Turning Big Ideas into Brilliant Solutions: How to Use the Hits and Hotspots Tool

Every Destination Imagination (DI) team knows the excitement of brainstorming—it doesn’t take long before a flood of creative ideas fills the room! But with so many possibilities on the table, how do teams focus on the best ideas to move forward? That’s where the Hits and Hotspots tool comes in.

What Is Hits and Hotspots?

Hits and Hotspots is a powerful generating and focusing tool designed to help teams narrow down a long list of ideas into clear, actionable directions. It allows every team member to contribute, ensures that all voices are heard, and makes it easy to spot the strongest ideas as a group.

How It Works

Here’s a step-by-step look at how your team can use this tool:

1. Set the Stage
   Choose 2–3 topics related to the Challenge solution (e.g., story location, characters, set ideas). Write each topic on top of a sheet of flip chart paper.

2. Silent Brainstorming
   Give each team member sticky notes and ask them to write down as many ideas as they can—one idea per note. The notes are placed on the appropriate flip chart. Encourage them to dig deep and go beyond the obvious!

3. Cluster Ideas
   Divide the team into small groups and assign each group to a flip chart. Teams sort the sticky notes into related categories. For example, “outer space” ideas might go together, while “underwater” ideas form another cluster.

4. Discuss and Refine
   Each group talks about the clusters of ideas, clarifying and building on them.

5. Dot Voting
   Give each team member a set number of sticky dots (10 is a good starting point). Dots represent approval or preference. Team members place their dots on the ideas they like most, and they can distribute them however they want—one per idea or several on a favorite.

6. Spot the Favorites
   Once the dots are placed, patterns emerge. The team can see which ideas have the most support and agreement, making it easier to decide where to focus next.

Why Teams Love It

This tool helps teams:

• Visualize their ideas

• See agreement at a glance

• Narrow down options without eliminating creativity

• Build consensus in a fun, interactive way

Team Manager Tip

Although Hits and Hotspots is often done silently, it doesn’t have to be! The Team Manager can record ideas as the team brainstorms out loud, either on sticky notes or directly on flip chart paper. Sticky notes are ideal since they make it easier to move ideas into groups—but even without them, the dot-voting step can still highlight the team’s favorite directions.

Final Thoughts

Brainstorming is just the beginning of solving a DI Challenge. Tools like Hits and Hotspots help transform a room full of sticky notes into a focused, team-driven plan. The process itself is fun, collaborative, and a great reminder that narrowing down doesn’t mean giving up creativity—it means bringing the best ideas forward.

Want to learn more? Sign up for WIDI's Webinar Idea Wrangling 101: Guiding Teams from Chaos to Clarity on Monday, December 8, 2025, ar 7 PM.