Asking questions and more questions might help you to brainstorm better. Instead of brainstorming answers, brainexplore questions. Tanner Christenson writes in Focus on brainexploring, not brainstorming, to have ideas:
So I recently began experimenting with a new exercise for creative thinking, one that is less likely to lead to biases and much more likely to take myself or my thinking group to surprising places. It’s worked remarkably well for me, and it might work well for you too.
The exercise is simple: ask questions, don’t try to answer them, then ask more questions.
The more curious I get about the questions, the more surprised I am in the direction they lead me. One questions leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to another, and by the time I’m 60 questions in I’ve begun to think about my problem or project in an entirely new way.
This is great advice. Questions are such a mysterious, wonderful form.
Over the past 14 years, I’ve blogged many questions on spudart.org. 334 questions, actually. And now with spudart.org being on wordpress, I can tag my posts, so if you like, you can see all 334 questions. Or check out the little graphic I posted on flickr of all 334 questions. If you feel inclined, please comment on any of the questions. All my blog posts remain open to comments.
