The Generate tool is used for brainstorming. Participants type ideas at their workstations and send them anonymously to be viewed by other participants in the meeting. A Generate step can be open-ended, controlled by time, by the number of ideas generated, or by the facilitator’s judgment.
 

View of multiple topic Generate step on public display

The topic(s) for Generate can come from a previous step or from the meeting planning process.

Here are some examples for using Generate:

• List three major accomplishments you achieved last year.
• For each of the top problem areas you have defined today, list all the possible solutions you can think of.
• “Open Microphone” during a presentation (capture questions from audience for discussion afterwards)

The topics on which a participant is working in a Generate step can be controlled by the chauffeur or by the participant. When the chauffeur controls the selection of topics, all participants are focused on the same topic at the same time. The chauffeur selects the next topic when time is up or the maximum number of ideas has been submitted. All ideas appear on the public display as they are sent by participants, as well as on their screens.

Participant screen in Generate with Scratchpad

When the participants control the selection of topics, they represented with the entire list of topics and submit ideas on the topics in any order they choose. Ideas sent to the various topics appear in separate windows on the public display and on their screens.

Frequently, an Organize step follows a Generate step. The unedited list or outline from Generate is brought into Organize for discussion, clarification, editing, and organization.

Generate features include:

• Participant scratchpad area, where ideas can be stored and edited before being sent to the Group List
• Ability to comment on ideas sent by others
• Ability to include an author tag (either an
  individual or group name to identify the otherwise anonymous ideas sent)
• Built-in timer
• Menus to easily add, delete or change topics being used by participants
• Menu to save or print individual topics contents
• Edit capability for chauffeur and for participants (their own items only)