Anatomy of … an Idea Board: Juice your team’s creativity

22 Jan Anatomy of … an Idea Board: Juice your team’s creativity

Collaboration across an organization can turn a good idea into a great one. One tool that helps workplaces collaborate is the idea board, a visual representation of the creative thoughts and suggestions of the group.

Idea boards can increase employee engagement, enhance team camaraderie, and improve the culture inside an organization, says Margaret Ricci, founder of teambuilding consultant firm Cultural Strategies, in Oakdale, Minnesota. “But they can also be time-consuming and problematic if the process isn’t set up correctly at the beginning,” Ricci warns.

To make sure your idea board does the job you intend it to do, Ricci offers suggestions on steps to take from Day One:

1. Decide the format of the board. Will it be a physical board that hangs on a wall in a conference room or a spreadsheet on a company drive? There are also group brainstorming software programs such as Creately, Miro, and Mural.

2. Create a board “owner.” Decide who will control the board or be point person for everyone who contributes. This person will let others know how to submit ideas and update the board.

3. Define what an idea for the board entails. Let employees know if ideas must meet certain criteria, such as adhering to time or cost considerations. That encourages employees to think through the viability of ideas before submitting them.

4. Consider whether anonymity will be allowed. In some cases, you’ll get more honest feedback if you allow employees to submit ideas anonymously. On the other hand, team members’ bonds could grow stronger if everyone takes public ownership of their ideas.

5. Decide who will vote on the ideas. Will company leadership determine which ideas will be implemented, or will everyone who submits ideas be able to chime in?

6. Create a transparent system for vetting ideas. Let everyone know why certain ideas weren’t implemented. “Employees can take it personally when their ideas or the ideas of others are not accepted,” Ricci says. Explain the decision-making process and let the entire group know why the chosen ideas got the green light.

And, Ricci adds, block out space on the team’s calendar to look for ways to combine ideas and build on the suggestions that come in. “Employees often can’t wait to help out their company or team, but whatever team is implementing the ideas will have to lay away extra time to sort through them.” EW