Why do we call it Brain Storm?The expression brain storm and the word brainstorming was popularized in Applied Imagination by Alex Osborn An example: the team that discovered that bacteria can 'talk' to each otherTake a look at this TED presentation. Did you know how much of you is made up of bacteria?If you listened to the above video all the way to the end - and it is worth it - you know how the multiple and diverse 'brains' came together to accomplish these amazing discoveries about bacteria.Brain storming can make your brain come up with many multiples of ideas, questions, solutions, and answers. Note that I also included questions because by brainstorming lots of questions about a topic before you even think about starting to brainstorm answers, you will come up with many more and much better answers and solutions.Here is a mind map drawn using IMindMap software. See more software examples on the mind mapping software page. 
A good way to get a group of any size to understand why brainstorming in a group results in more unique ideas is to have them go through the word-chaining exercise. Divide a large group into smaller teams of 5 to 8 per team. Then give them one word and have each word associate and list each word they think of until they have 10 words. The specific directions are on the
word chaining page.
More options for brainstorming, more results.All the methods described on this web site will help you start the 'brain storming' process and keep it going until you or your team feel you have enough ideas and options to start sifting through them. Sometimes you will need to do the brain storming on your own. Here is an amazing email I received from a woman in her 80's who is a very accomplished artist and teaches water color painting. She took to heart the 'on your own' brainstorming recommendations."It was good to read Power Brainstorming all the way. It was not written for a retired person like me, but it made me think differently and use my imagination, It gave me the courage to go "out of the box" and try out other ways and new angles. Yesterday I painted with the mouth, holding my hands behind my back to keep them isolated. It was not easy to mix colors and wash the brushes. Since I know that there are mouth and foot painters, who make their living by painting calendars and note cards I even respect them more after my try.My sons said they will have occasions to use the book and try the Brainstorming with some groups." There are plenty of tips and tools available for on your own brainstorm work. Other times you will be lucky enough to have a team to work with. More minds, more experiences, more diversity in thinking styles will produce many more ideas. Check out the list of tips for brainstorming with a group to keep the sessions varied, interesting, and productive. Keep those ideas coming! A Young ScienceUnderstanding our brain is still a very young science. After all it is the brain trying to look at itself and analyze what it sees. New scientific and medical equipment such as the CT and MRI have allowed researchers to view what is happening in the brain while specific items or experiences are introduced. That is how we have found out where in the brain sight, smells, hearing, specific movement and types of thought the synapses start firing and brain activity can be traced.So Brain Storm is a perfect description for what is happening when we are thinking fast and coming up with many ideas and options.Return from the Brain Storm page to the brainstorming-that-works home page.
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. The word is a perfect description of the brain's process. Many synapses start firing and multiple associations stored in the brain get recalled. The point is to get so many thoughts coming up simultaneously and triggering so many other thoughts and ideas that your mind's alter ego that likes to think negative thoughts can't get a word in edge wise.
