Seven Tips for "Online Brainstorming" in the Telework Era

While many companies now implement telework, projects spanning national borders inevitably require a similar work environment. Meetings involving three or more countries are routine—for example, a meeting with the UK that also includes staff from India.

The vast size of the United States has historically fostered a business style that minimizes the need for face-to-face meetings. Building on this expertise, the advertising industry has also expanded its efficiency through offshore outsourcing and global business development. Here, we share some of the know-how we've cultivated within our global network to facilitate smooth telework.

Video Conferences? Phone Conferences? ~Elevating the Dimension of Information Transfer~

In terms of "conveying information," various methods like phone calls and emails have advanced, making distance feel less significant beyond time zones. So, what are the disadvantages of physical distance?

Technological advances have shrunk the world, increasing both the volume and speed of information. Yet, the reality is that it doesn't quite match the experience of real, face-to-face discussion. What's missing? That unspoken understanding, the atmosphere, and elements like emotions and feelings don't fully translate. Situations requiring these elements, such as brainstorming sessions for creative work, tend to be less suitable in a telework environment.

Telework has become widespread, creating a good environment for individuals to concentrate and generate ideas. On the other hand, brainstorming, which helps individuals push their limits, is also a useful technique.

Do you turn on your camera during meetings?

For emergent work like brainstorming, we recommend using video conferencing. Some theories suggest that nonverbal cues like gestures account for 90% of the influence in communication. The key to effective online brainstorming lies in increasing the information pathways (dimensions) and how well we can replicate this 90% to enhance communication efficiency and broaden each other's ideas.

Seven Key Points for Effective Online Brainstorming

Now, let's break down the key points for conducting effective online brainstorming sessions.

① Turn on your video

Many people who turn on their video during office meetings hesitate to do so during video conferences from home. This likely stems from a significant psychological barrier about revealing their private space. Especially in Japanese homes, there tend to be fewer walls suitable as backgrounds, and I completely understand the desire to avoid showing personal belongings. I myself have no good background spot and have been told by clients, "It looks like a warehouse."

When video conferencing with overseas members, their locations vary—living room sofas, kitchen tables, etc. Fewer people seem as concerned about what's visible in the background as in Japan. If you are concerned, actively use features like the video conferencing system's background blur function or the option to use a custom background you prepare yourself.

② Appoint a Moderator
The moderator is a crucial role in online brainstorming sessions. Unfortunately, current video conferencing systems treat audio like a single-track railway—only one person can speak at a time. This means if someone talks too long, time runs out, and valuable ideas from others risk being lost. Therefore, it's essential for the moderator to organize the discussion flow and draw out as many ideas as possible.

Additionally, sharing the agenda beforehand allows participants to prepare as much as possible. By moderating to ensure all participants stay focused on the topic, you can facilitate effective and efficient discussions.

Summarizing at the end of brainstorming and clearly defining next steps is also one of the moderator's key roles.

③ Conduct icebreakers
Have you ever felt ideas and concepts rapidly expanding during brainstorming? The key to efficiently guiding brainstorming to success lies in achieving this state as early as possible.

In global brainstorming sessions, participants often come from various countries and regions, and time is usually limited. Therefore, icebreakers (creating a relaxed atmosphere) are crucial for achieving this state quickly. One approach is to designate a few participants as icebreakers beforehand.

④ Divide into smaller groups
Large meetings tend to stifle active participation, whether in-person or online. An effective approach is to split participants into small groups of 4-5 people early in the brainstorming session to encourage individual contributions. This also ties into the icebreaking mentioned earlier. The ideas generated in these small groups are then shared, helping to energize the larger group.

⑤ Utilize chat
While we noted that audio in video conferences is like a single-track railway, there is a complementary tool: the chat function now integrated into most video conferencing systems. Even if someone can't speak up immediately, they can instantly post their idea in the chat, preventing it from being overlooked.

The moderator can pick up ideas flowing in the chat and feed them back into the conversation to deepen the discussion further. This is a feature not found in traditional video conferencing systems; it's a method made possible precisely because it's an online video conference.

⑥ Visualize ideas
Designate a scribe to constantly share meeting content and allow anyone to edit it, preventing generated ideas from being buried. If the system supports recording or video recording, utilizing this feature is also effective.

Additionally, using online mind-mapping tools simultaneously can provide visual stimulation as a method for visualizing information.

⑦ Create Quiet Time (Quiet Storming)
"Quiet" time also serves as a source for generating ideas. Pouring cold water on a boiling mind before letting it boil again can open up new worlds previously unnoticed. For example, take a 5-minute break where each participant writes down their ideas, then share them afterward.

Rather than simply recreating past meeting methods on video, I believe the new standard will be evolving into a new approach that leverages the latest features.

Someday, information pathways (dimensions) may expand further, potentially enabling even our physical sensations and emotions to be transmitted electronically over great distances. Technological evolution will undoubtedly give birth to new ways of thinking.