Download Our Free 'STAR' Tool

‘Star’ is the ideal tool for converging many options quickly, whether you’re working alone or with a group of 100!

How to Star:

Give each person a specific number of votes

A general guideline is to narrow the list to 20% of the total

Have participants review all of the options generated

Ask participants to indicate which options they think suggest a worthwhile direction by starring the item with a sticker or a mark

When to star:

When you have many divergent options

To narrow down a huge group to a fraction of the total

To focus on the items you like best

Here’s a way to narrow down a lot of ideas quickly and reduce the phenomenon known as ‘group think.’ Think of it as an advanced ‘star’ technique!

How to read it/write it/stick it:

Have participants review all the options (Read it) and write down those they like (Write it) on a piece of paper, in a notebook or on a series of post-it notes

Give participants a quota of items they may select, then have participants review their choices and select their top options, writing them on post-its

Place the notes (Stick it) on a common flip chart for the group to review

When to read it/write it/stick it

To narrow down a huge group of options to a fraction of the total

To focus on the options you like best

To eliminate ‘group think’