ifkad articles

The Creative Diamond Revisited: Reverging, an Essential Transition Step between Diverging and Converging

Katrina Heijne, Linda Smit

Within the context of idea generation and the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process, the authors dive deeper into the transition step between Diverging and Converging, named Reverging. In most literature, the activities in the Reverging step are not seen as a separate step, but rather as part of a Converging step. However, Reverging differs significantly in goals and mindset from Converging. In Reverging the number of options will not be narrowed (as in Converging). Instead, the aim of Reverging is to revisit and rearrange all the options in order to build a shared understanding about the content with the Resource Group. Through this activity of Resource Group dynamics, new insights in the problem and solution space are revealed and refined. Finally, Reverging will enable a reset to smoothen the transition from the Diverging state of mind to the Converging state of mind. The Reverging mindset will be fostered by applying the golden rules of Reverging: Active participation, Responsive listening and Move circular. This paper builds on Tassoul and Buijs (2007) who already argued for an extra step, which they called ‘Clustering’. However, Clustering is only one way to approach the Reverging stage. Therefore, a systematic search was done for different techniques that can be applied in the Reverging step. The techniques were categorized along the number of dimensions used in the rearrangement of options: 0, 1, 2 or 3. Respectively, these technique types were named the Clustering Approach, the Scaling Approach, the Matrix Approach and the Cube Approach. Most practioners (Creative Facilitators) we have consulted conduct already some form of Reverging, however in literature there is a gap concerning this step. Therefore, this study expands the knowledge of this essential creative activity in the Creative Problem Solving process and offers a starting point for further research regarding this Reverging step. The goals and golden rules discussed in this paper will support Creative Facilitators in becoming more familiar with the purpose and value of conducting a Reverging step during the Creative Problem Solving process. In addition, the paper provides 5 sets of techniques to approach Reverging.

IN: Proceedings IFKAD 2018 – Societal Impact of Knowledge and Design
PP: 1228-1244