How to Replace Brainstorming Sessions on Zoom With ClickUp SyncUp

It’s 9:30 a.m., and your calendar says ‘Team Brainstorm.’ You join Zoom with coffee in hand, ready to think big, but instead, you spend the first ten minutes waiting for everyone to unmute, share screens, or finish ‘just wrapping up another call.’

Traditional brainstorming doesn’t fit how teams actually work today. Ideas strike at odd hours, teams are spread across time zones, and not everyone thrives in live meetings.

That’s why brainstorming on-the-go with ClickUp SyncUps just makes sense. You can drop ideas, react, or record thoughts when inspiration strikes (not when the meeting link suggests it should). 

In this blog post, we’ll show you how to replace internal brainstorming sessions on Zoom with ClickUp SyncUp and turn those conversations into action. 🏁

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The Problem With Traditional Brainstorming Calls

Brainstorming over live calls once made sense when teams shared the same walls and whiteboards. However, today’s distributed workflows demand a way to exchange and evolve ideas without the noise, scheduling friction, or loss of momentum. 

Here’s what makes traditional brainstorming calls fall short. 👇

1. Competing voices dilute the discussion

In a live call, only one person can speak at a time, leading to a cognitive bottleneck known as production blocking. 

While one team member talks, others lose their train of thought or hesitate to interrupt. Add dominant personalities or senior voices steering the discussion, and brainstorming turns repetitive. 

2. Scheduling delays stall progress

Trying to find a single time slot that works across teams, time zones, and creative schedules is a nightmare. These scheduling delays often stall projects that need quick input and iteration.

And even when everyone does show up, Zoom fatigue sets in. Plus, long, back-to-back meetings leave people mentally drained and uninspired. Instead of sparking creativity, they end up extending timelines and reducing momentum before project execution even begins.

3. Pressure and conformity limit creativity

Traditional brainstorming calls tend to stifle creativity rather than unlock it. Many participants hold back due to evaluation apprehension (fear of judgment), which is the hesitation to share bold or unpolished ideas in front of peers or leadership.

Others simply ‘free ride’ through sessions (social loafing), assuming others will contribute enough. Over time, teams tend to gravitate toward ‘safe’ ideas, and groupthink takes hold, where the first few suggestions dominate the discussion, leaving little room for genuine innovation.

4. Missing records undermine follow‑through

Once the call ends, most of the insights are lost. Unless someone’s manually documenting every thought, there’s no centralized place where ideas live or evolve. While Zoom allows basic meeting recordings, those files are often buried in cloud folders and lack searchable transcripts or actionable follow-up tools. 

This lack of visibility leads to repetition, disengagement, and skepticism about the value of future brainstorming calls.

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What Is ClickUp SyncUp, and Why Is it a Better Way to Brainstorm?

ClickUp SyncUp is an AI-powered meeting and collaboration tool that lets you start instant audio or video calls within your ClickUp workspace.

You can start a SyncUp from any ClickUp Chat DM’s and Channels, to talk about ideas, share updates, or finalize next steps. Each recording stays connected to the work it relates to, so discussions turn into clear, trackable outcomes.

Here’s why it’s an ideal way to brainstorm. 👀

1. Connects discussions to projects and tasks

SyncUps allows you to launch a call, record an update, or drop an idea directly within your workspace conversations (Channels and DMs). This keeps all your discussions, ideas, and feedback in the same place as your work, so nothing gets lost in the black hole. 

This way, each conversation is tied to the particular task, and everyone “Watching” that channel or “Following” that task has the full context. Therefore, if a leader wants to identify the blocker on Task A, they can access the thread easily. No time wasted getting everyone up to speed, either. 

For async brainstorming, skip the live calls and record a standalone ClickUp Clip to pitch ideas or share feedback. Record your brainstorming sessions, ideation techniques, or team updates as well. 

You can even comment directly on the video, add time-stamped notes, and keep the conversation going asynchronously. Then, you can drop the clip right into Docs, Comments, or Chat. Your team gets feedback on their own time, and you get hours back in your day.

2. Supports deep thinking without interruptions

Traditional brainstorming puts pressure on people to think fast and speak up. SyncUp flips that dynamic. Teammates can review ideas when they’re ready, reply to SyncUp threads and later convert those replies to tasks.

