“Perspiration” activities

So what kind of research and mental preparation or “perspiration activities” can you do to fertilize your mind for more fruitful brainstorming? Here are some ideas:

• Read books and magazine articles on the topic or issue you’re working on
• Visit authoritative Web sites and use search engines to conduct online research
• Ask carefully-crafted questions of experts, who can often provide you with amazing insights into your problem or opportunity.
• Map out information you need, potential sources where it may be found and open-ended questions that will elicit the most useful information.