Brainwriting technique: a Brainstorming Tool

Article by: Patty Mulder

Last update: May 12, 2026

Brainwriting technique: this article describes the concept of the Brainwriting technique in a practical way. After reading you will understand the definition, meaning and basics of this brainstorming and creativity tool. Enjoy Reading!

What is the Brainwriting technique?

Like many brainstorming techniques, Brainwriting is also a way to stimulate creativity. It is a technique that works well with large groups, but also with groups that do not necessarily have to meet.

Its strength lies in the fact that participants are presented with a problem statement or get sent a problem statement, so that they can think about this at any location and at any time.

This is how each participant gets the opportunity to write down their own ideas and/ or comments and they can pass these on to other participants if necessary.

The other participants can then provide their own additional ideas or add constructive comments to the ideas. This passing on of thoughts and ideas can take place several times. All that is needed are sheets of paper and pens.

Brainwriting is a quick and easy method and the number of participants can vary from 5 to 300. However, there are situations when you can’t gather so many friends to participate. In that case, you can hire a custom essay writer to get a professionally written sample. You can look at its structure and the way in which it incorporates quotes when you categorize and describe the ideas you’ve generated in your paper.

Brainwriting technique is also the 6-3-5 method

Brainwriting is also called the 6-3-5 method through which many ideas can be generated in a short period of time. The 6-3-5 Brainwriting method comes from the process of having 6 people each write down 3 ideas on a large sheet of paper.

They pass this paper on to the participant next to them, who will then add another 3 ideas to the paper. This is done 5 times and generates 6×18 = 108 ideas in less than an hour. This method can also be carried out in another setting for example 4-3-2.

Writing down

Brainwriting is about having the participants write down as many ideas as possible. Because this is not always easy, there are a number of tricks that can be used.

One of these is writing in block letters, so that everyone can read what it says on the paper. Preference should be given to short wording (one-line sentences). The use of individual words is not advisable because they take on different meanings in different contexts.

Furthermore, descriptions must be concrete and they must not be written down in general terms such as ‘better’, ‘more’ or ‘larger’. It is also important to formulate ideas in a positive way and to avoid words such as ‘not’ and ‘no’.

Finally, the power of silence applies. The participants can only stay focused and come up with good ideas in a quiet environment.

Working method

It is advisable to choose a concrete working method for Brainwriting. First of all, there has to be a facilitator; the person who can be regarded as the chairperson of the session.

He / she writes down the problem statement on all sheets of paper, gives all candidates a pen and a short instruction and keeps an eye on the time. The A4-size paper can also be divided into a number of boxes, in which everyone can write down their ideas.

A thicker paper works best as this does not tear easily. Work can then be carried out on a step-by- step basis:

Time starts and each participant has 5 minutes to write down 1 to 3 ideas.
After these 5 minutes all forms are passed on to the person next to them.
The second round starts and everyone will have another 5 minutes to write down 1 to 3 ideas below those of their neighbour. Everyone is free to use the previous ideas for inspiration.
A third round follows after 5 minutes. This will continue until everyone has had their turn. It is also possible to have the sheet of paper completed by a maximum number of people.
In the last round everyone selects the most inspiring ideas from the paper. The participants then draw a circle around these ideas.
The ideas that have been circled are shared with the group. The participants will have an opportunity to explain their ideas and the ideas that receive too little support are crossed out.
The facilitator then collects all sheets of paper with circled ideas.
The facilitator types out all circled ideas and sends them to all participants, so that there is a total overview of the best ideas.

Clustering during Brainwriting

It is advisable to organise a meeting after the last step so that all of the ideas that have been clustered can be discussed. Brainwriting then transfers from being a quantitative method to a qualitative method; only the best ideas are chosen.

Based on this, the participants will draw up a step-by-step plan to try and solve the previously identified problem statement. Because everyone contributes to the solution of the problem, there is a large support base among the participants.

Tip: Brainwriting is a powerful addition to brainstorming, especially when you want to gather a lot of input quickly without the loudest voices dictating the direction. In a hackathon, you can use brainwriting to help teams quickly arrive at a clear problem definition and initial solution. The hackathon article shows you how to incorporate this into the daily schedule. Read the article Hackathon

Advantages of Brainwriting

Brainwriting has a number of advantages. First of all, it is not just the extrovert participants that can express themselves but it also offers chances for more introverted participants to be heard.

Because the participants work in silence, there are no dominant participants and everyone has the same time to think about the problem statement. It is the task of the chairperson to maintain the silence and to immediately address participants when they are talking or whispering.

The best part about Brainwriting is the synergy that it evokes; by reading other participants’ ideas that have been written down at the top of the paper, each participant is encouraged to come up with creative ideas themselves. Each idea is therefore a source for a new idea or an expansion of that idea.

A pleasant side effect is that it facilitates remote working which means that forms can be sent by email. However, the facilitator needs a firm hand in this and he/she must ensure that everything is streamlined well, so that optimum use is made of the expertise and creativity of all participants.

