Rich Brainstorm — for facilitators

Samvinas

• Set an open Prompt, as with Brainstorm.
• Let people know they can format with Markdown and sketch by typing /sketch — many won't discover it unprompted.
• Otherwise run it like Brainstorm: keep it open, encourage quantity, lock it when you're ready to converge.

Rich Brainstorm produces idea items like any brainstorm; consuming tools (Voting, Ranking) show a "more" button, so rich ideas stay readable when you converge.

Paper and pen

You need: A5 sheets or large index cards, fat markers and fine pens, and Blu-Tack or tape for a wall gallery.

• One concept per card: a title in fat marker, then a sketch or a few lines of detail in fine pen — readable at arm's length.
• Timebox each card at three or four minutes, or people polish drawings instead of having the next idea. Rough is the point.
• As cards finish, post them on the wall; each author gives a one-sentence tour of theirs.
• Harvest: number the cards and photograph the gallery — the cards themselves become the units for dot-voting or clustering by hand.

When & why

Reach for Rich Brainstorm when a one-line idea can't carry the content — design problems, systems, anything visual or structural. If speed and volume matter more than depth, plain Brainstorm is the better tool.

Same rules as any divergent step: quantity first, judgement later.

• A rough sketch often says more than a paragraph — say so out loud, or people will aim for polish.
• Expect fewer items than a plain brainstorm; each one carries more.
• What usually follows: Voting or Value / Doability to converge, or Elaboration to develop the keepers further.