Business Management: The Power of Starbursting

Whether you’re a business manager or part of a business team, when someone tells you they have a new idea, you’re likely to ask a lot of questions. That’s normal. Questioning is how we get a handle on something new. But not all questioning is productive.

When it comes to understanding a new product, service, or method of doing business, bombarding the developer with questions can lead to a chaotic exchange. It can also lead to tangents, leaving other, more important questions unasked and unanswered. To avoid this, you should utilize a systematic approach to the questioning process—an approach such as starbursting.

What Is Starbursting?

Starbursting is a method of brainstorming. Except, instead of using it to develop new ideas, you use it to question and understand new ideas. It works by systemizing the question-asking process, providing cues to help you think of important questions and giving space for all pertinent questions to exist in one place so that the developer of a new idea can answer each in an orderly and comprehensive manner.

How Does Starbursting Work?

The process of starbursting is simple. Start with a rectangular box and write the new idea in it. It can be as brief as “new sportswear line” or “sequel to game app.” Then, extending from the rectangle, draw six triangles so that you create a six-pointed star (hence the name starbursting).

Each triangle will represent one of the six types of questions you’ll explore. Those questions are: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? Designate one triangle for each question type and then, at the point of each, give yourself room to write down the questions you and/or your team come up with.

A good-sized whiteboard works great for starbursting, but you can find online resources to help as well. The important thing is that you carefully go through each of the six question prompts and write down questions that apply to the idea at hand.

For example, if a team member has suggested your clothing company get into sportswear, you could start at the “Who?” portion of the star and ask: Who is likely to buy this? Who will design it? Who will carry it? and so on. Then, you could move to the “What?” portion and ask: What types of sportswear will be included in the line? What price point will they have? What products will compete with ours?

Once you go through all six question prompts, you should have an extensive collection of questions that you can provide to the developer. The developer can then systematically answer each question. In this way, you can keep the process ordered and ensure nothing is missed.

How Else Can You Improve Business Management?

Starbursting helps turn an often chaotic and inefficient process into an organized one. But it’s just one technique for one aspect of business. If you want to truly excel in a business management career, you’ll need to acquire a lot more knowledge and learn many more management techniques. One of the best ways to achieve this is by earning a business degree, particularly a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

In a top MBA program, you can gain advanced business knowledge and develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills in ways that will help you succeed in business. For many, an MBA degree is the gateway to a better career. And thanks to online learning, more professionals than ever have the opportunity to earn one.

When you choose an online MBA program, you won’t have to upend your life. In fact, an online MBA program can give you the freedom to keep working full time while you’re enrolled in school. Online education can allow you to choose when in the day you attend class and gives you the ability to handle both your classes and your coursework from anywhere you have internet access, including your home.

Earning an MBA online can help you succeed in business. Part business administration degree and part management degree, it’s a top option for those looking to get ahead.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.