Recommended books and articles on Brainwriting

Brainwriting helps groups quickly generate a large number of ideas without one person dominating the conversation. The method works well when participants first want to think quietly, write down ideas, and then build on each other’s input. The books and articles below provide additional insight into group creativity, brainwriting, brainstorming, creative problem-solving, and facilitating ideas in teams.

Brown, T. (2009). Change by design: How design thinking creates new alternatives for business and society. New York, NY: Harper Business. → This book places creative techniques such as Brainwriting within a broader design approach. Brown demonstrates why it is important to first explore many possibilities before making choices. This aligns well with Brainwriting, as the method allows for multiple ideas, perspectives, and angles.
de Bono, E. (1992). Serious creativity: Using the power of lateral thinking to create new ideas. London, England: HarperCollins. → de Bono demonstrates how people can consciously step outside fixed thought patterns. This is relevant to Brainwriting because participants do not have to respond to one another immediately. They are first given space to put their own ideas on paper. This often leads to solutions different from those found in a typical discussion.
Diehl, M., & Stroebe, W. (1987). Productivity loss in brainstorming groups: Toward the solution of a riddle. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(3), 497-509. → This article is important for understanding the difference between Brainstorming and Brainwriting. The authors demonstrate why groups sometimes generate fewer ideas than expected. People wait for their turn, conform to the group, or keep ideas to themselves. Brainwriting can mitigate this, as participants work simultaneously and in writing.
Dugosh, K. L., Paulus, P. B., Roland, E. J., & Yang, H. C. (2000). Cognitive stimulation in brainstorming. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(5), 722-735. → This article demonstrates how others’ ideas can spark new ideas. This principle is central to Brainwriting. When participants read each other’s notes, they can build upon them. This results not only in a loose list of ideas but also in a chain of additions and improvements.
Gallupe, R. B., Bastianutti, L. M., & Cooper, W. H. (1991). Unblocking brainstorms. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76(1), 137-142. → This study addresses mental blocks in brainstorming sessions. In ordinary group discussions, participants can be inhibited by waiting time, peer pressure, or dominant speakers. The source is a good fit for Brainwriting, because written and parallel idea generation actually helps to reduce those blocks.
Higgins, J. M. (1994). 101 creative problem solving techniques: The handbook of new ideas for business. Winter Park, FL: New Management Publishing Company. → A practical resource with many creative problem-solving techniques. The book is useful for readers who want to combine Brainwriting with other methods. For example, first gathering ideas, then clustering, selecting, and further developing them into concrete solutions.
Litcanu, M., Prostean, O., Oros, C., & Mnerie, A. V. (2015). Brain-writing vs. brainstorming case study for power engineering education. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences, 191, 387-390. → This article compares Brainwriting with Brainstorming in an educational context. The source is useful because it shows that Brainwriting is particularly helpful when not all participants feel equally comfortable speaking up. Writing makes participation more accessible and ensures greater equality in the session.
Paulus, P. B., & Nijstad, B. A. (Eds.). (2003). Group creativity: Innovation through collaboration. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. → A strong academic source on creativity in groups. The book demonstrates how collaboration can both enhance and hinder ideas. This makes it valuable for Brainwriting, as the method aims to combine the best of both worlds: individual thinking and building on others’ ideas.
Paulus, P. B., & Yang, H. C. (2000). Idea generation in groups: A basis for creativity in organizations. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 82(1), 76-87. → This article demonstrates how groups can generate ideas more effectively. It aligns well with Brainwriting, as the method first allows participants to contribute independently and then connects ideas. This creates greater variety and ensures that quiet participants are less likely to be overlooked.
Rohrbach, B. (1969). Creative by Rules: Method 635, a New Technique for Solving Problems. Absatzwirtschaft, 12, 73-75. → Rohrbach is often cited as the creator of the 6-3-5 method. This source is therefore important for understanding the origins of Brainwriting. The structure is simple: six participants write down three ideas in five minutes and then pass their form along. It is precisely this fixed format that makes the method fast and clear.
VanGundy, A. B. (1984). Brain writing for new product ideas: An alternative to brainstorming. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 1(2), 67-74. → This article focuses on Brainwriting as an alternative to Brainstorming for new product ideas. It demonstrates why written idea generation can be useful when a group wants to quickly gather many options. This is practical for organizations because the method requires few resources yet can yield a great deal of input.
VanGundy, A. B. (2005). 101 activities for teaching creativity and problem solving. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. → This book is particularly useful for trainers, facilitators, and team leaders. VanGundy offers many activities for practicing creativity and problem-solving. Brainwriting fits well into this approach because the method is easy to explain and can be quickly implemented in workshops, training sessions, and team meetings.

How to cite this article:
Mulder, P. (2018). Brainwriting technique. Retrieved [insert date] from Toolshero: https://www.toolshero.com/creativity/brainwriting/

Original publication date: April 3, 2018 | Last update: May 12, 2026

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Article by:

Patty Mulder

Patty Mulder is an Dutch expert on Management Skills, Personal Effectiveness and Business Communication. She is also a Content writer, Business Coach and Company Trainer and lives in the Netherlands (Europe).
<b>Note: all her articles are written in Dutch and we translated her articles to English!</b>