Brainstorming

Brainstorming was introduced in connection with the cause-and-effect diagram in Chapter 6 and the affinity diagram in Chapter 7. It has been used for problem solving and idea generation in a wide variety of contexts. In a DFTS context, it has to be customized in that it follows QFD where customer requirements have been identified. The QFD data thus generated must be available to the brainstorming team so that it generates specific software design concepts that respond to these requirements. Needless to say, it should be carried out in quick succession to QFD and must include the people involved with QFD and gemba visits (see Chapter 11). The other major difference here is that the customer must always be apprised of the concepts and the final selection made from them.

The brainstorming format is basically the same as described in Chapters 6 and 7. The group size should be between five and nine people. If you have more people, it might be best to break them into groups of five or six; small size enhances communication and informality. It is important to invite people with diverse backgrounds and especially those with customer contacts. The sessions should not be longer than 30 to 40 minutes. If satisfactory ideas have not been generated within that time, it is best to adjourn and meet again. It is just fine to meet a number of times, depending on the problem's nature and severity. Table 12.2 summarizes brainstorming best practices.

Table 12.2. Brainstorming Best Practices in a DFTS Context

Brainstorming Phase	Best Practices
Before brainstorming	Document VOC and customer requirements. Form the brainstorming team. Look for both experience and diversity. Break people into groups if you have more than ten. It is advisable not to group people of different management levels. Appoint an experienced moderator and an assistant for record keeping. Formulate the purpose of the brainstorming in a question form. Circulate the brainstorming rules, such as the following: Encourage the generation of as many ideas as possible (up to a maximum of 50). Give everyone the opportunity to speak. Encourage participants to combine their ideas with those of others. Don't criticize any idea (all criticisms are to be red-flagged). Refrain from discussing unrelated matters.
During brainstorming	Post the meeting's purpose on the meeting room wall. Restate the meeting's purpose and context. Use sticky notes for written ideas and interactive whiteboards for spoken ideas. Save them all for analysis and follow-up. Keep the pace swift, with short answers and statements, to generate a lot of concepts without getting bogged down in any particular one initially.
After initial brainstorming and during follow-up session(s)	Group the concepts in terms of similarity of cost, quality, delivery, and other implications. Send them to all the participants before the next session. The participants should be asked to choose the three best concepts and why they chose them before the next session. Discuss the chosen concepts in the subsequent session(s). Make a short list of the most promising ones for evaluation by Pugh Concept Selection Methodology or other evaluation techniques.