Divergent and convergent thinking are vital skills for Agile and Scrum teams. They go hand in hand, much like the invention and evaluation stages of the creative process. As an Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM), it’s essential to recognize when your team is implementing each mode of thinking and how it helps to shape the success of projects.
In Scrum, divergent thinking is an exploratory approach and can often lead to innovative solutions. It works based on the principle of generating many potential solutions to solve a problem, encouraging free thinking, and broadening the alternatives and possibilities.
Three main indicators of a group engaged in divergent thinking are:
- Idea Generation: Teams rigorously brainstorm a wide range of ideas to solve their problem. Each member is open to exploring various possibilities and contributes without fear of judgment or criticism. A common Agile activity indicative of this is the ‘brainstorming session’ during the sprint planning phase.
- Creative Thinking: The team is not hung up on existing solutions or approaches. They tend to overstep traditional boundaries and think outside the box, indicating a high level of creativity.
- Open-Mindedness: Team members readily accept others’ ideas and insights. They consider all suggestions and possibilities, even seemingly outlandish ones, with an open mind.
Conversely, convergent thinking in a Scrum context involves narrowing down a list of ideas to reach the best possible solution. It’s often used during decision-making stages, such as during sprint reviews and retrospectives.
Three main indicators of a group engaged in convergent thinking are:
- Focused Discussion: Team members would rigorously analyze the pros and cons of each idea or solution. The discussion usually is pointed and purposeful, aiming to minimize the list of options and find the most suitable solution.
- Presence of Criteria: There’s usually an explicitly defined set of criteria that the team projects their ideas against. The criteria could be technical feasibility, alignment with strategic objectives, or even customer desirability.
- Consensus Development: The point of convergent thinking is to conclude. Therefore, markings of it also include team members getting closer to a common consensus or understanding regarding the problem at hand or its proposed solutions.
The following table can summarize the indicators of both divergent and convergent thinking:
| Divergent Thinking | Convergent Thinking | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Idea Generation | Focused Discussion |
| 2. | Creative Thinking | Presence of Criteria |
| 3. | Open-Mindedness | Consensus Development |
Taking the time to identify when divergent or convergent thinking is in play can offer valuable insights about how your team works together. It can also help you as an A-CSM to better guide your team through the problem-solving process, ensuring a balance of creativity and realism, innovativeness and practicality. After all, both thinking styles are a crucial part of Scrum and vital for successful product development.
Practice Test
True or False: One indicator of a group engaged in divergent thinking is when the group is creating new ideas and exploring possibilities.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Divergent thinking typically involves brainstorming or creating many new and varied ideas.
Which of the following are indicators that a group is engaged in divergent thinking?
- A) The group is generating many different ideas
- B) The group is focused on evaluating and filtering ideas
- C) The group is building upon existing ideas to create new ones
- D) The group is quickly converging on a single solution
Answer: A, C
Explanation: Indicators of divergent thinking include generating a variety of ideas and building upon existing ideas. Focusing on evaluation and quickly agreeing on a single solution are indicators of convergent thinking.
True or False: When a group is evaluating and comparing different ideas to come up with the best solution, it indicates that the group is engaged in convergent thinking.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Convergent thinking is the process of narrowing down multiple ideas to reach a single solution.
In convergent thinking, the primary focus is on:
- A) Rapid generating of new ideas
- B) Expanding on existing ideas
- C) Analyzing and filtering ideas
- D) Disregarding existing ideas in favor of radically new ones
Answer: C
Explanation: Convergent thinking primarily involves analyzing and filtering ideas to get a single, best solution.
True or False: The process of scrutinizing ideas to ensure they meet the project requirements indicates divergent thinking.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Scrutinizing and evaluating ideas to meet project requirements indicates convergent thinking, not divergent.
When a team is engaged in:
- A) Deep listening to each other’s perspectives
- B) Building upon each other’s ideas
- C) Encouraging free flow of thoughts
The team is likely to be practicing what type of thinking?
- Divergent thinking
- Convergent thinking
Answer: Divergent thinking
Explanation: Divergent thinking characteristically encourages wide-ranging perspectives, building upon each other’s ideas and promoting a free flow of thoughts.
When a group is focused on achieving a consensus, they are more likely to be engaged in:
- A) Divergent thinking
- B) Convergent thinking
Answer: B
Explanation: Convergent thinking aims at finding a commonly agreed-upon solution or consensus.
True or False: In divergent thinking process, a group often jumps quickly to conclusions.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Divergent thinking encourages creating and exploring multiple possibilities and does not quickly jump to conclusions.
