What is the main purpose of brainstorming?

The main purpose of brainstorming is to generate a lot of ideas. This creative process encourages individuals or groups to freely explore thoughts and concepts without the pressure of evaluating or critiquing them initially. By focusing on the quantity of ideas, brainstorming allows participants to think outside the box, leading to innovative solutions and new perspectives that might not surface in more structured environments. The goal is to foster an open atmosphere where all contributions are welcome, promoting extensive exploration of possibilities.

While establishing a clear plan is important, that is a subsequent step that follows the idea generation phase. Limiting creativity would contradict the very essence of brainstorming, which is to enhance creativity and exploration. Similarly, focusing on producing a single best idea goes against the fundamental principle of brainstorming; the emphasis is on quantity first, which can later be refined into a select few ideas for further development.