Solution Ideation Workshop Template

Four to seven is the sweet spot. Fewer than four limits the diversity of ideas. More than seven makes sharing and voting slow, and quieter team members get drowned out. If you have a larger group, run parallel sessions of 5-6 people and combine results afterward.

The template is designed to prevent this. Silent brainstorming means everyone generates ideas independently. Dot voting means everyone's opinion counts equally. If someone dominates during the sharing phase, the facilitator should enforce the 30-seconds-per-idea rule and redirect with: "Thanks. Let us hear the next idea." The structure does the heavy lifting.

Yes. Engineers often generate ideas that are both creative and feasible because they understand technical possibilities that designers and PMs may not consider. They also flag infeasible ideas early, saving time. Include at least one engineer in every ideation session. The [product-led growth](/glossary/prioritization) approach works best when engineering is involved from the ideation stage.

Two techniques. First, have the most senior person share their ideas last during the sharing phase. Second, use anonymous dot voting (everyone votes at the same time, not sequentially). If seniority bias is a persistent problem, use digital tools (Miro, FigJam) where votes are anonymous until revealed.

Create a shared "Idea Parking Lot" document or board. Review it quarterly during planning sessions. Some parked ideas become relevant when strategy shifts, new technology emerges, or the team finishes higher-priority work. Ideas that sit parked for 6+ months without renewed interest can be archived. ---