Apple-Drawing Ideation

Step 1:

Split the participants into groups of 4-6. Draw grids of roughly 30 squares on flipchart paper, one for each group (you may want to do this in advance of the session).

Step 2:

Introduce the exercise to the groups. Explain that it is a simple exercise that will help them define some principles for creativity and idea generation. It will get them in a mindset of divergent thinking. And it will be fun. They will work in silence for 10-15 minutes to draw as many different kinds of apple as they can.

Step 3:

They should all take pens/markers, ideally with different colours in each group. Give them 10-15 minutes to fill their grid. Starting in the top-left square, the group members take turns drawing apples. No apple can be the same. They should be in complete silence. Relaxing background music may be appropriate.

Step 4:

Stop the exercise when all of the grids and squares are filled, or the time has run out.

Step 5:

Give the groups 2-3 minutes to discuss the experience and draw out learnings and insights from the exercise. You could ask reflection questions like: How was it to do this exercise? What can we learn about creativity from this exercise? What are some principles we can draw out from this?

Step 6:

Bring the groups together, collating their grids in one place and standing in a horseshoe around them.

Ask the same questions as in Step 5 to the whole group and discuss any answers. Be sure to highlight the commonalities between the groups. As participants share, highlight these key insights: quantity is a condition for quality; building on the ideas of others; the ideas we come up with are usually all the same.

Facilitator notes

If you like, write up the key learnings on a giant piece of paper and stick on a wall in a prominent place. This exercise is useful for demonstrating the value of divergent thinking. Use it with something other than apples for more practical application: e.g., draw 30 logos, write 30 taglines, draw 30 new cars.