Each professional has a wealth of experience and knowledge that is valuable for the work context, as they are great drivers for innovation. The problem is that many people feel uncomfortable speaking out, and so it is necessary to use alternatives, such as 6-3-5 method.
The 6-3-5 method is a brainwriting technique, a type of brainstorming in which instead of each team member presenting their ideas verbally, they are sent, shared, supplemented in writing and then discussed as a group.
An article from Harvard Business Review highlights that a study of more than 800 teams indicated that people are more likely to generate a greater volume of original ideas when they do not interact with others.
Therefore, brainwriting would be a more efficient technique than traditional brainstorming. Have you ever noticed how people tend to give up participating when they realize that their efforts are not yielding much?
The purpose of the 6-3-5 method, created by the German Bernd Rohrbach and published in 1968 in the magazine Absatz Wirtschaft, is to help teams generate a greater volume of ideas in a short space of time by complementing the suggestions of other people on the team.
The technique encourages equal participation from all members of a team and prevents more extroverted people from dominating the conversation.
Want to learn how the 6-3-5 method works and how to put it into practice in your company? Continue reading the article to learn more about the benefits and tips to maximize results.
How does the 6-3-5 method work?
The 6-3-5 method works as follows: a team made up of six people must write three ideas em five minutes, the duration of a round. This cycle can be repeated for 15 to 30 minutes, that is, from three to six rounds.
On average, the total number of ideas generated is 54 in the three-round cycle and 108 in the six-round cycle. The goal is for team members to work on each other's suggestions, adding complementary proposals.
The entire process is carried out in writing and timed by one of the team members. Before the brainwriting session begins, the person in charge is defined, facilitating the progress of the exchanges.
Ideas can be recorded on a sheet of paper or, to facilitate sharing, an online whiteboard tool, such as Miro, speeds up exchanges between rounds.
Online tools provide brainwriting models shareable, that is, the six people on the team can be online at the same time, on the board with the post-its distributed.
The technique is very productive because writing helps people retain information better, favoring the learning process and improving memorization capacity.
This finding comes from a study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Psychology, which evaluated and compared the brain activity of 36 students when writing and typing.
Since the goal is to generate as many ideas as possible, the 6-3-5 method still keeps the team focused on the proposed objective.
What are the benefits of the 6-3-5 method for work teams?
The main benefit of the 6-3-5 method is increase the quantity and diversity of ideas. As we highlighted above, in just 15 minutes, the team can generate 54 ideas ready to be worked on.
This result is only possible due to the improved collaboration and team dynamics. By following this technique, everyone actively participates, thinking about other people's ideas, without the pressure of everyone watching and waiting for a brilliant proposal.
Therefore, when you notice that the team is more introverted, apply the technique, because when it comes to evaluating ideas, everyone will be more comfortable and confident about what they are going to say.
Step by step to implement the 6-3-5 method
Applying the 6-3-5 brainwriting technique is easy, but it is essential to take each step carefully to ensure everyone is involved. The three main steps are:
1. Preparation
The first step is choose a tool and open a brainwriting template for teams. The names of each member should be on the first line of post-its.
Specify the issue to be discussed and set the total time for the timer, remembering that each round is 5 minutes. Then, share access so that everyone can view the board.
2. Execution
Now, the 6-3-5 method begins in earnest. After the first five minutes, the alarm will ring, indicating that the participant must move their three post-its to the right.
In the second round, each participant writes down three more ideas or suggestions for improvement inspired by the ones they received. The process continues until all participants have contributed to all of the initial ideas.
3. Evaluation of generated ideas
In the last stage, the evaluation of ideas. The team can choose a mediator to read the suggestions that have emerged to the group.
The objective is to review the proposals presented, group similar ideas to exclude repetitions and vote on the best or most viable one to be worked on at the moment.
Tips to maximize results with the method
Now that you know how to apply the technique, check out more tips to enhance results using the 6-3-5 brainwriting method:
- Have a clear objective for each brainwriting session so the team can prepare.
- Choose a quiet room where the team can stay focused and focused on solving the problem.
- Use the timer and activate the alarm sound of the chosen program to manage the duration of each session and the exchange of post-it notes.
- Set the post-its to private mode during the online session to make the team feel more comfortable.
- Provide the team with context about the problem and send support materials to stimulate the team's creativity in the search for solutions.
Conclusion
The 6-3-5 method is an agile technique for generating more ideas in a short period of time. The team, made up of six people, must present three ideas in each five-minute session, working on the suggestions of their colleagues.
This way, collaboration between people is more effective, there is no discomfort of speaking in public and each member can think individually before exposing themselves to the group, feeling more confident.
How about trying the method in your company? Improve your ideas using a brainwriting template, like Miro's, and see in practice how easy it is to create and share ideas virtually.
