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Simple & Pragmatic Problem Solving
#68Chapter 6: Group Creative Option Generation• Group Creative Optionscreative Thinkinggroup Mode30 min (Strict)(Quick)

Brainwriting 6-3-5

From the book "Advanced Problem-Solving Toolbox: 115 Creative Plays" | Compiled & Edited by: Mojtaba Goudarzi, Open translation: Mehrshid Goudarzi
Executive Synopsis & Core Logic:

Bern Rohrbach's (Battle Institute) most accurate collective idea generation technique: 6 participants, 3 ideas each in 5 minutes, in 6 rotations = generate 108 rich ideas in exactly 30 minutes.

Operational Parameters & Specifications

Category
Group Creative Options
Dominant Thinking
creative
Participation
group
Estimated TimeQuick
30 min (Strict)
Fast
Input Format
formatted matrix 6 rows by 3 columns, 5 minute time discipline
Output Format
Idea generation
Key Application
New product portfolio development, 360-degree advertising campaigns, business model innovation, and rapid crisis resolution sprints.
Core Differentiator:

Pure mathematical discipline and precise 5-minute timing rhythm that sets the record for highest output with high concentration and without a word of wasted time.

Quick Field Example:

6 managers and experts develop 3 written ideas each in 6 rounds of 5 minutes; Within half an hour, 108 comprehensive ideas for the launch of a new product are on the table.

Operational Benefits & Implementation Risks

Advantages & Value Creation:

Surprising productivity (108 ideas in 30 minutes), absolute equality in the share of participation, documented and detailed history of the evolution of each idea in rows of sheets.

Risks & Potential Trade-offs:

The 5 minute time pressure in the last lines may be challenging to read previously long ideas.

Real-World Organizational & Industry Scenarios

Product design sprints (Design Sprints): production of the initial bank of application or platform features at the beginning of the sprint.
Go-to-Market Strategy Design (GTM): simultaneous creation of 108 tactics across channels, pricing, campaigns and partnerships.
Management of engineering projects: finding alternative solutions to solve the technical bottlenecks of the factory in the shortest possible time.

Strategic Rationale & Why to Apply

1The 6-3-5 formula is record-breaking efficiency: 108 ideas in half an hour without a single word of marginality or discussion.
2Quality assurance through 6-person chain: Every idea is refined 5 times by 5 other expert brains.
3High motivation from gamification and timer: working with an hourglass and 5-minute rounds focuses brain energy.
4Total organizational democracy: The opinions of the youngest intern carry the same weight as the CEO's.

Conceptual Framework & Book Method Description

"Brainwriting 6-3-5" technique introduced by Bernd Rohrbach in 1968 in Germany is the pinnacle of creative process engineering.

The name of the method expresses its logic: 6 people sit around the table; Each person has a table with 3 columns and 6 rows. In each round, participants have 5 minutes to write 3 ideas in the corresponding row. At the end of 5 minutes, the cards are given to the person on the right. Each member reads 3 ideas from the previous row and writes 3 complementary, derived or completely new ideas in the next row. After 6 rounds (exactly 30 minutes), all 6 sheets are filled and a total of 108 systematic ideas are generated.

Step-by-Step Real-World Implementation Scenario

Generating 108 Marketing and Product Innovation Ideas with Rohrbach's 6-3-5 Technique in Half an Hour
1
Step 1: Establishment of the 6-3-5 formula and distribution of grid sheets6 marketing, formulation, packaging, financial, sales and digital experts were stationed around the table with a 5-minute timer.
2
Step 2: Round 1 (0-5 minutes) - generate 18 initial ideasEach person wrote 3 ideas in the first row (native herbal flavors, frosted aluminum can packaging, sales at CrossFit clubs).
3
Step 3: Middle Rounds (5-20 minutes) - Combination Jumpcards turned around; The ideas were enriched by the combination of expertise: opaque can + "can color change index based on the cool temperature of the drink"; Sale in the gym + "QR code on the can connected to the sports training program".
4
Step 4: Sixth and final round (25 to 30 minutes)The last layers of ideas are written and the sheets are returned to the original owner; Each table contained 18 evolved ideas.
5
Step 5: Evaluation of the 108 idea bank and strategic outputWithin 30 minutes, exactly 108 documented ideas were extracted, among which the "Smart Sports Refreshment" campaign with a temperature-sensitive can was selected as the best strategy of the year.

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Brainwriting Pool
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Creative Imaging
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