This slideshow is a segment taken from workshops on decision making and problem solving. I hope you enjoy this considered approach to problem solving. ...Geoff (www.performancepeople.com.au)

1. Simple Divergent, Emergent &
Convergent Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

2. !
I came to this presentation
via a circuitous route. So I
am going to take you on a
bit of the same journey.

3. !
The approach I describe here is a mashup
of concepts from Eric Knight Reframing;
Dave Gray, Sunni Brown and James
Macanufo Gamestorming; Ian Dixon of
Dixon Partners; and Michelle James of The
Center for Creative Emergence.

4. Reframing
The
Streetlight
Divergent &
Convergent
Thinking
It starts with an old story
about how we can go looking
where we are comfortable,
rather than where answers
can be found.
Fan &
Focus
Emergent
Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

5. The Streetlight
An old story with many variants:
1. A man is looking for his keys
under a streetlight
2. A person comes and helps him
3. They cannot find the keys
4. When challenged. the man
admits he dropped his keys
‘over there’
5. He is looking here, because he
can see in the light

6. The
Streetlight
Reframing
Divergent &
Convergent
Thinking
And an idea
from Eric Knight
that needs to be
shared.
Fan &
Focus
Emergent
Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

7. Reframing
Eric Knight 2012 in Reframe writes that
earnest, well-meaning, intelligent people use
a ‘magnifying glass’ to solve problems

8. Reframing
Eric suggests we start with a camera lens:
– A wider field of view
– Able to focus at different distances,
giving multiple ‘frames of reference’

9. Reframing
Which leads to
two important
ways of thinking.
The
Streetlight
Divergent &
Convergent
Thinking
Fan &
Focus
Emergent
Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

10. Two Skills
Divergent
Thinking
Convergent
Thinking

11. Michelle James
CEO, The Center for Creative Emergence
www.creativeemergence.com
Words

12. Chart With Some Techniques
Divergent
Brainstorming
Forced
Analogy
(& Dictionary
Method)
Text
Affinity
Diagram
Value Stream
Mapping
The Creative
Whack Pack
Six
Thinking
Hats
Mind Maps/
Concept Maps/
Topic Maps
Graphics
Flowcharting/
Process Flow
Nominal Group
Technique
Prototype/
Pilot Trial
Convergent

13. Reframing
The
Streetlight
Divergent &
Convergent
Thinking
That have been put
together in a simple,
powerful way.
Fan &
Focus
Emergent
Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

14. Fan & Focus
Ian Dixon of Partnering Solutions
presents this model:
Seeking as many
options as possible
FAN
Divergent Thinking

15. Fan & Focus
Ian Dixon of Partnering Solutions
presents this model:
Transition Point
Seeking as many
options as possible
FAN
Divergent Thinking

16. Fan & Focus
Ian Dixon of Partnering Solutions
presents this model:
Transition Point
Seeking as many
options as possible
FAN
Selecting the option(s)
to implement
FOCUS
Divergent Thinking
Convergent Thinking

17. Fan & Focus Issues
Preconceived ideas /
Lack of creativity
Ignoring/overlooking possibilities
Short-changing one phase

18. Reframing
The
Streetlight
Divergent &
Convergent
Thinking
But something was
missing. Some sort
of ‘incubation’.
Fan &
Focus
Emergent
Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

19. Emergent Thinking
Explore!!!

20. Reframing
The
Streetlight
Divergent &
Convergent
Thinking
Fan &
Focus
Which led to
the final form
of the model.
Emergent
Thinking
Fan > Explore > Focus

21. Fan, Explore & Focus
Spend some time ‘in between’ fanning and
focussing – exploring what you are finding out.
Seeking as many
options as possible
Teasing out
possibilities
Selecting & refining the
option(s) to implement
FAN
FOCUS
EXPLORE
Divergent
Thinking
Emergent
Thinking
Convergent
Thinking

22. Tools & Techniques
FAN
•
•
•
•
•
Brainstorm
Daydream
‘Tinker’
Imagine
Provocative
questions
• Gap analysis
• Case studies
(seeing what
others did)
EXPLORE
• 5 whys
• 6 thinking hats
• Stakeholder
analysis
• Risk analysis
• SWOT analysis
• Mind-mapping
• Force field
analysis
• Forced analogy
FOCUS
• Cost-benefit
analysis
• Prioritisation
• Modelling
• Pilot test
• Flowcharting
• Tasking/
delegation

23. !
All the best on your journey
– and at every point make
sure you know whether you
are fanning, exploring or
focussing!

24. © Performance People Pty Ltd, 2013
www.performancepeople.com.au
With appreciation for the contributions of Eric
Knight Reframing; Dave Gray, Sunni Brown
and James Macanufo Gamestorming; Ian
Dixon of Dixon Partners; and Michelle James
of The Center for Creative Emergence.
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