This way, everyone can build on each other’s thoughts asynchronously.

As the best Zoom alternative, ClickUp gives introverted and analytical thinkers the time they need for deeper reflection, eliminating production blocking and fear of judgment. Everyone contributes on equal footing, and the end result is a richer, more diverse pool of ideas.

3. Ability to refer to discussions and think critically afterwards 

Unlike conventional Zoom calls, SyncUp keeps brainstorming ongoing and accessible long after the call has ended. When recorded, each video, note, and decision is stored in the same workspace where your projects live. Thus, always creating an archive of creative progress. 

Instead of being limited to a single scheduled meeting slot, your team can continue to add ideas, comments, and responses as inspiration strikes.

💡 Pro Tip: ClickUp Brain, the platform’s AI-powered assistant, connects your tasks, docs, chat, and connected apps to ensure context. Its ClickUp AI Enterprise Search lets you retrieve information in seconds with just simple natural language prompts. 

For instance, if you’ve been OOO for a week, you can just ask Brain to get you meeting details and action items from last week’s SyncUp.

Catch up on SyncUps with ClickUp Brain

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How to Run an Async Brainstorm Using ClickUp SyncUp?

Creative, marketing, and product teams are feeling the strain of real-time meetings that slow momentum, fragment decisions, and bury inspiration in recordings no one revisits.

It’s clear that the old model of live brainstorming doesn’t match the speed or flexibility modern teams need. That’s why many teams are turning to ClickUp. 

ClickUp is the world’s first Converged AI Workspace, bringing together all work apps, data, and workflows. 

With SyncUp, ideas don’t disappear after a meeting—they live directly alongside tasks, docs, comments, and AI-powered summaries. The result? A faster, clearer, and more creative workflow. 

At the end of the day, ClickUp eliminates all forms of Work Sprawl to provide 100% context and a single place for humans and agents to work together.

If you want to reduce meetings, speed up ideation, and make every update actionable, here’s how to replace your internal Zoom brainstorming sessions with ClickUp SyncUp. 🧩

Step #1: Create a brainstorming list in ClickUp

Start by setting up a ClickUp List. This acts as your idea hub where each ClickUp Task can represent a new concept, campaign, or product feature. Here, you must connect a Chat Channel before you start a SyncUp. In the upper-left corner of the view, click Add Channel. 

Use ClickUp Custom Fields to categorize ideas by theme, priority, or goal, and add tags for quick filtering and assign collaborators so everyone knows where to focus. 

For instance, you can add:

• Idea type: Select from options like Design, Copy, Product Feature, or Campaign Concept
• Impact level: Rate each idea’s potential value as High, Medium, or Low
• Feasibility score: Use a numeric scale (1-5) to assess how practical or resource-heavy an idea is
• Target audience: Specify who the idea is for (e.g., New Users, Enterprise Clients, or Gen Z)

🚀 Friendly Tip: If your team prefers a visual format, open a ClickUp Whiteboard linked to the same List. It offers a shared, interactive space where everyone can create an idea board to brainstorm in real time, see each other’s edits live, and contribute ideas simultaneously. 

Use design thinking tools like shapes, sticky notes, connectors, and freehand drawings to map out ideas or workflows clearly. Here, you can create and link ClickUp Tasks or Docs, converting shapes or notes into actionable tasks without leaving the canvas.

Step #2: Start a SyncUp to discuss your ideas

Once your brainstorming List or Whiteboard is ready, record a SyncUp to share your initial thoughts, creative direction, or design walkthroughs with your teammates.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start a SyncUp directly from:

• A Task (to discuss a specific idea)
• A Doc (to walk through a creative brief)
• A Whiteboard (to visually present connected ideas)

2. Hit the record icon in the SyncUp toolbar to capture your session

Add participants by sharing the SyncUp link or inviting them from the sidebar if anyone can join or collaborate in real time. 

Step #3: Invite async participation from remote teams

Now that your SyncUp has been recorded, it’s time for the team to jump in asynchronously, no matter their time zone or schedule. 

