The illustrious Post-it note is turning 30 this month. You’ve got to hand it to 3M, what an amazing and long-lived innovative product. I celebrate their success!
Post-it notes have a special place in the hearts of innovation facilitators. Offloading the on-going charting of ideas that are coming out fast and furious in brainstorm sessions frees facilitators do do other stimulating things. I remember standing at a flip chart and trying to keep up with a dynamic group and it is very challenging. Post-it notes allow for a freer flow of ideation, not bottle-necked through a slow-writing facilitator. Post-it note Brainstorming was, and is, a huge improvement over facilitator-writing-on-flip-chart Brainstorming.
It’s time to turn a new page however, creative facilitators need to retire the Post-it. There may still be some odd uses for them, but times have changed and new technologies are allowing even better data collection. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, if you’re not looking at Idea Management Systems, you are missing the boat in terms of formal innovation. I‘ll go further, if your organization is not using an Idea Management System by the end of this year, you are officially behind the times. If you are a facilitator and Post-it notes and flip charts are all you are using, you are behind the times right now.
Their are several downsides of using Post-it notes for brainstorming that new tech addresses. First of all, most ideas eventually need to be included in electronic documents. Post-it notes need typed up. If you move to an online, web-based system, nobody has to type up all those Post-it notes. A typical ideation session can generate over 1000 ideas, and that is a time consuming and laborious process to bang those into a document. Sometimes it never gets done, and valuable ideas are lost in the shuffle.
A second, and more subtle, problem with using Post-it notes is that they limit what people write down. Sometimes this is good — you get people to synopsize or “state as a headline.” Keeping people moving to more ideas is always challenging in brainstorming. However, “headlines” also inhibit necessary elaboration. What makes some ideas exciting is in fact the detail. In my experience, what often happens in sessions is people using Post-it’s write down very vague ideas. Sometimes you’d be hard pressed to even call these…things…ideas. They are more like glimmers or gleams in the eye of the ideator. If a facilitator takes time and drills down on one of these glimmer-gleams, often something more concrete and valuable emerges. Ideators, if given time, and the right tools, can elaborate on their own as well. In either case, it’s about writing More isn’t it?
The truth, as I see it, is that typical managers (the stereotypical participant in an ideation session) do their best idea development work by a very simple process — writing. Brainstorming is good to get things started, and, it’s only a start. Ideas need to be fleshed out, considerably, on paper (or better yet, computer) before they can be implemented. A bit of dialog with others can help, but at the end of the day, somebody has to think up the details around a vague idea and turn it into something people can use, by writing it down.
Idea Management Systems, like Imaginatik, and Brightidea.com are ideal for replacing Post-it notes as the most essential tool in idea generation. Ideators bang their ideas directly into a comprehensive and always-available system. Then, ideas can be further elaborated, detailed, critiqued, rated, reviewed, sorted, and printed — by individuals and groups — no matter where they are on the globe. There are other systems that can be used in this fashion. For those on a budget, Google Docs. They also move organizations away from the outmoded “one day” ideation session model, and towards idea generation efforts that are stretched over more realistic time frames. I’ve got nothing against group meetings or “live” brainstorming sessions, but they are only one tool, and should ideally cap a more long format effort, of say two or three weeks.
The human brain works better when it actually has time to think. And, not every organization can afford to fly people in at the drop of a hat for a session. Idea Management Systems work better and cost less.
So, while I love the Post-it note and will probably use them in brainstorming from time to time in the future, it’s time for the Innovation Industry to move towards products that leverage modern technology.
22 responses to “Post-It Note Turns 30, Let's Retire It From Brainstorming”
with voice recognition and collection software Post-Its and index cards (predecessor of Post-It notes) can be retired.
still the majority of employees of companies from the front door to the top floor do not have computers or computer skills.
having an idea room, as can be found at some conference, training centers, university continuing education centers or simply university, high school, some middle schools is still rare
voice recognition software used with audio tapes/cds or other digital voice recorders Post-It notes, index cards, bar napkins, chalk or white boards can all be retired.
hmmm ideal idea room….computers or recorders for everyone with television screens that can display all the ideas being generated to help hitchhiking and combing of ideas during idea generation would be great.
I question that “the majority of employees…do not have computer skills.” This is not my experience. Even if we’re talking factories, or truck drivers, almost everybody has to use computers on the job now.
