PROGRAMMED INVENTION
One of the major disadvantages of brainstorming technique is the possibility that someone will get credit for another person's ideas. For example, suppose person A comes up with an original idea that person B builds on. Let's say that B's improved idea is recognized as something special and is praised by the panel members. Member A's original thought is lost in the discussion and no credit is given to A. A will probably remain silent during the remainder of the session with the attitude, "I'll be damned if I will help out this group.". Unfortunately this is the nature of brainstorming and its main drawback.
Programmed Invention (PI) attempts to correct this obvious defect. The PI session is conducted much like the brainstorming session, in which the ideas are wanted in quantity with "blue sky" thinking encouraged. The PI session differs in one important step. When a member of the group suggests an original thought (say member A), all idea generation stops upon a signal from the team leader, and every member focuses on A's idea to make it better, extend it , or build on it. During this discussion A records all pertinent constructive extensions of the idea on index cards (7 * 9) and signs and dates them. In this way the group truly works to the benefit of the individual and he/she get full credit for the original thought.