101 Activities For Teaching Creativity And Problem Solving

85. Idea Pool

Background

Idea Pool (also known as Brainwriting Pool) is a close relative of

the Brain Purge activity [82]. It was developed at the Battelle

Institute in Frankfurt, Germany (Geschka, Schaude, and Schlick-

supp, 1973). One difference between the two activities is in how

the ideas are shared among the group members. In Brain Purge,

members pass ideas around the group, whereas in Idea Pool

members put ideas in the center of a table to form a “pool.”

Objectives

• To help participants generate as many creative ideas as possible


• To help participants learn how to use the activities to generate ideas

Participants

Small groups of four to seven people each

Materials, Supplies, and Equipment

• For each group: markers, two flip charts, and masking tape for posting flip-chart
  sheets


• For each person: one sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper (lined or unlined) and pens or pencils.

Procedure

1. Give each group member one sheet of 8.5 x 11 paper.


2. Tell them to silently write down, individually, four ideas on the sheet of paper.


3. Instruct each group member to place the sheet of paper in the center of the table
   and exchange it for another sheet.


4. Instruct participants to examine the ideas on the new sheet and write down
   improvements or new ideas.


5. Have them place this sheet in the center of the table and exchange it for a new one.

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