Divergence & Convergence

In ideation terminology, creating new ideas is called divergence. Even when we are searching “within the box,” we are expanding our possibilities. An equally important part of ideation is selecting the best ideas from those created. This segment in the process of developing a useful idea is called convergence.

There are several methods for ideation convergence. One of the most widely used is known as “Hits,” a reference to the hit parade of popular songs. Each member of an ideation group gets the same number of votes to cast, often 10% of the total number of ideas. The ideas with the most votes can then be refined for final selection.