Divergent Thinking Skills
Do you need divergent thinking skills to function well in your job role? This article provides a guide on how you can develop the skills and include them on your resume.
What are Divergent Thinking Skills?
Divergent thinking is a thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions. It typically occurs in a spontaneous, free-flowing, “non-linear” manner, such that many ideas are generated in an emergent cognitive fashion. This ability comprises four dimensions; Originality, Flexibility, Fluency, and Elaboration.
- Originality: Originality is the measure of the uniqueness of the ideas generated.
- Flexibility: Flexibility measures the number of different categories of ideas generated.
- Fluency: Fluency is the measure of the number of ideas generated.
- Elaboration: Elaboration is the measure of the detail of the ideas generated.
Importance of Divergent Thinking Skills
Divergent thinking skills are important because they help individuals to come up with creative solutions to problems. They can also help to promote open-mindedness, foster collaboration, and increase innovation.
Divergent thinking skills can also help individuals to become more adaptable and flexible when faced with new challenges. These skills help individuals to explore different ways of looking at a problem and to come up with creative solutions.
Additionally, they can help individuals to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions that could not have been thought of through traditional methods. Overall, divergent thinking skills are important because they help individuals to become more creative, innovative, and open-minded.
How to Improve your Divergent Thinking Skills
Here are 10 ways to improve your divergent thinking skills:
- Practice brainstorming: Brainstorming is a technique that encourages the generation of many ideas in a short period. It’s a great way to get started with divergent thinking and learn how to generate a large number of ideas quickly.
- Ask “What if?” questions: Asking “what if” questions is a great way to challenge assumptions and think in new ways. For example, “What if we could make this product 10 times lighter?” or “What if we could make this process 10 times faster?”
- Combine ideas from different fields: One way to generate new and unique ideas is to combine ideas from different fields or disciplines. This can lead to unexpected and creative solutions.
- Take breaks and go for a walk: Sometimes taking a break and getting away from your work can help you think more creatively. Go for a walk and get some fresh air.
- Use mind mapping: Mind mapping is a technique that helps to visually organize your thoughts and ideas. It can help to connect related ideas and identify new connections and associations.
- Get inspiration from nature: Nature has been a source of inspiration for many great thinkers throughout history. Take a walk in nature and observe the different forms, textures, colors, and patterns.
- Play with words and language: Play with words, puns, and language. Try to find new ways to express an idea or to make a connection.
- Practice mindfulness: Mindfulness is the practice of being present at the moment and aware of your thoughts and emotions. It can help you to think more clearly and to be more open to new ideas.
- Seek out new experiences: Seek out new experiences and try new things. Traveling to new places, trying new foods, learning new skills, and meeting new people can all help to broaden your perspective and inspire new ideas.
- Surround yourself with people and ideas: Surround yourself with people who are different from you and who have different perspectives and ideas. Read books and articles on a wide range of topics, and seek out new and diverse perspectives on the world.
It is important to note that divergent thinking isn’t only about coming up with creative solutions, it also involves spotting patterns, recognizing problems, and making connections in unexpected ways. Furthermore, many resources and tools can help you to improve your divergent thinking skills, such as books, articles, and workshops.
Jobs that require Divergent Thinking Skills
Divergent thinking is the ability to generate multiple ideas and solutions to a problem or challenge. This skill is often associated with creativity and innovation, and it can be useful in a wide range of jobs. Some examples of roles that may require divergent thinking skills include:
- Product designer: Divergent thinking skills are essential for product designers, as they are responsible for generating creative and innovative designs for a wide range of products, from consumer goods to medical devices. They use their imagination to come up with new ideas and then use their analytical skills to refine and develop them into functional designs.
- Entrepreneur: Starting a new business requires a lot of divergent thinking, as entrepreneurs need to be able to generate new and innovative ideas for products, services, and business models. They also need to be able to think creatively about how to solve problems and overcome obstacles to be successful.
- Marketing Specialist: Marketing specialists use divergent thinking skills to develop creative campaigns and strategies to promote products and services. This can include coming up with new and unusual ways to reach target audiences, developing unique messaging, and finding new and innovative ways to use digital and traditional marketing channels.
- Writer/journalist: Writing and journalism also require divergent thinking skills, as writers and journalists need to come up with new and interesting story ideas, and then use their analytical skills to research, develop and present those stories engagingly.
- Artist: Artists use divergent thinking skills to come up with new and original artistic concepts and designs. They must be able to imagine new and unusual forms, color schemes, and compositions, and have the ability to express them in various mediums.
- Game designer: Game designers use divergent thinking skills to create unique and engaging game experiences. They must be able to come up with new and innovative game mechanics, level designs, and story concepts.
- Engineer: Engineers use divergent thinking skills to design new and innovative products and systems. They must be able to think creatively about how to solve complex problems, and must be able to come up with new and unusual design concepts.
- Chef: Chefs use divergent thinking skills to create new and unique dishes. They must be able to think creatively about food and flavor combinations, and must be able to come up with new and unusual recipes.
- Scientist: Scientists use divergent thinking skills to come up with new and innovative theories and research plans. They must be able to think creatively about how to test hypotheses and come up with new ways to observe and measure phenomena.
- Inventor: Inventors use divergent thinking skills to come up with new and innovative ideas for products and devices. They must be able to think creatively about how to solve problems and must be able to come up with new and unusual solutions.
- Urban planner: Urban planners use divergent thinking skills to come up with new and innovative designs for cities and communities. They must be able to think creatively about how to balance the needs of different stakeholders, and must be able to come up with new and unusual solutions for urban challenges.
- Architects: Architects use divergent thinking skills to come up with new and innovative building designs. They must be able to think creatively about how to balance function, form, and aesthetics and come up with solutions that are visually stunning and at the same time are environmentally sustainable.
