Brainstorming With Sticky Notes

This method for generating ideas is a nominal group technique (people are nominally in a group but mostly work on their own).

  1. Each participant is given either a pad of sticky notes or a set number, perhaps six or seven.
  2. Using a thick marker pen, they write one idea on each note. When time is called, each person announces their ideas to the whole group and posts his or her notes on a large sheet of paper taped to the wall.
  3. The notes are then clustered by the facilitator or volunteers, and the clusters are named.
  4. Finally, the facilitator asks: “Is that everything? Do you want to add any more ideas or suggest new categories?”