Understand a situation and identify opportunities for improvement
About the rose, thorn, & bud template
Use this template to gain insight into how participants view a current situation (by identifying roses, thorns, and buds), and draw connections from responses. This activity will help examine how a situation is working and can help guide positive next steps.
What is a rose, thorn, bud activity?
The rose, thorn, bud exercise is a problem-solving technique that can be used to brainstorm potential solutions to a problem.
The exercise involves listing out the problem, the positive aspects of the problem (the rose), the negative aspects of the problem (the thorn), and possible solutions to the problem (the buds).
This exercise can be used by individuals or groups, and it is a helpful way to generate new ideas and perspectives on a problem. The rose, thorn, bud exercise is an effective tool for problem-solving because it helps to identify both the positives and negatives of a situation, and it provides a structure for brainstorming possible solutions. With this exercise, you can explore all facets of a problem and come up with creative and innovative solutions.
How to facilitate a rose, thorn, bud activity
- Gather a diverse, cross-functional team so that you bring a wide array of perspectives to the activity — this will help ensure that you're avoiding potentially glaring gaps in your thinking
- Introduce the topic and define the parameters of the discussion so that it stays focused and on point
- Have everyone brainstorm and list aspects of the topic that they find positive, negative, or as having potential using the color-coded sticky notes in the template
- Once you've gathered your feedback, organize it by clustering the ideas by topic, helping you analyze any consistent themes and reveal potential next steps and action items
Facilitate rose, thorn, bud activities in a visual, engaging way
Sticky notes & text
Add ideas, action items, and more as a sticky note or text box — then change the colors and cluster to identify patterns and new solutions.
Commenting
Add comments and tag collaborators for smooth asynchronous communication.
Private mode
Avoid groupthink and get authentic feedback by allowing collaborators to add content privately.
Real-time collaboration
Add more productivity and engagement to meetings and calls with features to guide collaboration.
Summon collaborators
Easily direct everyone’s attention to a specific part of the mural — no screen sharing required.
Tags on sticky notes
Customizable labels make it easy to find, organize, and categorize your work in a mural.
What is the rose, thorn, bud technique?
What is meant by design thinking?
LUMA offers acclaimed in-person training, custom innovation programs, and a unique digital platform (LUMA Workplace), used by innovators in over 70 countries. Leading organizations around the globe rely on the LUMA System of Innovation — a practical, flexible, and scalable approach to Human-Centered Design.
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