrolean company
The following anonymized example summarizes a typical pattern that I repeatedly observe in small businesses. It does not describe a single case study.
A family-run business in South Tyrol receives inquiries via telephone, email, website, and direct messages. Some inquiries contain all the necessary information, while others consist of only a single sentence. The team loses time due to follow-up questions and differing procedures.
The guiding question for brainwriting is:
How can we more easily capture new inquiries and answer them clearly within one working day, without losing personal contact?
Five people from management, reception, consulting, and implementation participate in the meeting. The following proposals, among others, are generated in twelve minutes:
- a short form with three mandatory pieces of information,
- an automatic confirmation of receipt with a realistic response time,
- Text modules for frequently asked questions in German and Italian,
- an internal classification according to urgency and concern,
- a central overview instead of distributed notes,
- A personal callback for inquiries requiring explanation.
During the clustering process, the team identifies three key areas: improved input information, clear internal responsibility, and personalized feedback. Following the evaluation, a combination of a short form, bilingual confirmation, and a clearly defined contact person receives the highest priority.
The company isn't immediately overhauling the entire process. Instead, the team is testing the new form for two weeks on one inquiry channel. One person is documenting missing information and necessary follow-up questions. Based on the results, the team will then decide which adjustments are necessary.
For me, this is the practical value of brainwriting: The method doesn't just produce notes. Clear facilitation translates different perspectives into a small, verifiable next step.
Typical mistakes in brainwriting
The guiding question is too broad
General questions generate general answers. Limit the goal, target group, situation, or time period without predetermining the solution.
The discussion is starting too early
If arguments immediately follow the initial idea, brainwriting loses its main advantage. Consistently protect the quiet writing phase.
Anonymous posts contain no context
Anonymity can reduce the influence of hierarchies. However, an incomprehensible keyword remains incomprehensible. Therefore, please provide a short sentence explaining the benefit or application of the idea.
The evaluation criteria are missing.
Without criteria, the proposal of the highest-ranking or most convincing person often receives the most support. Therefore, define customer benefits, feasibility, and effort before the vote.
The moderator focuses on their own favorites.
Moderation protects the process and participation. It should not praise, devalue, or explain suggestions in more detail than other contributions.
Nobody is taking responsibility for the implementation.
Every meeting needs a concluding decision. A responsible person, a next step, and a review date are more important than a lengthy list of ideas.
Written brainstorming is particularly reliable when it's part of an open work and improvement culture . A single creativity technique for SMEs can't compensate for a lack of trust, but it can concretely support fair participation.
Conclusion: Brainwriting for South Tyrolean SMEs
Brainwriting makes different perspectives visible in small teams and focuses meetings on concrete results. You don't need any special software for this. Paper, pens, a precise guiding question, and clear facilitation are all you need.
Start with a specific bottleneck from your daily work and use the 30-minute template. If your team then assigns a responsible person, conducts a short test, and sets a review date, the brainstorming session will turn into an actionable measure.
Fair idea generation does not mean that every idea is implemented. It means that every relevant perspective is heard and evaluated based on transparent criteria.
Questions and answers about brainwriting
Is brainwriting also suitable for a very small team?
Yes, brainwriting works even with three or four people. For very small teams, reduce the number of rounds of switching and give each person a little more time to add their thoughts.
Can brainwriting be done online?
Yes. Use digital cards or a structured document where each idea has its own section. A visible timeline, parallel writing, and a clear separation between collection and discussion are essential.
Should the ideas be anonymous?
Anonymity is useful when hierarchies or fear of judgment inhibit participation. However, for later implementation, it can be helpful to be able to trace technical questions back to specific individuals. Therefore, the moderator should explain in advance when names will be revealed.
What material is required?
For an in-person meeting, paper, sticky notes, pens, and a clearly visible guiding question are sufficient. Online, you need a shared tool where everyone can write simultaneously without accidentally overwriting each other's contributions.
How much time will it take?
A compact brainwriting session lasts about 30 minutes. The full 6-3-5 method requires 30 minutes for its six writing phases alone. Including preparation and idea evaluation, you should plan for 45 to 60 minutes.
What happens with similar or duplicate ideas?
Similar ideas are grouped together during clustering, but not hastily discarded. Minor differences may indicate different target groups, processes, or implementation variations and should be briefly examined.
How does the team select the best proposals?
Evaluate each serious proposal based on customer benefit, feasibility, and effort. Don't automatically choose the idea with the highest score; instead, check which variant can be tested with a small, meaningful trial.
What do I do if nobody writes down their ideas?
First, examine the guiding question and the existing context. Break down an overly broad question into smaller ones, or state specific observations without anticipating possible solutions.
Can artificial intelligence help with brainwriting?
AI can group similar contributions after human collection, standardize wording, or suggest additional perspectives. However, the guiding question, evaluation, and decision should remain with the team, as operational context and responsibility cannot be outsourced.
Sources
- Bernd Rohrbach: “Creative by Rules – Method 635, a new technique for solving problems”. In: Sales management, Volume 12, Issue 19, pp. 73–76 (1969).
- Nijstad, Bernard A.; Stroebe, Wolfgang; Rietzschel, Eric F.: Beyond Productivity Loss in Brainstorming Groups: The Evolution of a Question. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Volume 43, pp. 157–203 (2010).