Members endorsing and building upon each other’s ideas is an indicator of:
- A) Divergent thinking
- B) Convergent thinking
Answer: A
Explanation: Endorsing and building upon each other’s ideas is a feature of divergent thinking, wherein the group is collectively expanding possibilities.
True or False: In convergent thinking, novel ideas are typically discouraged.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: In convergent thinking, focus tends to be on analyzing existing ideas to find a single best solution. Hence, novel and radical ideas are typically not the central focus.
A group engaged in critical assessment and refinement of ideas is most likely involved in:
- A) Divergent thinking
- B) Convergent thinking
Answer: B
Explanation: Critical assessment and refinement is characteristic of the convergent thinking phase where the focus is on narrowing down to the most effective idea(s).
If a group is using many different perspectives to solve a problem, this is an example of:
- A) Divergent thinking
- B) Convergent thinking
Answer: A
Explanation: Divergent thinking involves coming up with many varied ideas, often from different perspectives, to solve a given problem.
True or False: Groups engaged in convergent thinking usually display a high degree of openness and encourage wild ideas.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: These are characteristics of divergent thinking. Convergent thinking is more focused on evaluation, analysis, and decision-making.
Generally, divergent thinking is a process of:
- A) Brainstorming many diverse ideas
- B) Evaluating and selecting the best idea
Answer: A
Explanation: Divergent thinking primarily involves the generation of wide-ranging ideas, rather than evaluating and selecting one.
Convergent thinking is associated with:
- A) Developing a multitude of ideas
- B) Judging and deciding the most effective solution
Answer: B
Explanation: Convergent thinking involves judging and narrowing down all possible solutions to decide upon the most effective one.
Interview Questions
What is one indicator of a group engaged in divergent thinking?
One indicator of divergent thinking is openness to novelty, where group members are willing to entertain and investigate new and unconventional ideas.
How can one identify if a group is engaged in divergent thinking based on the number of ideas generated?
A group is likely engaged in divergent thinking if there is a large number of unique ideas being generated, indicating that all possibilities are being explored.
What interaction style signifies that a group may be engaged in divergent thinking?
In divergent thinking, group members tend to freely express their thoughts without immediate judgement or criticism.
What is one indicator of a group engaged in convergent thinking?
An indicator of convergent thinking would be group members focusing on narrowing down options and moving towards a specific solution
Can the adoption of standard or common solutions be a sign of convergent thinking in a group?
Yes, adoption of common solutions can be a sign of convergent thinking as it shows the group is leveraging existing knowledge and focusing on efficiency rather than novelty.
Could the act of analyzing problems, refining ideas and selecting the best solution signify convergent thinking?
Absolutely. This process of refinement and decision-making represents convergent thinking, as it demonstrates the group’s commitment to pursuing a single, optimal solution.
How does the rate or frequency of ideation distinguish between divergent and convergent thinking?
Divergent thinking often results in a rapid generation of diverse ideas, while convergent thinking tends to involve slower, more focused deliberation on selecting and refining ideas.
Would the use of voting or consensus-seeking methods suggest a group’s engagement in convergent thinking?
Yes, it would. These methods require the group to narrow down their options and agree on a single solution, which is a key aspect of convergent thinking.
Is a focus on practicality and feasibility an indicator of convergent thinking in a group?
Yes, focusing on practicality and feasibility is typical of convergent thinking because it involves narrowing down options based on their real-world viability.
Is open-ended brainstorming a sign of divergent thinking in a team?
Yes. Open-ended brainstorming, where ideas are generated without immediate evaluation or judgment, is a primary characteristic of divergent thinking.
How can you identify if a team is practicing convergent thinking based on their discussion patterns?
Convergent thinking can be identified by focused and structured discussions, where the team evaluates and criticizes ideas rather than just generating new ones.
What does the willingness to accept ambiguity or paradox suggest about a group’s thinking style?
Accepting ambiguity or paradox often signifies divergent thinking, as it involves remaining open to uncertainty and exploring unconventional solutions.
Do a structured problem-solving approach and seeking the ‘right’ answer suggest a team is engaged in convergent thinking?
Yes, these qualities suggest a team is engaged in convergent thinking since they focus on finding the single, best solution to a problem.
How do risk-taking attitudes connect to divergent thinking?
A group exhibiting a high tolerance for risk and a willingness to entertain radical or unconventional ideas is likely engaged in divergent thinking.
Can a team’s preference for logical, analytical thinking suggest involvement in convergent thinking?
Yes. Logical and analytical thinking involves assessing options critically and systematically to arrive at a single best solution, which is indicative of convergent thinking.
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