How to Run Better Brainstorms in ClickUp

ClickUp gives teams an all-in-one workspace to brainstorm ideas, organize them, and turn the best concepts into actionable plans without jumping between tools.

This how-to guide walks you step by step through setting up and running an effective brainstorming workflow using the core idea tools inspired by the apps reviewed on the ClickUp brainstorming software comparison page.

Why Use ClickUp for Brainstorming

Before you build your workflow, it helps to understand how ClickUp supports different creative styles and team needs.

• Visual thinkers can sketch and group ideas on digital canvases.
• Writers can capture long-form notes and meeting minutes.
• Project managers can immediately convert ideas into tasks.
• Remote teams can collaborate in real time or asynchronously.

By combining these capabilities, ClickUp helps you go from raw ideas to structured plans in a single workspace.

Step 1: Create a Space for ClickUp Brainstorming

Start by giving your team a dedicated place in ClickUp for ideation so ideas never get lost.

1. Create a new Space and name it something like “Ideas & Brainstorming”.

2. Add Folders for different topics, such as Product Ideas, Marketing Campaigns, or Process Improvements.

3. Set permissions so everyone who should contribute to brainstorming can access the Space.

This structure keeps your ClickUp account organized as you run more ideation sessions over time.

Step 2: Use ClickUp Whiteboards for Visual Ideation

Visual collaboration is important for brainstorming. In ClickUp, Whiteboards function like virtual sticky notes and sketch boards.

How to create a ClickUp Whiteboard

1. In your Brainstorming Space, create a new Whiteboard view.

2. Give it a clear name, such as “Q3 Campaign Brainstorm”.

3. Choose whether it should be public to your team or limited to a specific group.

How to capture ideas on a ClickUp Whiteboard

• Add sticky notes for each idea, question, or insight.

• Use shapes and connectors to group related ideas into clusters or themes.

• Drop in screenshots, mockups, or reference images to spark discussion.

• Invite teammates to collaborate in real time so everyone can add and move notes during the session.

As you refine concepts, you can transform sticky notes directly into tasks inside ClickUp, linking visual brainstorming with execution.

Step 3: Capture Notes and Agendas in ClickUp Docs

Whiteboards are great for big-picture thinking, but you also need structured documentation. ClickUp Docs help you capture context, agendas, and decisions from every brainstorming session.

Set up a ClickUp brainstorming doc template

1. Create a new Doc in your Brainstorming Space.

2. Add sections for:

   • Session objective
   • Participants
   • Agenda
   • Raw ideas
   • Final decisions and next steps

3. Save the Doc as a template so you can reuse it for future sessions.

Use ClickUp comments for live collaboration

• Mention teammates in comments to request clarification or feedback on specific ideas.

• Turn action items inside the Doc into tasks so they show up in your regular ClickUp task views.

• Use checklists to track which ideas have been reviewed, scored, or approved.

By centralizing your notes in ClickUp Docs, every decision is easy to find later.

Step 4: Turn Ideas into ClickUp Tasks

Brainstorming is only valuable if your best ideas become real projects. Converting your notes and Whiteboard items into ClickUp tasks keeps everything actionable.

Create task lists for idea management in ClickUp

1. Inside your Brainstorming Space, create a List called “Idea Backlog”.

2. Add custom fields for criteria such as Impact, Effort, Priority, and Owner.

3. Choose a simple workflow with statuses like New Idea, Under Review, Approved, and Not Moving Forward.

Convert brainstorm items into ClickUp tasks

• From a Whiteboard, convert sticky notes directly into tasks linked to your Idea Backlog List.

• From Docs, highlight text and create tasks for experiments, research, or implementation steps.

• Assign owners, due dates, and watchers so nothing falls through the cracks.

Using this approach, ClickUp becomes your single source of truth for idea intake, evaluation, and execution.

Step 5: Organize Ideas with ClickUp Mind Maps and Views

Once you have a growing list of ideas, you need structure. ClickUp mind maps and other views help you understand relationships and priorities.

Visualize ideas with ClickUp mind maps

1. Add a Mind Map view to your Idea Backlog List.

2. Use a central node for the main initiative (for example, “New Product Launch”).

3. Branch out into categories like Awareness, Acquisition, Activation, and Retention.

4. Attach existing tasks or create new tasks directly from the mind map nodes.

Sort and filter ideas using ClickUp views

• Use List view to sort by Impact or Effort to find quick wins.

• Use Board view to manage ideas by status, moving cards from New Idea to Approved.

• Use Calendar view to plan when you will test or launch the top ideas.

These flexible views help your team move smoothly from free-form brainstorming to an organized roadmap in ClickUp.

Step 6: Run Remote Brainstorming Sessions in ClickUp

Many teams work across time zones. ClickUp supports both live and asynchronous brainstorming.

Live sessions in ClickUp

• Schedule a meeting and share the Whiteboard or Doc link in advance so people arrive prepared.

• During the call, have one facilitator guide the ClickUp Whiteboard while participants add ideas simultaneously.

• Use comments and reactions to vote on the strongest ideas.

Asynchronous brainstorming in ClickUp

• Create a Doc or Whiteboard and set a deadline for contributions.

• Ask teammates to add at least a specific number of ideas each.

• Later, host a shorter review meeting to evaluate and prioritize the collected ideas.

This hybrid approach lets everyone contribute thoughtfully while still moving quickly from ideation to action in ClickUp.

Step 7: Review and Improve Your ClickUp Brainstorming Process

After a few sessions, use ClickUp to reflect on what works and what can be improved.

• Create a retrospective Doc after major brainstorming cycles.

• Track a simple set of metrics, such as number of ideas generated, ideas approved, and ideas shipped.

• Adjust your templates, Whiteboard layouts, and task workflows based on feedback.

Over time, your ClickUp workspace becomes a continuously improving system for innovation, not just a one-off brainstorming tool.

Next Steps

To get even more value from ClickUp, you can pair your brainstorming workflows with expert workspace design and automation. Resources like Consultevo provide guidance on optimizing productivity systems so your best ideas turn into real, measurable results.

Use the structure above to set up your own ClickUp brainstorming hub, then refine it as your team discovers which views, docs, and Whiteboards support your most creative work.

Need Help With ClickUp?

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

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