Convergent & Divergent Thinking

"Our economy is built upon convergent thinkers, people that execute things, get them done. But artists and designers are divergent thinkers: they expand the horizon of possibilities." ~ John Maeda

"When you put off a task, you buy yourself time to engage in divergent thinking rather than foreclosing on one particular idea." ~ Adam Grant

"I was forced to stretch my thinking, to realize that sincere and honest people could believe in very divergent religious doctrines." ~ Carl Rogers

Thinking outside the box and narrowing down ideas are super important in creativity

Thinking outside the box means coming up with loads of ideas without judging them, which helps to be more creative and explore different options. On the flip side, narrowing down ideas involves looking at and evaluating these ideas to figure out the best solutions. Both ways of thinking matter because thinking outside the box brings many possibilities while narrowing down ideas turns them into practical solutions.

Convergent thinking is important for making sense of all the different ideas from divergent thinking

It helps organize and filter these ideas to determine the best solutions. This phase involves looking at things critically, making comparisons, and evaluating, ensuring that the decision-making process is well-informed and fits with specific goals. Convergent thinking ensures that creativity leads to tangible results by refining raw ideas into practical solutions.

Divergent and convergent thinking work together to boost creativity and problem-solving skills

This way of thinking lets you look at problems from different angles and develop more innovative solutions. It also helps make better decisions by considering many options and their possible outcomes. Following a structured process, brainstorming with divergent thinking, then evaluating and refining ideas with convergent thinking, leads to effective and creative results. Strategies like Six Thinking Hats, question-storming, and role play can further boost divergent thinking, creating an environment where all ideas are valued. These thinking styles form a powerful duo that can handle challenging problems and drive innovation.