The Creative Process: Divergence and Convergence
"Creativity is for geniuses who suddenly get a lightbulb moment": it's a comfortable idea, but a false one. Imagine that your high school wants to improve the school snack shop and nobody knows where to start. Creativity applied to business is a process with phases and rules that any team can train and repeat. By the end of the page you'll see why it pays not to judge ideas the moment they come out.
Diverging and Converging
The process looks like a funnel with two stages: first it opens up (many ideas) and then it narrows (one solution). That's why the two are kept separate: if you filter while you generate, you end up with few ideas and almost all of them obvious.
In the wide part you diverge; in the narrow zone ("?") you converge: ideas are compared against criteria and one is chosen.
Explain the difference between divergence and convergence in the creative process, and provide an example of each movement applied to improving a school canteen.
Explain the difference between divergence and convergence in the creative process, and provide an example of each movement applied to improving a school canteen.
The figure represents the creative process as a funnel: many ideas enter at the top and a single solution emerges at the bottom. Identify which phase takes place in the…
The figure represents the creative process as a funnel: many ideas enter at the top and a single solution emerges at the bottom. Identify which phase takes place in the narrow section, marked with "?", and explain what it involves.
Brainstorming and Its Rules
In a brainstorming session, certain rules are followed: no criticism, aim for quantity, build on the ideas of others, and record everything. Explain the purpose of each…
In a brainstorming session, certain rules are followed: no criticism, aim for quantity, build on the ideas of others, and record everything. Explain the purpose of each of these rules.
A team tasked with improving a backpack starts their meeting by evaluating each idea as it comes up ("that's expensive", "impossible"), running out of options within…
A team tasked with improving a backpack starts their meeting by evaluating each idea as it comes up ("that's expensive", "impossible"), running out of options within twenty minutes. Analyse which rule of the creative process they broke, what the consequence was, and how you would redesign the session.
Techniques to Unblock Ideas
De Bono's six thinking hats let you look at a decision from six perspectives, one at a time: white (data), red (emotions), black (risks), yellow (benefits), green (creativity), and blue (organization and final decision).
A summary of when to use each technique: SCAMPER when a product already exists and you want to improve it; six hats when a decision has to be made and the group is stuck arguing over opinions; brainwriting when there is shyness or someone dominates the conversation.
Match each technique to its ideal situation: SCAMPER (a list of verbs to transform a product), Six Thinking Hats (viewing a decision from six perspectives), and…
Match each technique to its ideal situation: SCAMPER (a list of verbs to transform a product), Six Thinking Hats (viewing a decision from six perspectives), and brainwriting (writing down ideas in silence). Describe a specific situation where you would use each technique and justify your choice.
Organizing a Complete Creative Session
A well-planned session combines everything above. Before starting, define the challenge as a clear question and remind the group of the rules.
Notice how the time is split: almost half of it goes to diverging, because without abundant material there is nothing to choose from.
Organise a 60-minute creative session to improve recycling at your school: divide the time between divergence and convergence, state which technique you would use in…
Organise a 60-minute creative session to improve recycling at your school: divide the time between divergence and convergence, state which technique you would use in each section, and list the rules you would remind the group of before starting.
Design a full creative process for the challenge "reducing single-use plastic in the school canteen": define the divergence and convergence phases, the specific…
Design a full creative process for the challenge "reducing single-use plastic in the school canteen": define the divergence and convergence phases, the specific technique for each, the final selection criteria, and how you would document the outcome.
When the Process Fails: Anchoring and Groupthink
Anchoring is getting stuck on the first idea you heard. Combined with hierarchy and fear of looking bad, it blocks divergence from the very first minute.
A culture that rewards only "safe" ideas produces the same effect in the long run: people learn that proposing something unusual is costly and stop doing it. Without divergence there is no innovation, and the company ends up repeating what it already does. To reactivate it: also recognize attempts that didn't work, set aside fixed time for proposing without evaluating, and have executives speak last.
Back to the beginning: improving the school snack shop doesn't require a genius, but a process: first open up (many ideas without judging) and then narrow down (choose with criteria).
In a company where only "safe" ideas are rewarded, employees have stopped proposing novel concepts. Analyse how this culture stifles divergence, what medium-term effects…
In a company where only "safe" ideas are rewarded, employees have stopped proposing novel concepts. Analyse how this culture stifles divergence, what medium-term effects it has on innovation, and propose three specific management changes to reactivate creativity.
The CEO of a company states: "Separating idea generation from idea evaluation is a waste of time; the efficient approach is to judge and discard each proposal as it is…
The CEO of a company states: "Separating idea generation from idea evaluation is a waste of time; the efficient approach is to judge and discard each proposal as it is presented." Refute their stance by demonstrating what psychological blocks and power dynamics are triggered when evaluating on the fly. Justify why the strict temporal separation of phases improves both the volume and the degree of disruption of the generated alternatives.