An idea session can stall before you write anything: you start arranging boxes, choosing colors, or deciding whether the first idea is good enough. A plain-text note lets you collect rough material first and sort it later.

Start with a concrete question

"Improve the project" is broad. "How could a new user find the export button?" gives you something specific to explore.

Put the question at the top, then list ideas without trying to make them presentable. Give yourself ten minutes or another small limit that fits the task.

Separate collection from selection

For the first pass, write one idea per line. Do not delete an idea just because it is incomplete.

On the second pass, group related ideas and identify what needs checking:

QUESTION: How can we explain the new process?

Ideas
- One-page checklist
- Short example from a common task
- Walkthrough at the next meeting

Worth testing
- Give one colleague the checklist without explaining it

Questions
- Which step usually causes confusion?

Next action
- Draft the checklist by Thursday

The result is a working note, not a final presentation.

Use a prompt when you get stuck

Try one of these:

  • What could we remove?
  • What could we combine?
  • What would make the smallest version useful?
  • What has already worked elsewhere?
  • Which assumption can we test this week?

These prompts help you change direction without adding a complicated framework.

Brainstorm with other people carefully

Ask each person to write ideas separately before discussing them. Bring the lists together in one note afterward.

If several people edit the same KeepNotes note, take turns. It is not a collaborative document editor that merges simultaneous changes. Our sharing guide explains access, and the cross-device guide covers avoiding conflicting copies.

Choose one next action

Finish by selecting an idea to test, who will test it, and what result you are looking for. Ten promising ideas with no next step are easy to forget.

For a larger experiment, use the project kickoff in our template collection. Keep the rough ideas too: a discarded line can become useful when the question changes.

Put it into practice

Start with one useful note.

Open KeepNotes