The Alchemy of Design Thinking

Brainstorming and Imagination

How would work be if Brainstorming & imagination was considered as important as facts?

- Selah

Alchemy Principle

The word brainstorming was first coined in the 1940s by Alex Osborn, an advertising executive who noticed that his teams produced better ideas when they worked together in a free-flowing, judgment-free way. At its heart, brainstorming is about divergence — opening up the field of possibility — followed by convergence — making sense of, and choosing, what matters most.

Divergence allows imagination to roam freely, while convergence brings discipline and focus. Both are necessary: too much divergence leads to chaos; too much convergence leads to rigidity. It is important to separate your thinking when you are brainstorming.

From a neuroscience perspective, divergent thinking activates the default mode network, allowing the brain to make new and unexpected connections. Convergence, on the other hand, activates the executive control network, which helps us evaluate and select. The alchemy lies in the balance between the two — moving fluidly from expansion to focus.

In Project Artistry, this principle links strongly to the Pillar of Applied Imagination and the cycle of diverging and converging. Brainstorming is not only about producing ideas but also about creating a mindset where people feel safe enough to take risks, where language is generative rather than limiting, and where imagination is celebrated as a serious tool for innovation. Imagination gives brainstorming its wings. When participants are encouraged to imagine without limits — to dream of futures that don’t yet exist — they move beyond incremental improvements into breakthrough thinking. Brainstorming without imagination is mechanical; brainstorming with imagination is transformational.

Rules for Divergence and Convergence create psychological safety in divergence and disciplined clarity in convergence. They protect imagination while ensuring progress.

Divergence Rules (idea generation):

Defer judgment — no criticism, no evaluation during ideation.
Go for quantity not quality — seek lots of ideas
Seek wild and wacky ideas — encourage imagination beyond practicality.
Build on the ideas of others — “Yes, and…” instead of “Yes, but…”
Write everything down - no matter how big or small

Convergence Rules (idea selection):

Be deliberate — use clear criteria to guide decisions.
Improve, don’t just eliminate — adapt ideas
Stay focused on purpose — choose ideas that serve the problem or challenge.
Balance head and heart — look at feasibility and excitement.
Seek novelty - Create room for third level thinking

Design Playbook (Tools & Practices)

Brainwriting: Silent generation of ideas to avoid dominance of loud voices.
SCAMPER: Use structured prompts to push ideas further (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse).
Future Headlines: “It’s ten years from now and our project is a success — what’s the headline?”
Clustering & