When problem-solving and idea creation is needed, for example when constructing the Product Backlog from a product Vision, Objectives and EXPECTED Benefits, there are 2 strategies that are usually used, divergent and convergent thinking.

Divergent Thinking
The “divergent thinking” strategy used to solve problems is the proposal of multiple possible solutions then examining each to determine the solution that will work.

In a ‘problem solving’ workshop, the participants are asked for any ideas individually; writing on ‘sticky notes’ is a good idea.  The results are analyzed to SEE if there is any overlap and the participants agree on a single list of potential solutions.

Brainstorming and free writing are two processes that involve divergent thinking.

During the analysis of the potential solutions unexpected combinations may be made, information may be changed into unanticipated forms, connections among remote ASSOCIATES may be identified. In divergent thinking, a single question returns multiple answers and though the answers vary considerably depending on the workshop participants, all answers are of equal value; each proposed solution may not have existed before and therefore may be novel, unusual or surprising.

Eight elements of divergent thinking:

• Complexity – The capacity to think of difficult, multi-layered or intricate products or ideas
• Curiosity – The personality characteristic of asking questions, learning to get more knowledge/information about something and of being able to go deeper into ideas
• Elaboration – The skill of adding to, building from or enhancing a product or an idea
• Flexibility – The capability of creating different perceptions or categories from which a range of different ideas may be produced
• Fluency – The skill of producing many ideas so as to have an increase in the number of potential solutions
• Imagination – The capability of dreaming up or inventing novel products or ideas; to be original
• Originality – The skill of coming up with fresh, unusual, unique, extremely different or completely new products or ideas
• Risk-taking – The readiness to be courageous and adventuresome

Divergent thinking has been detected in people with personality characteristics such as curiosity, nonconformity, persistence, and readiness to take risks.

An extreme example of divergent thinking was when Twitter DEVELOPED an online service that did not have any obvious practical application.  The company deployed a basic application to find out how people used it and, based on the findings, refined the application. Though launching something and finding out what the market for it is only after the launch doesn’t have to be a bullet-proof strategy (in most cases it is not), this worked for Twitter.

Convergent Thinking


Once the divergent thing ‘phase’ of the problem-solving session has been ‘completed’, the workshop participants use convergent thinking to bring together the different ideas to determine a single best solution.

The term “convergent thinking” was ‘created by Joy Paul Guilford. He came up with the term as an opposite term to “divergent thinking”.  

Convergent thinking needs speed, logic, and accuracy and relies on identifying the known, reapplying techniques and amassing stored information. 

A vital part of convergent thinking is that it produces one best answer; you either have a right answer or a wrong one.

An example of where convergent thinking would be used is when the problem is:

“If there are 3 potential outsourcing companies, which one do we choose?”

This would require listing all the criteria that the ‘buying’ company need from an outsourcing company and examining each to see which has the best ‘off-the-shelf’ fit or maybe which is open to NEGOTIATE to meet all the required criteria.

Summary

• Divergent thinking is used to go from one stated problem to many potential solutions.
• Convergent thinking is used to form multiple potential solutions to the correct one.