What process is being used by the PI team when they gather ideas by going around the table and no new ideas emerge after several rounds?

• A. Brainstorming
• B. Structured brainstorming
• C. Nominal group technique
• D. Brainwriting

Answer: (B)

Structured brainstorming uses a defined process that guides idea generation with turn-taking and clear rules. In this approach, participants contribute ideas in a set sequence, often going around the table and time-boxing contributions to keep the session focused and ensure everyone has a voice. When no new ideas surface after several rounds, it signals that the structured ideation phase has exhausted what this format can yield, so the team would move on to evaluation or refinement. This differs from free-form brainstorming, which is more spontaneous and less regulated, and from methods like nominal group technique (which combines silent generation with a round-robin sharing and later ranking) or brainwriting (which relies on writing ideas rather than speaking around the table).