Nothing kills the mood during a brainstorming session like dead air. If people aren’t engaged or feel uncomfortable speaking up, it will be difficult for the group to find the innovative solutions they’re looking for, and everyone leaves feeling deflated.
If your brainstorming sessions aren’t getting your team anywhere, it may be time to gain a new perspective on the problem you’re trying to solve. Rolestorming can provide that.
Keep reading to learn more about the rolestorming brainstorming method and how to use it for your group’s brainstorming sessions.
What is rolestorming?
Rolestorming is a portmanteau of role-playing and brainstorming. It means brainstorming while you’re pretending to be someone else. For example, you might decide to take on the persona of a celebrity, a leader in your field, or a close friend. During the session, you contribute to the group what you think that person would say.
The idea is that if you take on another persona during a brainstorming session, it will give you some distance between your ego and your ideas, making it easier to say things that you would normally be afraid would sound silly. It also gives you a fresh perspective to help you find new, creative solutions.
Who invented rolestorming?
The rolestorming method was accredited to Rick Griggs in the 1980s. At the time, he worked as a productivity and training manager and felt that regular brainstorming sessions were not as effective as they should be, so he put his own creative twist on them.
The idea took off when Dr. Arthur VanGundy described the technique in his 2004 book, “101 Activities for Teaching Creativity and Problem-Solving.” Today, Rick Griggs provides training and certification services for rolestorming and still facilitates sessions.
What are the benefits of rolestorming as a group?
Rolestorming offers groups three main benefits:
1. Overcome inhibitions
If you’re typically more reserved and have a hard time speaking up in meetings, it can be empowering to put on the persona of someone outgoing. You might find it easier to contribute when you’re pretending to be someone else.
Additionally, if you have an idea that is very out-of-the-box, you might be too nervous to share it. But taking on a role gives you some space—after all, it’s not you suggesting it. Your character is! This can help group members innovate and find truly creative solutions.
2. Find new perspectives
When brainstorming sessions go well, they help the group find fresh ideas that they wouldn’t have come up with on their own. Rolestorming is a way for groups to find new perspectives on the issue at hand. If you’re trying to think about the problem from someone else’s view, you’re pushed to think beyond the obvious ideas, and you’re more likely to find a creative solution. This makes the group as a whole more productive and likely to find something that works.
3. Keep participants engaged in the brainstorming experience
Rolestorming can be really fun! Brainstorming goes best when everyone is engaged, so the added challenge of embodying a persona can help everyone get involved, leading to more contributions from the group. And if everyone has a good time, they’re more likely to leave refreshed and ready to tackle the next steps.
How to use rolestorming for your group brainstorming session
If you’re ready to try out rolestorming with your team, follow these steps.
1. Choose a template to jump-start your brainstorming session
For remote and hybrid teams, we recommend using a virtual space or virtual whiteboard, such as Lucidspark, to host your brainstorming sessions. This space will make it easier for dispersed team members to participate and collaborate in real time. If you choose Lucidspark, you will have access to an expansive template gallery to guide your brainstorming session. Every template is customizable to meet the needs of your group. Here are a few of our basic ideation templates to get you started:
Brainstorming template: This basic template offers a canvas ready to capture your ideas. Drag and drop new sticky notes for each idea discussed, and react to others’ ideas with emojis.
