Playbook for universal design

Universal design methods for more inclusive solutions

Brainwalking Add/remove

Purpose:

The purpose of brainwriting is to create ideas based on the creativity of an entire group, making sure everyone gets their say in the development. 

The method makes use of individual brainstorms but builds on each other’s ideas, making for more detailed solutions made from different points of view. 

Step by step Facilitating tips Materials needed Goes well with Download template (pdf)

Tips to include participants who are not able to:

Touch

Pair up the participants to have them brainstorm in pairs instead of individually. This would still require one of the participants to be abled according to touch.
Another way is to have a helper note down for the participant. The participants should though still explain their own ideas to not feel excluded.

Hold

Pair up the participants to have them brainstorm in pairs instead of individually. This would still require one of the participants to be abled according to Hold.
Another way is to have a helper note down for the participant. The participants should though still explain their own ideas to not feel excluded.

See

Pair up the participants to have them brainstorm in pairs instead of individually. This would still require one of the participants to be abled according to sight.
Another way is to have a helper note down for the participant. The participants should though still explain their own ideas to not feel excluded.

Belong

If a participant feels excluded from the group pair up the participants to have them brainstorm in pairs instead of individually.

Focus

Depending on the ability being limited according to not being able to focus because of distractions or because of time crunch - either reduce time spent or increase the time spent for brainstorming.

Think

Ideas can be both noted or drawn, suit it to the participant according to what they feel most comfortable with. be more observant here as a facilitator. Pairing up might also be beneficial.

Hear

A translator can be used for presentation, or a written explanation can be read by a fellow participant. If a translator is not present make sure all ideas have a written explanation.

Overview

Input

Base idea, how might we sentence, problem or similar.

Output

More detailed ideas

Complexity

Simple-Moderate

Time

10-30 min

Participants

3-8

Activity

Writing, creative thinking, drawing

Step by step:

  1. Provide a template for each participant and make the participants sit wide apart from each other (1 min). 

  2. The participants should choose between a problem, idea or ‘how might we’ sentence – these can either be predefined by you or choosen from a previous exercise. Up to you to decide if the participants are working on the same problem or different problems. The problem, idea or HMW sentence should be written on the template (2 min). 

  3. Tell the participants that they have 5 minutes to ideate on the chosen problem, idea or HMW sentence. They should ideate on the template.

  4. After 5 minutes the participants should rotate one seat to the right, which results in them sitting in front of a new template.

  5. The participants are given 3 minutes to further detail/ideate on the problem, idea or HMW sentence that are in front of them.

  6. After 3 minutes make the participants rotate again. Rotate as many times as there are participants. All participants should have worked on all templates at least once.

  7. Let the participants, one by one, present the developed idea on the template to the group(each participant has 2 minutes to present).

When doing this method you should consider:

  1. If your participants are all able to walk let them move to the template instead of making the template come to the participants. Getting blood flowing can increase the energy. 
  2. Make sure all participants can write so it is readable by most participants – big, bold, high contrast etc. 
  3. the more information on the template the less people will add to it.

Materials needed:

  • Templates 
  • Post-its
  • Pens