Slip writing
This method can gather ideas from large groups, numbering from the dozens to the hundreds. Participants are given slips of paper and asked to write down ideas that are discussed or evaluated. This method collects a large number of ideas swiftly and creates a sense of participation or ownership at the same time.
Laddering
Laddering or the “why method” involves toggling between two abstractions to create ideas. Laddering techniques involve the creation, reviewing and modification of hierarchical knowledge. In a ladder containing abstract ideas or concepts, the items lower down are members or sub-sets of the ones higher up, so one moves between the abstract and concrete. Laddering can help students understand how an expert categorizes concepts into classes, and can help clarify concepts and their relationships.