On 29 Mar 2007, at 1:25 pm, Dr. Lauchlan A. K. Mackinnon wrote:
> when I'm talking about a problem being convergent I mean it can be
> solved by
> rational, analytic means or standard approaches and techniques. If
> a problem
> is divergent it holds out against them, it tyically needs 'divergent'
> thinking, creative original thinking. Convergent thinking tends to
> take
> place within a standard framework, divergent thinking may question and
> overturn that paradigm. e.g. (from a quick google)
> http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/converge.htm or
> http://www.cph127.com/cph127/2005/11/convergent_vs_d.html
>
> It stems from Guilford's work in the psychology of creativity
> http://soc.enotes.com/gale-psychology-encyclopedia/divergent-thinking
Hi Lauchlan,
I am very conversant with the literature, it has been an interest for
many years. The two links you provide support my point. These are
about creative thinking, not about the nature of the problem. Given
that these are modes of thinking, I still cannot see how you map
these onto the nature of the problem. Your characterisation of these
bipolar modes of thinking seems to match one style of thinking to a
particular style of problem. This is hardly ever so. Guildford,
Hudson [and many since] recognised that both modes of thinking must
be employed in any non trivial problem solving exercise. If divergent
thinking is about the production of lots of ideas (that we respect
equally blah blah), what then is a divergent problem? One that
produces many solutions? If so, I suspect a bit of convergency is
required to come to a single answer that a designer's client can
use! This then contradicts your assertion that divergency of thought
is required to crack a 'divergent' problem. You also seem to equate
convergency with ordinary thinking, and divergency with creative
original thought (a dangerous game!). I suggest that, for example,
much work in science and technology has emerged from strongly
convergent thought, mixed perhaps with a bit of divergency and some
intuition at the right points. Both are needed. One could perhaps
say that certain occupational groups lead with one mode rather than
the other, and in this sense [art and] designers may be seen to be
more divergent than say engineering designers. This is borne out in
personality type profiles.
In any case, I have often felt that a lot of what designers do (in an
art and design context rather than a technology context) is
characterised more by opportunity-seeking than by problem-solving.
David
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David Durling FDRS • Professor of Design • School of Arts &
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