6.9.1 Brainstorming (continued)

I) Recording Secretary

A secretary who is a non participating member of the group records participants' ideas and suggestions. These may be recorded in a telegrammatic fashion but with enough data so that their general sense is not lost. If the topic discussed is very technical then a secretary with technical knowledge has to be selected. On some occasions two secretaries have been used to keep up with the rapidity of the flow of ideas. On such occasions the secretaries take turns in recording every other suggested idea. Tape recorders may also be used but they need not replace the secretaries.

It is a good idea to number ideas as they are recorded. The leader then has a ready tabulation of the number of ideas produced which he can use to tell a group how well it has done and to spur it on to even greater production.

When ideas are recorded, they are not noted with the name of the suggestor. The need for group congeniality far outweighs the good of granting individual credit.