How to Run Better Brainstorming Sessions in ClickUp

ClickUp is a powerful workspace where you can collect ideas, organize them, and turn brainstorming outcomes into clear action items in one place. This guide walks you through a practical, step-by-step method to set up and run effective brainstorming sessions using tools inspired by the techniques and examples from the original ClickUp brainstorming article.

Step 1: Plan Your ClickUp Brainstorming Space

Before you invite anyone to brainstorm, create a focused area in ClickUp for your session. A dedicated space keeps ideas organized and easy to review later.

1. Create a new Space or Folder
   Set up a Space or Folder named after your project or problem. This keeps all related lists, docs, and whiteboards together.

2. Add a Brainstorm List
   Create a List called something like Brainstorm – Campaign Ideas or Brainstorm – Product Features. This will store ideas as tasks.

3. Define your goal in the List description
   Clearly state the challenge you want to solve. For example: “Generate 50+ ideas for our Q3 product launch.” Clarity helps participants focus.

Step 2: Choose the Right ClickUp Brainstorming Format

Different brainstorming examples work better for different situations. In ClickUp, you can adapt many formats using tasks, Docs, and Whiteboards.

Use a ClickUp Doc for Free-Form Brainstorming

A ClickUp Doc is ideal for quick idea dumps or early-stage thinking.

1. Create a Doc inside your brainstorming List or Folder.

2. Add a short prompt at the top describing the problem.

3. Use headings and bullet points to group ideas by theme.

4. Invite teammates to edit simultaneously in real time.

This structure mirrors classic free-form brainstorming examples while keeping everything connected to your project.

Use ClickUp Whiteboards for Visual Brainstorming

For mind mapping, customer journey mapping, or UX flows, a Whiteboard works best.

1. Create a Whiteboard in your brainstorming Space.

2. Place your core problem or goal at the center using a text node.

3. Branch out with shapes or sticky notes to capture related ideas, issues, and opportunities.

4. Connect related ideas with arrows or lines to show relationships.

This approach mirrors visual brainstorming examples such as mind mapping or affinity diagramming, but entirely inside ClickUp.

Step 3: Capture Ideas as ClickUp Tasks

Once your ClickUp brainstorming session starts generating ideas, turn the best ones into tasks so nothing gets lost.

1. Create an “Idea” task type or tag
   Use a custom field, tag, or task type to mark all brainstorming ideas. For example: Tag: Idea.

2. Add one idea per task
   Keep tasks simple and focused: one major idea per task. Use the task description to add notes or supporting details.

3. Assign rough categories
   Attach a custom field like Category (e.g., Marketing, Product, Operations) so you can later group ideas by type.

Storing ideas as tasks in ClickUp makes it easy to sort, filter, and prioritize them later, without losing the creative context from your session.

Step 4: Organize Ideas with ClickUp Views

After your initial brainstorming, you will likely have dozens of ideas. Use ClickUp views to sort and refine them.

Use List View to Clean Up Raw Ideas

List View is perfect for reviewing all ideas in a structured way.

• Sort by custom fields like Category or Impact.

• Bulk edit tags or statuses to group similar ideas.

• Add quick notes or pros/cons in the task description.

Use Board View to Prioritize Brainstorm Results in ClickUp

Board View lets you drag tasks between columns and is ideal for prioritization formats inspired by brainstorming examples like impact vs. effort.

1. Create statuses or columns such as Backlog, Promising, High Priority, and Not Now.

2. Drag idea tasks into the appropriate column based on their value and feasibility.

3. Discuss priorities with your team directly in task comments.

This simple workflow transforms your ClickUp brainstorm into a clear roadmap of what to tackle first.

Step 5: Add Structured Evaluation Inside ClickUp

Borrowing from more advanced brainstorming examples, you can evaluate ideas using structured criteria inside ClickUp.

Score Ideas with Custom Fields in ClickUp

Create numerical custom fields such as:

• Impact (1–5)

• Effort (1–5)

• Confidence (1–5)

Then:

1. Have each decision maker review tasks and set scores.

2. Use formulas or sorting to highlight ideas with high impact and low effort.

3. Filter views to see only top-scoring ideas.

This technique reflects evaluation-focused brainstorming examples like ICE or RICE scoring, implemented directly in ClickUp.

Use Checklists and Comments for Discussion

Each idea task can hold checklists for next steps and a comment thread for discussion.

• Create a checklist called Validation with items such as “Gather data,” “Estimate cost,” and “Stakeholder review.”

• Encourage teammates to add questions and concerns as comments.

• Mention specific people using @ mentions to bring in subject-matter experts.

This turns the brainstorming output into a collaborative decision-making process without leaving ClickUp.

Step 6: Turn ClickUp Brainstorming Ideas into Action Plans

The value of any brainstorming session depends on how well you execute the chosen ideas. Use ClickUp features to move from ideas to implementation.

1. Change statuses for selected ideas
   Move winning ideas from Idea or Backlog to a status such as Planned or In Progress.

2. Break ideas into subtasks
   For each chosen idea, add subtasks that describe key steps, owners, and due dates.

3. Link ideas to other work
   Use relationships or task links to connect idea tasks to related projects or Docs.

By managing follow-through inside ClickUp, you ensure your brainstorming examples translate into real outcomes instead of staying as notes on a board.

Step 7: Reuse ClickUp Brainstorming Structures

Once you design a workflow you like, you can easily reuse it for future sessions.

Create a Reusable ClickUp Brainstorming Template

To standardize how your team runs brainstorming sessions, turn your setup into a template.

1. Configure a List with your preferred views, custom fields, and statuses.

2. Add a Doc or Whiteboard with prompts and instructions for participants.

3. Save the List as a template so future sessions start with the same structure.

Using a repeatable ClickUp template ensures every session follows best practices, whether you are doing a simple idea dump or a highly structured brainstorming example.

Improve Your ClickUp Brainstorming with Expert Help

If you want to optimize your ClickUp workspace for brainstorming, project management, and AI-assisted workflows, consider working with specialists. For guidance on setup, automation, and process design, you can explore consulting services at Consultevo.

By combining structured brainstorming examples with the flexibility of ClickUp, your team can consistently move from scattered ideas to organized, actionable plans that drive real results.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

Get Help

“`