# Brainstorming The Hamilton and Alexandra College · Year 12 · 2026 Brainstorming is one of the four ideation tools in your [C4-1 design pack](/sd/C04/C4-1%20Checkpoint%20-%20Design%20Pack). You already know *what* it is — the skill that scores marks is doing it **well**: chase quantity, switch your judgement off, then find the themes. --- ## What makes a good brainstorm - **Quantity over quality** — wild, silly, half-formed ideas are all welcome. Volume is the point. - **No judging during the session** — don't filter, don't say "that won't work." Capture *everything*. - **Build on ideas** — one idea sparks the next. - **Timebox it** — 10–15 minutes of fast output beats an hour of overthinking. - **Then group into themes** — the raw list is only useful once you've organised it. --- ## How to run yours 1. Write your **project goal** as a "How might we…?" question at the top of the page. 2. Set a **timer for 10–15 minutes**. 3. **Dump every idea.** No filtering, no editing, no "that's silly." 4. When the timer stops, **group related ideas** and circle the **2–3 strongest themes** to carry into your mind map. Use a mini-whiteboard, A3 paper, or Excalidraw in Obsidian — whatever lets you write fast. --- ## StudyStreak example **How might we help students keep studying without burning out?** *Raw dump (timer on — no filtering):* > pomodoro timer · streak counter · a plant that grows as you study · mood check-in · "you've done enough today" nudge · lock-out after 9pm · study-with-friends room · badges · confetti · gentle reminder to take a break · one-tap "start studying" · weekly wind-down summary · soundscapes · leaderboard · screen-time guardrails · reward downtime, not just study *Then group into themes (and circle the strongest):* - 🟢 **Gentle motivation** — streak counter, growing plant, weekly summary ✅ - 🟢 **Low-friction logging** — one-tap start, pomodoro timer ✅ - **Wellbeing guardrails** — break reminders, "done enough" nudge, 9pm lock-out - ~~Competition~~ — leaderboard, badges, confetti *(crossed out — clashes with the calm, non-gamified feeling)* Notice the last group got **rejected on purpose** — that decision is exactly the kind of thing your C4-1 annotations should justify. --- ## Common mistakes - **Filtering as you go** — it kills your volume. Judge *after* the timer, not during. - **Stopping at five ideas** — push past the obvious ones; the good stuff usually comes later. - **Skipping the grouping step** — an ungrouped list isn't finished work. --- ## Your turn 1. Write your "How might we…?" question. 2. Timer on — 10–15 minutes, maximum ideas, zero filtering. 3. Group your ideas; circle 2–3 themes. 4. Note one idea you **rejected** and why (great annotation material). Commit your raw list **and** your themes to GitHub, and add them to your printed design pack. --- ## Check Your Understanding 1. Why is the rule "quantity over quality"? >| ### Answer >| Volume is where good ideas hide — the obvious ones come first, the strong ones come after you've pushed past them. Judging early stops the flow. 2. What two things do you do *after* the timer stops? >| ### Answer >| Group related ideas into themes, and circle the 2–3 strongest to carry forward (into your mind map). 3. Why is it useful to note an idea you *rejected*? >| ### Answer >| Naming what you considered and rejected — and why — is exactly the justify-level thinking C4-1 annotations reward. --- ## See also - [Mind Mapping](/sd/C04/Mind%20Mapping) — the next step: give your brainstorm themes some shape - [Mood Boards](/sd/C04/Mood%20Boards) · [C4-1 Checkpoint — Your Design Pack](/sd/C04/C4-1%20Checkpoint%20-%20Design%20Pack) --- ← Back to [C04 Home](/sd/C04/C04-home) · [VCE Software Development Hub](/sd/VCE%20Software%20Development%20Hub)