And…an idea room can be virtual, with folks jumping into that room from anywhere they can access the web.
Thanks for your comment, as always.
I think that devices like the iPad once they become ubiquitous will allow us to make full use of IMS a reality. Although I think there is some real benefit to the kinesthetic, visual,and auditory dance of individuals in a group writing on post-its.
The iPad is a nice device, but we’ve had workable, wireless devices for IMS for years. I agree that real time sessions have a special place and value in brainstorming. To me it’s not one or the other, it’s both. Thanks for your comment!
Ooh, you got my attention with this one, being that what I’m supposed to be doing at this moment (instead of checking your blog) is designing a huge facilitation where ideation is an important component. So does everyone need a laptop in front of them to participate? How do you work the logistics? and is it not more time consuming when done DURING an offsite? I totally get you on ideation not being relegated to an event, but still, you will need to have those events to kick off new directions and/or do major co-creating and planning… I’m interested in learning more!
Thanks, Gregg!
Halelly
If you’re going to use an idea management system, ideally, yes, everyone would need a laptop in front of them.
Or, hybrid style, have a small team of data entry people banging in the ideas as they are generated, using Post-it notes. At least then you’ll avoid the post-event data tsunami. Could also have one typist per table (group of 6 or 8 ) with ideas captured on Post-its or charts so nothing is missed.
Logistics, depends on the size of the group, but, a projected image of the streaming ideas let’s everybody see what’s going on. Facilitator poses the question at hand. Can be done silently, or, can be “announced” as you go, or better yet, a bit of both. When things lag, facilitator introduces another tool, like forced association, or working in small groups, etc.
Totally agree events are part of the picture, and, best done when the group has already done some thinking before, and, will do more afterwards.
If you have a ‘one time’ (could even be a few weeks for a project ) need for an organization, there are a couple of options for renting an idea management system. Contact me offline for my thoughts on that. Good luck!
The physical paper bits and hand writing it out are manipulatives — kinetic and visually different. Keyboarding is just not the same, even if you have instant display on a projected screen or on your personal screen. That can be significant difference to the process. Although yes of course it is inefficient to have to type up the notes later.
I agree it’s not the same. It really feels different to type versus write. And, I love sketches, diagrams and mind-maps — which are not so easy to do on computers.
On the other hand, based on experience, I get super high quality ideas from keyboards. Lots of detail, and attachments, etc.
With Post-its, there’s a second step — which is a more detailed write up on a regular sheet of paper (or idea form). Then, it gets typed, so three steps total. It feels more and more like a waste of energy to me.
David makes a good point in another comment, which is basically Post-its are a great break from high tech. Any kind of “break” In ideation is good, and all sorts of different ways to fly make sense at different times. I guess I’m just sick and tired of facilitators that over rely on Post-its, because there are some real drawbacks.
Thanks for your comment B Martin (@Repitude).
Great read, though I hope we don’t retire them entirely. The more high-tech we get in brainstorms, the more refreshing it is to sometimes go back to basics. They have a place, just not front and center.
I think of typing up the final post-its and flip chart notes, as well as combining with digital notes, as one very important step in touching, owning, and ingesting the ideas and finding relationships between and among them. To work physically with the ideas helps me to expand them even further.
One can hire someone to do this “typing” task, but I prefer to absorb the inefficiency for the benefit of feeling the gestalt of the ideas.
I think in this discussion of what is and isn’t innovative facilitating is still the idea of what most successfully works for each individual.
To each his own — I agree. Be your own a pack of Post-its or a laptop, fish or meat, white or red wine…
Thanks Paula, as always, for making a good point.
I envision a future wherein we wire our brains directly to a computer that collects all of our thoughts during ideation, thereby avoiding the unconscious editing to which even the most fearless and prolific ideators succumb. Then, you can capture the data not only in linear fashion, but then recombine, searching for and enumerating key words, weighting concepts by frequency (or infrequency), distilling themes, criss-cross combining the data, reading it backwards, searching out cooking metaphors, or references to jet propulsion (even if your talking band aids, food processing or fashion, whatever) — even composing songs with lyrics crafted from the data around consumer need states, etc. I saw an item today (“Switch” was one of the books to which the piece referred.) that asserted that too many choices can lead to bad or non-choices. So, the culling of and convergence of the data is also important. Speed of tabulation, which this method would deliver, would allow for an array of many choices and the swift creation of unique combinations, without the quality and process impediments of traditional methods. Collectively, we are smarter that any of us are individually, as has been observed and the successful model of natural selection in nature seems to support. Varietal mass is the consume’ and speed is lightening required for creation on a significant scale.
