Thinking Tools

Divergent & Convergent

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387

Forced Relationships
This is an idea generating technique that appears in many books about
creative thinking and creative thinking or innovation tools.
First Step
choose something totally unrelated to the problem or challenge
You or your group are working on.
Second Step
List everything you or your group know about it.
(Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?…
physical, visual, tactile,…all senses, good and bad)
Sample
A traditional example or warm-up for doing this consists of…
1st. Ask the person or group to write everything they know about
a canary (or a bird in their country.
2nd. Ask the person or group to write everything they know about
the chair they are sitting in.
3rd. Then I ask them to combine (FORCE FIT or make a
FORCED Relationship) one item from the canary list with
The chair’s list with the goal to improve, change, correct the chair
design or to generate ideas for designing the ultimate chair.

Third Step
List everything you or your group know about your problem or challenge.

+
(WWWWWH…and using all the senses)

Fourth Step
Take items/details/aspects from the first list and FORCE FIT them to
features Or details from the second list. Your goal is to see if the features
=
from The randomly chosen, unrelated thing/animal sparks ideas for
improving, Changing, correcting features of the problem.

Feathers-Soft + chair is hard = make seat soft

Yellow + chair is ship gray = add color
Divergent Thinking Tool

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387
 Sample Ideas
Idea Grids 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
First Step
With this Cre8ng Tool we first generate 12 to 24 ideas Idea 1.
through Brainstorming or any other technique.

Second Step
2.
Then draw a grid made up of as many vertical and
horizontal 3.
Cells as you have ideas.

Third Step 4.
Combine the ideas on the vertical side of the grid With
the ideas on the horizontal side one by one and write
them into the separate boxes where the two ideas meet..
5.
6 ideas can
Then produce 36 ideas, 12 can produce 24, 100 - 10,000

Fourth Step
Read over the ideas you have produced and select the
Idea + Idea =
best 2 4
To work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use. Vertical 2 = make the chair out of wood
Horizontal 4 = make the color changeable

Ideas might be….cover, removable film or skin

Divergent Thinking Tool

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387
 S.C.A.M.P.E.R. CHECKLISTING
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a form of CHECKLIST. A CHECKLLIST is
a prepared list of words, verbs, questions that you can use that can
spark new ideas, change your thinking or your point of view or
even you mood and the direction your thinking at the moment and Sample
take you into many directions.
S. = substitute
S.C.A.M.P.E.R. was created by Bob Eberle, teacher/educational C. = combine
consultant in the 1970 s to teach the concept of CHECKLISTING
to school children by using a memory device (acronym) that they A. = adapt, adopt
could easily remember when they needed to generate new ideas or M. = minify, magnify
remember existing or past ideas. It is used as the foundation for P. = put to other uses
Michael Michalko’s excellent Creative Thinking Tools
book…THINKERTOYS. E. = eliminate
First Step
R. = reverse
Write out the word S.C.A.M.P.E.R. vertically on a piece of paper or on a flip Combine - what might we combine
chart/chalkboard or other surface that the group can see.
with our problem to improve it?
Second Step Chair - new materials, sound, tastes,
Write out what the 7 letters stand for.

Third Step
Then use each of the 7 by asking questions using these verbs to
improve/change/revise your challenge or problem to generate potential ideas
textures, arm rest, cushion

Eliminate - what might we eliminate

=
and solutions. to improve the current chair produce a
Fourth Step
brand new one?
Read over the ideas you have produced and select the best Hinges, one of the legs, the back
To work on to turn them into HOT SOLUTIONS to use.

Divergent Thinking Tool

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387
 Variables of story
Idea or Morphological Grids

s
s

on
ne

s
oes

ns

me

ati
roi

lia

loc
her

cri
he

vil
This is a logical/left-brain convergent tool that can be used to
generate large numbers of ideas. 6 columns of 10 examples of
each variable can produce 1,000,000 possible combinations.
1.
First Step
Generate list of variables of problem or story 2.
Second Step
Generate lists for each of the variables: i.e.: heroes: cowboy, 3.
Rancher, sheriff, shopkeeper, teacher, minister.

Third Step
4.
Number each list for each variable 1 to 2 to 3 to …...
5.
Fourth Step
Randomly pick one number for each variable column from 1 to ?

Fifth Step
Then write a story using one from each of the columns
Sample

Divergent Thinking Tool

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387
 Value Grids Sample Values
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
This is a logical/left-brain convergent tool that can be used to
select ideas to turn into solutions

First Step
Idea A.
Generate ideas
B.
Second Step
Select a workable number of ideas you or the group like
C.
Third Step
Generate a list of values that final solution can be evaluated
with.
D.
Fourth Step E.
Examine each idea one by one for each value.
Or
Examine each value one by one comparing the chairs.

Fifth Step
Idea + Value =
If one idea ends up better from the analysis than one that you B 4
or the group have a strong feeling for then go back and
re-evaluate the weak areas and strengthen or change them. Idea B = make the chair out of wood
Value 4 = better aesthetics

Convergent Thinking Tool Wood would make it easier to tool, the grain will
Give a natural beauty to the chair

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387
 PCP-
Pluses/Concerns/Potentials Sample
Idea 1
Pluses/Concerns/Potentials a convergent thinking tool used for
Make the chair out of XXX plastic
analyzing a list or group of ideas that have been generated by an
individual or a group. and apply electrical lighting to it.

First Step Pluses -

Narrow down the number of ideas to a comfortable Plastic will be cheaper
number (3 to 6) Lighting will make it more useable
The plastic will provide more color
Second Step
Then one by one write out 3 lists of thoughts about each idea. options
a. Pluses of the ideas
b. Concerns Concerns -
c. Potentials We have no experience with plastic
Electrical wiring will add cost
Third Step
Then compare the results.
It may be too easily tipped over

Potentials -
=
Fourth Step
If one idea falls behind the others yet the group seems more Could lead to a product that could be
excited about it or committed to it, then go over each of the sold anywhere in the world.
concerns and think of ways to eliminate or strength them with that Could expand our technical capacities
idea.
Could open up new markets for our
other products.
Convergent Thinking Tool
Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387
 Hits & Misses Sample
Hits & Misses is a convergent thinking tool used for quickly
choosing ideas from several that have been generated.

First Step
Generate many ideas….24, 48, 144…..on Post-It notes or slips of
paper or index cards or simply write them on a surface where
everyone can see them easily.

Second Step
Tell the group to go up and scan the total group of ideas and mark
which ones their “gut” tells them is a hit. No discussion. Just
simply read and react.
Or
Tell the group to go up and move the ideas they think are HITS to
an area labeled HITS and the MISSES to another area labeled Hits Unsure? Misses
thus. Leave the “NOT SURE” ones where they are.

Third Step
Then discuss, organize by popularity, group, cluster the ideas by
categories.

Fourth Step
Select the one or more that can be used at the same time or the
ones that can be combined into a single idea

Convergent Thinking Tool

Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP Cre8ng People, Places & Possibilities alan@cre8ng.com http://www.cre8ng.com 706-353-3387