Here’s how you can maximize async collaboration:

1. Access the recording (Clip) from the Clips Hub after your SyncUp ends 

2. Copy the public recording link and share it in your chat channel, or tag teammates directly. Anyone with access can watch the recording at their convenience

Teams can then: 

• Reply to existing comments, add new ones at specific timestamps, or react with emojis
• Record their own short clips in response, adding visual feedback or alternative ideas
• Drop notes, images, or files right into the connected task

Here, ClickUp Chat also steps in, making it easy to keep ideas moving, whether your team is brainstorming live or chiming in hours later. 

Here’s how Chat helps you stay connected and organized:

• Organize discussions by topic or project with threaded conversations, keeping feedback and follow-up tasks easy to track
• Tag teammates or entire teams with @mentions within every new Task to instantly notify them and draw their attention to key updates
• Chat privately using Direct Messages for quick one-on-one syncs or create dedicated Channels for campaigns, clients, or projects

And to keep things fun, you can add custom emojis to your chats, bringing personality and energy to every conversation.

Step #4: Group ClickUp Tasks with tags or statuses

Once ideas start coming in, organize them so your team can quickly identify priorities and next steps.

Apply ClickUp Custom Statuses to define where each idea stands in your workflow. Every task holds a single status, giving your team a clear sense of progress. 

For example:

🟢 Promising: Worth exploring further

🟡 Needs Discussion: Requires group input

🔵 In Progress: Selected for development

ClickUp Task Tags add an extra layer of context, helping you categorize ideas beyond their workflow stage. They’re perfect for grouping tasks by theme, audience, or priority, such as:

• #Q1Initiative: Ideas tied to quarterly goals
• #DesignSprint: Tasks relevant to the design team
• #PriorityI: Concepts needing fast attention

Step #5: Summarize outcomes with ClickUp Brain

Once everything’s done, use AI for brainstorming. ClickUp Brain’s project management prowess helps summarize key points, organize ideas, and expand creative discussions into actionable next steps.

For example, after a brainstorm, run a summary on your ‘Brainstorming List’ to instantly see which ideas were marked as ‘Promising’ or ‘In Progress.’

 And when ideas need a visual boost, describe a concept in text and let the AI tool generate quick mockups or visuals right inside your Task or Doc. For instance, your marketing team can brainstorm campaign slogans and generate a few image variations for ad layouts or social posts to visualize them instantly.

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Benefits of Replacing Zoom Brainstorms With ClickUp SyncUp

Research shows employees toggle between apps 1200 times a day, wasting nearly 4 hours a week just refocusing. 

And since less than 28% of tools are integrated, remote teams often redo the same work across different systems. Platforms like Zoom, while great for calls, add to this tool sprawl. After every new Zoom meeting, you’re back to juggling notes, tasks, and files across other apps, breaking context.

And some of us have a hard time context-switching, jumping from one meeting to another, and then back to work. 

Here are some of the key benefits of using ClickUp SyncUp instead of Zoom to enhance team productivity:

• Eliminate context switching with a unified workspace: Conduct SyncUps directly within ClickUp to transform meeting ideas into trackable Tasks instantly
• Automate meeting notes: Let ClickUp Brain handle project documentation for you. Feed the SyncUp transcriptions into the tool, or you can simply use the Catch me up button in ClickUp Brain, and let it create related content in ClickUp Docs with surfacing action items, decisions, and insights mapped out

• Retain persistent knowledge: Store, search, and retrieve past meeting clips, brainstorm notes, or project updates instantly using ClickUp’s AI Knowledge Management, making institutional information easy to access and reuse
• Gain AI-powered clarity with ClickUp BrainGPT: Work smarter with this desktop app, which merges AI, search, and connected apps in one streamlined experience. You can work hands-free with voice-activated Talk-to-Text commands and integrate ClickUp with premium AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude from one interface 

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Real-World Use Cases for Async Brainstorming in ClickUp

Here’s how different teams can put ClickUp into practice:

1. Global team ideation

When your teammates span across time zones, async brainstorming ensures no voice gets lost. Create a shared List where everyone can drop ideas when inspiration strikes.

For instance, a product team spanning APAC, EMEA, and the US can gather feature requests around the clock and review them collectively later. Using custom statuses like ‘Promising’ or ‘In Progress’ helps track idea progress clearly.