The problem with you Doug is you don’t think Big Enough. Could I suggest a course in Futurism?
And furthermore you don’t quite pack enough information and ideas into your diatribes.
… but seriously.
Gregg,
I actually have to entirely disagree with you. While web idea management and document systems are elegant and online, sometimes it’s easier just to go back to pen and paper to help manage things. The notes I take on sticky notes don’t need to go into a document, so if that were different I could see the validity of moving away from it. But for right now I have SO much online (all my tasks in my inbox, constantly being inundated by The Next Urgent Thing, multiple projects all going on at the same time) it’s actually easier for me to throw up a couple sticky notes on my file cabinet above my computer just so I can visually see what’s going on, and also see all my tasks and priorities in one static place instead of having to navigate to a different program or add a toolbar or something.
It’s basic, simple, and it’s always worked.
Everyone is different in how they manage things and manage their tasks and ideas. I think it’s extremely premature to count out the sticky note. If you’re counting out sticky note, might as well count out notebooks, legal pads, and moleskin notebooks. There’s not much difference.
I think the point of this post really should be “Find what works for you and find an effective way to manage your ideas.” Not: if you use sticky notes you’re behind on the times.
For the personal productivity reasons you cite, I agree with you, they work fine. What I’m questioning is the over reliance on using Post-it notes in idea generation sessions. I just don’t think they make sense in that context they way they used to. So, thank you, you are quite right, for personal stuff, why not.
I was a VERY early adopter of the Post-It Note. I think that 3M may have done some test marketing in San Luis Obispo, California in 1979, with Post-It Notes that were an inch and a half by two inches. I remember my wife and I were visiting an office supply store and seeing these funny little pieces of pale yellow paper that would stick to surfaces without the use of tape. We picked up a box of them and have been using the Post-It Note ever since.
I suspect that they will continue to be used for brainstorming as long as there are incompatible computer platforms and people who don’t have/use computers for brainstorming.
Fair enough. It’s the best low tech method there is!
“Everyone is different in how they manage things and manage their tasks and ideas.”
Further elaboration: I’m sure you know plenty of people with different methods. Some people use physical folders (43 Folders), some people use desktop folders (my mother), some people use Getting Things Done (GTD, some of my coworkers), some people use simple to-do lists (my father), and some people use paper and pen (coworkers, me, my boss, etc.)
Everyone’s brains do not work alike. Brains are all about connections, organization, understanding, seeing, etc. So if sticky notes or an online idea management system helps you do one or more of all of those things BETTER, no idea should be counted out, however clunky they may look to other people.
If the object is productivity, there are multiple roads, and everyone has to find the right one for them to be on to get them there the fastest.
Yes, alright, I take your point. I’m not ruling out Post-it notes, I’m only saying in some contexts, specifically larger group sessions, they are not the best or only way to go.
On a personal level I’d never trade in my Moleskin and Faber-Castell fine points!
Thanks again for your insightful comments Deanna.
Getting misty eyed reading this, Gregg. Remember our session at CPSI. There is such a thing as an idea well before its time. We tried it with VisionQuest in the late 1980’s. Then came the web. Didn’t quite manage to cross the chasm, so to speak. It was a tough sell then — although at least half of Fortune 50 got excited by it; well, at least the excitable minority of folks in them (before 1991 came and they were canned).
But yes, with smartphones, broadband and other emerging ubiquitous technologies, the promise of idea generation/management systems (we used to call them Electronic Brainstorming Systems or Group Decision Support Systems or Electronic Meeting Systems depending on who we were trying to sell them to) may yet be realized.
Thanks for them mem’ries!
Companies like Pfiser, Bombardier, Cisco, and many many others are already doing virtual ideation. There is a group that gets it and a group that does not. And let me state for the record that I love Non-Virtual Ideation as well, but there is a time and place for everything. How does a big company involve 10,000 people? Hint: it wouldn’t involve post-its!
Gregg – You should check out: http://linoit.com/ they have a great product that can be incorporated into sessions.
Side note – if you ever need an extra facilitator I’d love to help!