Brainwriting is a silent, written alternative to verbal brainstorming that consistently produces more ideas per participant and more equitable participation across a team. Developed by Bernd Rohrbach in 1969 as the '6-3-5' method, it asks each participant to generate ideas independently on paper, then pass their sheet to a neighbour who builds on those ideas before passing the sheet again. The silent format removes the social pressure of speaking up in a group and gives every voice equal weight regardless of seniority or personality.
Brainwriting
Silent individual ideation that unlocks quieter voices
A
Designers Academy
12 August 2026 · 4 min read
DesignMethods
In brief
Brainwriting is a silent, written ideation method where participants independently generate and build on ideas by passing papers, ensuring equitable participation and generating more concepts than verbal brainstorming.
