Improving group creativity: brainstorming versus non-brainstorming techniques in a GSS environment

Abstract

Creativity is increasingly important in today's fast changing world. The use of group support systems has been shown to improve the quantity and quality of ideas produced by groups during idea generation. Similarly, creative techniques may be used to increase creativity. Therefore, the use of creative techniques together with a GSS may help groups think more creatively. Brainstorming is the most used and studied of the techniques. However, to further increase creativity, other types of creative techniques may be used. This paper presents a theory addressing structural aspects of both creative techniques and GSS, including testable hypotheses. A laboratory experiment is described that tests these hypotheses for three creative techniques (brainstorming, assumption reversals and analogies) implemented using a GSS. Results support the proposed theory. Analogies produced fewer but more creative ideas. Assumption reversals produced the most ideas, but these ideas were less creative than ideas produced by analogies and brainstorming.