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I'm a longtime fan of brainstorming techniques and methods for making the most out of meetings and that kind of stuff. Last week I was reading this post at the excellent Creating Passionate Users blog, and was reminded of IDEOs wonderful brainstorming cards.

This (and the links to their forerunners, Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies cards) made me wonder if something similar could be done for Greenpeace campaigns. (There was a time when tough decisions were helped out by the random wisdom of the I-Ching) A few hours of looking at Greenpeace campaigns and scribbling on bits of cardboard later and I have a prototype...

The plan was simple. Produce 52 statements that will make people think interesting thoughts about their campaigns. Write them on bits of card. Use the cards in brainstorms. Easy right?

If you want to try this at home, find 52 bits of card and write the following things on them - or make up your own. In fact, make up your own and leave them in the comments.

Things to think about

Provide a solution

Do it to a person

Make it really BIG

Recycle an idea

Give the victims a voice

Show what victory looks like

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Make it look really good

Highlight the good guys

Offer to help

Dress well

How would another organisation do it?

Go there

Surprise the observers

Teach people something

Make your commitment visible

Borrow someone else's symbol

Give everyone a chance to do something

Show the victims

Turn your message upside down

Start at the beginning

Do it yourself

Make it personal

Give them a choice

Attempt the impossible

Make a comparison

Respond today to tomorrow's emergency

Keep it simple

Bring your support with you

Show the ugly bits

Behave as if you're in charge

Make the protest permanent

Show the whole process

Take some guests along

Make it fun

Tell a story

Talk about morality

Invite some friends

Stop something, even for a second

Shock with the message

Show what you're saving

Assign blame

Move the problem somewhere else

Take a really big gamble

Ask nicely

Choose a figurehead

Highlight unexpected supporters

Make the hidden obvious

Take unreasonable precautions

Start at the end

Interrupt something important

Explain it without words

Then take them along to your next campaign brainstorm or whatever and see what they inspire. Or pick three at random and come up with a campaign that does all of them. For instance spend five minutes on the following...

"Think of a way to stop Denmark attending the 'normalisation' meeting Japan is holding about the IWC

Take unreasonable precautions

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Assign blame"

Leave suggestions for that in the comments too....