ROLE STORMING EN
ROLE STORMING EN
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Theory
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Case studies
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Task
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Download
Theoretical framework of the tool
Description of the tool:
Role storming is a fun and creative variation on classic brainstorming, in which participants take on different roles or characters. Instead of thinking only for themselves, they try to look at the problem from someone else’s perspective – this can be a well-known personality (e.g., an influencer, historical figure, competitor) or a specific “typical” role (e.g., an angry customer, strict boss, enthusiastic teenager). This technique helps participants detach themselves from their own stereotypes and come up with ideas that would not occur to them in “normal” brainstorming.
The principle of role storming
- Select several roles or archetypes (real or fictional).
- Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and ask: “How would this person solve the problem?”
- Allow team members to free themselves from established ways of thinking.
Purpose of the tool
- Gain new, often unexpected ideas by looking at a problem from different angles.
- Stimulate discussion and break down “shyness” or fear of “absurd” ideas.
- Understand what can motivate different types of people (customers, partners, audience).
- Enrich projects with empathy and a more thorough consideration of the needs of other groups.
Step by step: instructions for using the tool
Prepare:
- A team of people (3–10) willing to experiment and play different roles.
- A list of roles or personalities you will embody (there can be 5–8).
- A board or flipchart (or an online tool) for writing down ideas.
- Time (approx. 45–60 minutes, depending on the complexity of the topic and the size of the team).
- Moderator (facilitator) to lead the activities and maintain a suitable atmosphere.
Step 1: Define the problem or goal
Clearly state what you want to solve. For example: “How can we improve the customer experience in our e-shop?” or “How can we get people to visit our water park more often?”
Step 2: Selecting roles
Prepare 5–8 different roles (personalities). Note that participants must be familiar with these roles. They must know who they are, how they behave, how they think, etc. These can be:
- Famous people (e.g., Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs…),
- Archetypes (e.g., angry customer, environmental activist, teenager on a budget, visionary boss),
- Competitor (how would your competitor’s brand approach this?).
Step 3: Assign roles to participants
- Assign one role to each participant (or pair).
- Ask them to “become” that person/character for 5-10 minutes: “What is important to me? How do I approach problem solving?”
Step 4: Brainstorm in roles
- Each participant (or pair) then proposes ideas from the perspective of their role.
- It is a good idea to prepare at least 2–3 rounds so that there is a chance to swap or repeat some roles.
- Encourage exaggeration and imagination – the more you get into character, the more interesting ideas will emerge.
- The moderator collects all ideas on a shared board.
- Discuss what is innovative about them. You can ask: “Which ideas seem crazy at first glance but have interesting potential?”
- Then work together to select the ideas you would like to develop in more detail.
- You can also vote on the ideas. It’s up to you how you choose.
Step 5: Summary and analysis
Step 6: Design solutions and next steps
- Translate the selected ideas into specific measures or concepts.
- Divide responsibilities and set a time frame for testing or implementation.
Tools and materials
- Whiteboard or flipchart: To record all ideas.
- Sticky notes (Post-it notes): Each participant can add ideas to their “role.”
- Stopwatch or timer: To keep track of time limits (e.g., 10 minutes for brainstorming in a role).
- Online tools (Mural, Miro, Google Jamboard):
If the team is working remotely, it is possible to collaborate virtually and share ideas via video chat and a shared digital whiteboard.
Tips and tricks
- Choose engaging roles: To keep participants entertained, choose well-known personalities or typical character roles (e.g., “extremely frugal manager,” “enthusiastic influencer,” “mother of four”).
- Encourage imagination: Encourage participants to really “play the part.” You can also use props—for example, if someone is an “athlete,” they can wear a headband, if someone is a “boss,” they can wear a jacket, tie, etc.
Or prepare masks of famous people on sticks, which participants can hold up in front of themselves during the exercise.
This will reveal different points of view. - Easy extreme role-playing: When you have the role of an “extremely critical customer,” the participant should not be afraid to engage in conflict and come up with reasons why the project might not work. That’s the beauty of role storming.li>
- Observe reactions: If you are the moderator, observe how people react.
Role storming can lighten the atmosphere and break down barriers even within teams. - Combine with other techniques: Combine role storming with other techniques (e.g., classic brainstorming, reverse thinking) to get a comprehensive view of the problem.
Common mistakes in role storming
- Unclear topic: If it is not clear what is being discussed, participants often slip into humorous scenes without relevant outcomes.
- Poorly defined roles: If you don’t know exactly who you are portraying, ideas can be superficial. A short description of the role will help. People need to know the personalities they are portraying.
- Premature evaluation: In the first phase (idea generation), there is no need to assess whether the ideas are realistic or not – that comes in the next phase of analysis.
Conclusion
Role storming brings playfulness and a new way of looking at challenges or problems to team discussions. By “playing” different characters, participants break down barriers that might prevent unconventional or “crazy” ideas from emerging in a normal brainstorming session. The technique promotes empathy – we can better empathize with target groups or find out why a product might not appeal to someone.
Possible model situations as a tool for practical application
Case study: Promotion of the second season of the popular series “Squid Game”
Campaign description: Promote the next season of the popular series “Squid Game” through a creative campaign that will increase viewer anticipation and attract new audiences. Create an original and viral campaign that emphasizes the dark atmosphere and social subtext of the series “Squid Game,” attracting fans of the first season while also appealing to new audiences. The goal is to show that the new season will be even more intense and full of unexpected twists.
