At IDEO.org, we use Brainstorms to tap into a broad body of knowledge and creativity. Over the course of your project you should do them not only with your design team, but also with partners and the people you're designing for. Refer to Brainstorm Rules for the specifics of what make for a fruitful brainstorm, but remember that the best policy is to promote openness, lots of ideas, and creativity over immediate feasibility. Brainstorms work best when the group is positive, optimistic, and focused on generating as many ideas as possible.