Without creative thinkers and innovative ideas, most companies wouldn't survive long in today's competitive market. Thinking outside of the box is essential for companies looking to streamline operations and improve their products and services. The importance of creativity should be self-evident. So why isn't there more focus on innovation during a typical workday? The catch, as usual, is lack of dedicated time and resources. Ideas need space to grow, and employees need opportunities to step outside of their daily responsibilities to look at the bigger picture.

Enter the brainstorming meeting. Whether you work for a highly unstructured advertising agency or within a structured government office, creative team-thinking sessions can reward your organization with improvements to process, products, and services. But productive brainstorming meetings are no accident: A plan pays off.

By using the information that follows, you can learn to set up and facilitate brainstorming sessions that stay on track and get results. In addition, learn how Microsoft Office System products can help — Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 will help you easily handle meeting logistics, and Microsoft Office Visio will help you document creative thinking on the fly.

Tap your team's creative potential with the help of these resources.

• Plan a brainstorming session (Article)
  Prepare for and conduct more effective brainstorming meetings by using these tips.
• Document a project brainstorming session using Visio (Article)
  Learn how to use Visio to record your team's brainstorming results.
• Brainstorming diagram (U.S. units) (Template)
  Use this Visio template to jump-start the creative thinking process.
• Effective brainstorming techniques (Article)
  Assess and improve your group's creative approach.
• Schedule a meeting (Article)
  Set up your team's next brainstorming session by using Outlook.