Step 1: Define the problem or goal
How to raise viewers’ expectations and attract a new audience to the series “Squid Game” using a creative campaign?
Step 2: Selecting roles
We will select 5 different roles for the participants to “play”:
- Die-hard fan of the first series – knows everything about Squid Game, follows every news update and expects high quality from the second series.
- Teenage TikToker – shares everything that is trendy, looks for entertainment and visually interesting content.
- Gamer – loves competitive games and gaming challenges, enjoys tension and competition.
- Trend-loving influencer – follows trends, interested in iconic visuals and fashion elements that could inspire their content.
- Social activist – sees the series as a critique of social issues, interested in deeper messages and social themes.
- Trend-loving influencer – follows trends, interested in iconic visuals and fashion elements that could inspire their content.
Step 3: Brainstorming in roles
Participants then propose ideas from the perspective of their role. Encourage them not to be afraid to come up with unconventional and bold suggestions. Participants switch roles and gain a new perspective on the ideas. Here are some examples of ideas from each role:
- Die-hard fan of the first series:
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- “Organize an online competition where fans can play games inspired by Squid Game.”
- “Create a teaser that reveals only a small part of the plot but is full of hidden references and Easter eggs for fans of the first series.”
- Teenage TikToker:
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- “Create an interactive filter for Instagram and TikTok that allows fans to play their own version of the games from Squid Game.”
- Video game player:
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- “Create a mobile game or AR app where users can play iconic games from Squid Game.”
- “Partner with gaming platforms for promotion—for example, special game skins inspired by the series.”
- Trend-loving influencers:
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- “Launch a limited edition clothing line inspired by Squid Game costumes – tracksuits, masks, and iconic color combinations.”
- “Invite well-known influencers to a special event where they can create their own outfits inspired by the series.”
- Social activist:
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- “Emphasize the social message of the series in your campaign – the struggle for survival, greed, and criticism of inequality.”
- “Organize a discussion with sociologists and the creators of the series about how Squid Game reflects real-life issues in society.”
Step 4: Summary and analysis
The moderator writes down all the ideas on a board for later discussion. Then, together, they select the best ones.
Step 5: Proposed solutions and next steps
Based on the selected proposals, a campaign outline is created in line with the objective: How to raise viewer expectations and attract new audiences to the series Squid Game using a creative campaign.
Task
Brand: Sony
Product/service: new PlayStation console.
Campaign objective: Design a creative campaign to promote exclusive games for the new PlayStation console that will appeal to a wide range of gamers, from die-hard PlayStation fans to new users who are still undecided about purchasing the console. The campaign aims to highlight the uniqueness of the games and the technological advantages of the console, such as fast loading, realistic graphics, and an immersive sound experience.
Step 1: Define the problem or goal
“How can we create an innovative and engaging campaign that raises awareness of exclusive PlayStation games and motivates gamers to buy the console?”
Step 2: Select roles
Select 6 different roles that participants will “play” during the brainstorming session. Ideally, choose roles that represent different types of gamers or well-known personalities associated with the gaming industry. Below are some examples of roles, but you can come up with your own for your specific needs:
- Die-hard PlayStation fan – knows all the games and technological innovations, constantly compares PlayStation with competing consoles.
- New player who does not yet own a PlayStation – interested in PlayStation, but still hesitant about whether it is worth buying.
- Professional streamer – earns money by playing games, needs games that are visually appealing and fun to watch.
- Parent of a teenager – deciding whether to buy a PS5 as a gift, interested in safety and the benefits of games for children.
- Social media influencer – looks for trends and content to share with their followers.
- Critical technology journalist – evaluates the console based on its performance, innovation, and game availability.
Step 3: Assign roles to participants
Assign one role to each participant or pair. Give them a short time (5–10 minutes) to get into character and think about what they would expect from the campaign and what would interest them most. Students write their answers on paper or sticky notes.
Step 4: Brainstorming in roles
During the brainstorming session, participants propose ideas from the perspective of their role. Encourage them not to be afraid to come up with unusual and bold suggestions. You can write the answers on sticky notes or directly here:
- Die-hard PlayStation fan:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- New player who does not yet own a PS5:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Profesionálny streamer:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Rodič teenagera:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Influencer na sociálnych sieťach:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Kritický novinár z oblasti technológií:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Krok 4: Zhrnutie a analýza
The moderator collects all ideas on a shared board. After the brainstorming session, participants jointly evaluate which ideas are the most innovative and realistic to implement. Questions for discussion could include:
- Which ideas are the most memorable and could have the greatest impact?
- Which ideas could go viral on social media?
- Which ideas will best appeal to new customers?
You can, of course, add your own questions. Select the three best ideas, which the students will develop according to the output below.
Outputs
Brief presentation of the campaign (max. 10 minutes):
Each group will present their campaign proposal, which was developed during the role storming, and the presentation will include:
- The main goal of the campaign.
- Creative elements of the campaign – how we view these elements based on the selected roles.
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The Role Storming method allows the team to look at the campaign creatively from six different perspectives. This results in unique and innovative ideas that combine interactivity, social messaging, fashion, and modern technology. Such a campaign can effectively engage different target groups and raise expectations according to the problem or goal.Miesto pre vypracovanie: