Collage

Collage

Sunday, April 22, 2012

“Imagination is more important than knowledge”
– Albert Einstein

Brainstorming: Divergent Diva!

by Cyn Rene' Whitfield


In 1941, advertising executive Alex Osborn began looking for ways to draw out ideas from both his creative people and his office staff. He believed that under the right circumstances anyone could be creative. His novel twist on divergent thinking at the time was called “think up”. Today we call it “Brainstorming”. Brainstorming is a tool to generate ideas, solutions or new concepts by removing inhibitions that block the creative process. Once you determine what it is that requires a creative answer it becomes an impulsive response environment. The concept is to think up as many ideas as possible regardless of how ridiculous they may seem at first, getting every idea out of your head, and then go back to examine them afterwards. Divergent thinking generates many different ideas about a topic in a short period of time. It involves breaking a topic down into its various component parts in order to gain insight about the various aspects of the topic.

“Invention is something new, not seen or known before. Discovery means that the idea was not known to you or in the context or application. Association is putting known ideas together in a new combination. All three can result in new and profitable applications.” Brainstorming releases all three components through freewheeling by removing restrictions allowing ideas to flow freely and without criticism. It can be a difficult process for many reasons: sometimes people are unwilling to suggest a solution for fear of criticism or the problem may just be a very difficult one, and one that no existing solutions exist for yet.

Creative people are said to be divergent thinkers. The ability to recognize and devise new ways of looking at something or solving a problem helps an artist capture a perspective. It helps a conductor interpret the score, a dancer to interpret the music. This ability to capture a novel approach and to recreate is evident in the works of surrealists like poet Guillaume Apollinaire, artist Salvador Dali and architect Edward James. Abstract expressionism is another form of capturing divergent thinking in medium. Jackson Pollack’s dripping an splattering of industrial paints in “Autumn Rhythm” is a perfect example of brainstorming on canvas!

The companies I have worked for and currently, Terrametrix (http://www.terrametrix3d.com/) , are imbedded with technicians and engineers. They are essential left brain thinkers: logical, sequential, analytical and rational. If anyone can drive this group crazy it would be me. As a marketing person, I am more right brain: random, intuitive, and out of the box type thinking. I apply brainstorming verbally by asking questions that appear to be off mark. I approach my published articles through free writing, constant revisions of initial random thoughts. It is a journey that takes me to the unknown. Part of this approach comes from the objectivity you must have as a journalist where you cannot begin with a preconceived idea or opinion. The facts, the process, the holistic approach takes you to the conclusion. Perhaps this is why I enjoy writing so much. I never know where the journey will take me. It is the same with my art. A blank canvas is an experience yet to be explored through brainstorming. Yes, I am the office Divergent Diva and proud of it!

References:

Kosslyn, S. M., & Rosenberg, R. S. (2007). Fundamentals of Psychology in Context (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

SkyMark (2009) Alex F. Osborne: Father of the Brainstorm Retrieved January 19, 2010 from http://www.pathmaker.com/resources/leaders/osborne.asp

Osborn, Alex (1991) Your Creative Mind, Motorola University Press

Stokstad, Marilyn (2008) Art History: Volume 2 (3rd ed.) NJ, Pearson

Strategies of Divergent Thinking Retrieved January 19, 2010 from http://faculty.washington.edu/ezent/imdt.htm

Atherton, James (2009) Convergent and Divergent Thinking Styles Retrieved January 19, 2010 from http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/converge.htm