Discussions about ideas are essential to moderate. It's easy to lose the focus and end up arguing about personal taste or things that don't even relate to the briefing. So how do you keep conversations on the right track?

We recommend always to set up a criterion of what a good idea means before you start ideating. It's simple. Just gather your team, go through the brief and note down things like:

- Goals
- Attributes the idea should have
- Key points (like budget, timing, tone of voice, target group)

From here, try to elaborate a bucket list of all the things your idea should contain. For example:

- Engaging
- Innovative use of social media
- Focused on Millennials
- Long-lasting

Put the list somewhere visible when you finish ideating and start filtering. Every time your team wonders off, point the list and make sure you are discussing those factors.

For making a useful list, all the points should always come from your briefing document or be checked with your client. Don't just assume any of the points, as it then won't work as a reliable guide.