Process improvement project - Improve -
STARBUSTING
What is Starbursting used for?
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Brainstorming questions to understand new ideas
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When a colleague suggests a new idea, and you're trying to understand it and how it works, a typical response is to bombard the other person with questions
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What features would it have?
How much would it cost?
Where would we market it?
Who would buy it?
And so on
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It's important that the questions are asked in a systematic and comprehensive way
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Use Starbursting exercise every time you explore a new idea
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Starbursting focuses on generating questions rather than answers
Step 1
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Take a large sheet of blank paper
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Draw a large six-pointed star in the middle, or contact us at info@flmlean.com if you are interested in receiving a template
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Write your idea, product or challenge in the centre of the star
Step 3
Step 2
Write these words at the tip of each star
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"Who"
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"What"
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"Why"
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"Where"
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"When" and
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"How"
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Brainstorm questions about the idea or product starting with each of these words
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The questions radiate out from the central star
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Don't try to answer any of the questions as you go along
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Instead, concentrate on thinking up as many questions as you can
Step 4
Depending on the scope of the exercise, you may want to have further starbursting sessions to explore the answers to these initial questions further.
Summary - Learning from your Starbursting exercise
Results will provide you with a good set of questions for reviewing your product, issue or project requirement.
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You can use these then as an individual or project group to work on the answers more effectively, in more detail and with more informative responses.