2. Content planning and campaign development

For marketing and creative teams, async brainstorming keeps ideas flowing continuously. Use ClickUp Lists to collect campaign themes, blog ideas, or social media concepts. Teammates can tag content by topic or audience, add references, or attach visuals for context.

Later, the team can use ClickUp Brain to summarize discussions and identify recurring themes for planning the next campaign.

3. Sprint retrospectives and process improvement

Async retrospectives give everyone space to reflect honestly. After a sprint, teammates can drop notes about what went well, what didn’t, and what could be improved in a shared List.

And when it’s time for your retro IRL (in real time), jump into your team’s Channel to start the SyncUp. 

In that case, you can also rely on the reliable ClickUp AI-Notetaker. It records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings, pulling out key action items and next steps.

4. Cross-functional collaboration

When different departments need to get on the same page, async brainstorming keeps input organized. Teams such as Sales, Support, and Product can use a shared List to log customer pain points or feature requests as they arise.

Tags and Custom Fields help group and prioritize these ideas by urgency, product area, or customer segment. Later, decision-makers can filter by tags to determine which ideas are included in the product roadmap.

Here’s what Ansh Prabhakar, Business Process Improvement Analyst, Airbnb, had to say about ClickUp: 

5. Innovation challenges and hackathon

ClickUp can power company-wide innovation in an asynchronous style. Host a virtual hackathon by creating a dedicated List where participants post concepts, attach prototypes, and vote with emoji reactions or comments.

Again, ClickUp Brain can summarize top ideas or generate quick briefs to help organizers shortlist submissions. Everyone gets to participate, regardless of location or schedule.

6. Async standups and project kickoffs

Not all kickoffs need a Zoom call. Start a new project by creating a shared Chat thread where team members post their goals, blockers, and questions asynchronously. 

Then, let ClickUp Brain pull together common themes and key objectives, giving you a ready-made summary for your next team sync.

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Best Practices for Async Brainstorming Success

Async brainstorming works best when there’s clarity, structure, and open participation. ClickUp brings all the right tools together, but how you use them makes all the difference. 

Here are some best practices to help your team collaborate well: 

• Define clear objectives: Set a clear meeting agenda and purpose before starting your brainstorm. In a ClickUp Doc, add a short prompt or problem statement so everyone knows what the discussion is about
• Include every time zone: Encourage contributions from global teammates by sharing SyncUp recordings or tagging them directly. This lets everyone share ideas at their convenience without worrying about meeting schedules
• Make feedback accessible and inclusive: Invite comments, emoji reactions, or short Clip responses on specific ideas, keeping conversations threaded to maintain context
• Document next steps clearly: Assign tasks, note ownership, and outline follow-up actions in ClickUp Docs once decisions are made
• Revisit and refine ideas regularly: Schedule async check-ins to track progress, revisit ideas, and refine them as projects evolve, keeping the creative loop open and ongoing
• Establish a response window: Set clear timelines for input (e.g., asking teammates to add their ideas by Friday) to keep momentum and prevent discussions from stalling 
• Balance written and visual input: Combine text-based ideas with visuals, mockups, or diagrams in your mind maps for complex or abstract concepts
• Celebrate contributions: Acknowledge great ideas publicly through emoji reactions, shoutouts, or short follow-ups. Positive reinforcement builds creative confidence
• Integrate with other external tools: Use the Zoom and ClickUp integration to start meetings from ClickUp Tasks, automatically log recordings, and attach notes where ideas were discussed

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Your Next Big Idea Starts With a SyncUp

Brainstorming doesn’t have to drain your team’s energy or calendar space. Why juggle Zoom plus 10 other apps when you can do it all in ClickUp? With ClickUp SyncUps, everything you need to capture, discuss, and act on ideas lives under one roof.

ClickUp Chat keeps collaboration in context. ClickUp Brain tracks every idea and turns the best ones into creative briefs. And ClickUp Clips let you share thoughts asynchronously without another calendar block. 

So before your next ‘quick Zoom brainstorm’ turns into another two-hour meeting, sign up for ClickUp for free and make every idea count. 💭

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