Page 11 - MODULE QUALITY TOOLS DMQ 30262

DMQ 30262

1.6 BRAINSTORMING

With brainstorming, managers serve as catalysts in drawing-out group members.
Participants are encouraged to share any ideas that come to mind. All ideas are

considered valid. Participants are not allowed to make judgmental comments or to
evaluate the suggestions made. Typically, one member of the group is asked to
serve as a recorder. All ideas suggested are recorded, preferably on a marker board,

flipchart, or other medium that allows group members to review them continuously.

After all ideas have been recorded, the evaluation process begins. Participants are
asked to go through the list one item at a time, weighing the relative merits of each.
This process is repeated until the group narrows the choices to a specified number.

For example, managers may ask the group to reduce the number of alternatives to
three, reserving the selection of the best of the three to themselves.

Brainstorming can be an effective vehicle for collecting employee input and feedback,
particularly if managers understand the weaknesses associated with it and how they
can be overcome. Managers interested in soliciting employee input through

brainstorming should be familiar with the concepts of groupthink and group shift.
These two concepts can undermine the effectiveness of brainstorming and other

group techniques.

1.5.1 GROUP THINK

It is the phenomenon that exists when people in a group focus more or
reaching a decision than on making a good decision. A number of factors can

contribute to groupthink, including overly prescriptive group leadership, peer
pressure for conformity, group isolation, and unskilled application of group
decision-making techniques. Five strategies that can be used for overcoming

groupthink are as follows:

 Encourage criticism.

 Encourage the development of several alternatives. Do not allow the
group to rush to a hasty decision.
 Assign a member or members to play the role of devil's advocate.

 Include people who are not familiar with the issue.
 Hold last-chance meetings. When a decision is reached, arrange a follow-

KKTM Kuantan 10 DMQ 30262