- Social worker: Social workers use divergent thinking skills to come up with new and innovative solutions to social problems. They must be able to think creatively about how to help clients and communities, and must be able to come up with new and unusual ways to support and empower people.
- Musician/Composer: Musicians and composers use divergent thinking skills to create new and original musical compositions. They must be able to imagine new and unusual melodies, chord progressions, and rhythms, and have the ability to express them through various musical forms.
This is not an exhaustive list and many other roles may require divergent thinking skills, depending on the specific nature of the job and the needs of the employer.
How to include Divergent Thinking Skills on your Resume
To include divergent skills on your resume, you can follow these tips:
- Use action verbs: Start each bullet point with an action verb that describes the specific skill you’re highlighting, such as “generated,” “developed,” or “proposed.”
- Give specific examples: Provide examples of how you’ve used your divergent thinking skills in the past. For instance, you could say something like “Developed five unique marketing strategies for a product launch, resulting in a 15% increase in sales.”
- Use relevant keywords: Make sure to include keywords relevant to divergent thinking in your resume, such as “creative,” “innovative,” “ideation,” and “out-of-the-box.”
- Highlight relevant experience: If you have experience working in a field that requires divergent thinking, such as marketing, advertising, or product development, make sure to highlight that experience on your resume.
- Show your ability to think beyond what is given: you can also add a few more lines like “proposed alternative solutions to existing problems”, “led brainstorming sessions to generate new ideas”, “designed creative approaches to solve complex issues”
Examples of How to include Divergent Thinking Skills on your Resume
Example 1: Professional Summary Section:
- Divergent thinking professional with over 5 years of experience in creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box solutions.
- Skilled in ideation, brainstorming, and conceptualization, with a proven track record of turning ideas into reality.
- Adept at identifying and leveraging unique opportunities, and finding innovative solutions to complex problems.
- Strong ability to work in cross-functional teams, and with various stakeholders to bring projects to fruition.
- Possessing strong analytical and critical thinking skills, coupled with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Example 2: Work Experience Section:
Innovative Solutions Developer ABC Company, Anytown USA June 2020 – Present
- Utilized divergent thinking to generate over 50 unique ideas for product improvements, resulting in a 15% increase in customer satisfaction
- Led a cross-functional team to implement a new pricing strategy, resulting in a 10% increase in revenue
- Designed and facilitated a workshop to promote creative thinking within the department, leading to a 20% increase in employee engagement.
Example 3: Education Section:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, XYZ University, Graduated May 20XX
- Relevant coursework: Creative Problem-Solving, Innovation and Design Thinking, Group Dynamics and Collaborative Creativity
- Completed an independent study project that applied divergent thinking techniques to develop new product ideas for a local business.
Master of Education in Instructional Design, ABC College, Graduated December 20XX
- Thesis: “Exploring the Use of Divergent Thinking Strategies in Online Learning Environments”
- Developed and implemented a divergent thinking curriculum for a local high school, resulting in a 15% increase in student engagement and creativity.
Example 4: Technical Skill Section:
Proven ability to generate innovative solutions to complex technical problems through divergent thinking, resulting in a 15% increase in efficiency and a 25% reduction in development time.
Expertise in using divergent thinking to create new and unique solutions to difficult technical challenges, resulting in the successful development of two patents.
Example 5: Personal Project Section:
Developed a new method for detecting and diagnosing technical issues in automation systems, using divergent thinking and data analysis to identify new patterns and solutions that improved overall system performance by 30%.
How to Demonstrate Divergent Thinking Skills in an Interview
Demonstrating divergent thinking skills in an interview can be challenging, as it is difficult to prove that you have a certain mindset or approach to problem-solving. However, there are a few things you can do to showcase your divergent thinking abilities:
- Provide examples: Share specific examples of situations in which you’ve used divergent thinking to solve a problem or come up with a new idea. Explain the problem you were facing, the different solutions you considered, and how you ultimately arrived at a unique solution.
- Use storytelling: Tell a story that illustrates your ability to think creatively and come up with unique solutions. This could be a personal or professional example.
- Be specific about your process: Explain the steps you take when approaching a problem, and highlight any techniques or tools you use to encourage divergent thinking. For example, you might mention that you use mind mapping or brainstorming to generate a wide range of ideas.
- Be prepared for hypothetical questions: Be ready for hypothetical questions, some potential questions could be: “How would you approach solving a problem that has stumped your team for weeks?” or “If you had to come up with a new product idea, what would be your process?”
- Show enthusiasm and willingness to explore new ways: Show genuine enthusiasm and willingness to explore new ways of thinking and problem-solving. Highlight any projects or activities you’ve pursued in your personal life that demonstrate your divergent thinking skills.
- Use positive words: Use positive words to describe your process, attitude, and how you react to problems. For example, use words such as “innovative”, “creative”, “adaptable”, and “open-minded”.
Examples of Interview Questions to Test Divergent Thinking Skills
The interviewer may ask questions to assess a candidate’s divergent thinking skills. These questions can range from abstract problem-solving tasks to hypothetical scenarios. Here are some examples of interview questions to test divergent thinking skills:
- Describe a situation where you had to come up with a creative solution to a problem.
- How do you go about finding innovative solutions to existing challenges?
- Give an example of a situation where you had to think “outside the box” and how did you go about it?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you had to develop a creative approach to solve a problem?
- What strategies do you use to come up with creative ideas?
- How do you use divergent thinking to generate new ideas or concepts?
- Describe a project that you worked on where you went above and beyond what was expected. What was your role?
- How do you use creative visualization to solve complex problems or questions?
- Can you explain what the cognitive process of ideation is?
- What do you understand by brainstorming? How does it work?