Generate 10 fresh ideas for any challenge you’re facing using AI as a collaborative thinking partner, not an answer machine.
Pick a real problem you’re facing right now and use three different brainstorming approaches with AI to generate ideas you wouldn’t have thought of alone. You’ll see how AI helps you think differently, not just work faster.
What You’ll Learn
AI for divergent thinking
Answers vs. asking for ideas
Why constraints spark creativity
AI as a thinking partner
What You Need
Claude
A real problem you’re facing
Openness to unconventional ideas
10 minutes
Pick Your Problem
Choose something you’re actually dealing with — work, personal, or creative. Got your problem? Good. Let’s brainstorm.
Work
More engaging meetings
Explaining a complex concept
Team-building on a budget
Personal
What to cook with what you have
Gift for someone hard to shop for
Make exercise more enjoyable
Creative
Topics for your next blog post
Themes for a party or event
Ways to reorganise a space
Three Brainstorming Templates
1
Template 1
“Help Me Think Differently”
This opens up new perspectives by asking AI to challenge your assumptions.
Copy and customize:
I’m trying to [your problem/decision].
I keep thinking about it in terms of [how you usually approach it], but that’s not leading anywhere interesting.
Help me think about this differently. What are 5 completely different ways to frame this problem?
Example
“I’m trying to make my team meetings more engaging. I keep thinking about it in terms of adding icebreakers or agendas, but that’s not leading anywhere interesting. Help me think about this differently. What are 5 completely different ways to frame this problem?”
What you’ll get: New angles you hadn’t considered.
2
Template 2
“Unconventional Approaches”
This generates ideas that break normal rules or assumptions.
Copy and customize:
What are 10 unconventional ways to [your goal] if I couldn’t use [the obvious solution everyone tries]?
Make some wild. Make some practical. Surprise me.
Example
“What are 10 unconventional ways to stay consistent with exercise if I couldn’t use a gym membership or workout videos? Make some wild. Make some practical. Surprise me.”
What you’ll get: A mix of seriously useful ideas and playful ones that might spark something.
3
Template 3
“Constraint-Based Creativity”
This uses limitations to spark innovation.
Copy and customize:
If I could only solve [your problem] using [specific constraint], what would I do?
Give me 8 ideas. Include:
– 3 that are immediately doable
– 3 that need some setup
– 2 that are experimental/risky
Example
“If I could only solve ‘gift for my partner who has everything’ using things I already own or skills I have, what would I do? Give me 8 ideas — 3 immediately doable, 3 that need some setup, 2 experimental/risky.”
Try This Now
1
Pick one template above that feels right for your problem.
2
Fill in your specific details and paste it into your AI tool.
3
Read through all the ideas. Don’t judge them yet.
4
Pick your favourite 2–3 ideas.
5
Ask AI this follow-up:
I like ideas [#2, #5, #7]. Can you help me combine the best parts of these into one approach?
The Iteration Loop
Now that you have a refined idea, go deeper with these follow-up prompts:
A
Pressure-test it
That combined approach sounds promising. What are 3 potential problems with it, and how might I address each one?
B
Find the smallest experiment
If I wanted to test this idea on a small scale before committing, what’s the smallest version I could try?
💡
Generate
Possibilities
🔍
Refine
Promising ones
🧪
Pressure-test
Find the gaps
🚀
Experiment
Smallest version
Key Takeaway
AI doesn’t replace your judgment or creativity — it gives you more options to judge
The goal isn’t the perfect idea in the first response — it’s thinking alongside a faster partner
You’re still the one who decides what’s actually good
