Staff are often required to work in partly or fully virtual teams. Some team members may even live in distant cities, other countries and completely different time zones. This can make it difficult to participate in brainstorming meetings. Online brainstorming tools enable staff to use the Internet to share and develop ideas no matter what time of day or where they may be located.
There are many online tools and apps that you can access, here are some of the more popular tools:
- Popplet is a platform for your ideas. You can capture ideas, sort them visually and collaborate with others in realtime.
- Padlet is a virtual wall that enables you to express your ideas easily. You can put any type of content, images, videos, documents, text, anywhere on the page and collaborate with others in realtime.
- Text2Mindmap is an easy tool to use for turning your typed outlines into mind maps.
- Realtimeboard is an online whiteboard with an infinite canvas, that enables you to visualise and organise your thoughts and projects.
- Bubble.us creates a brainstorming canvas in your browser window. You can share your ideas with friends and colleagues. You start with a main topic bubble and add connected bubbles from there.
And while these tools can be really useful, it's always worth doing a Google search for new tools or reviews on any tools you've chosen.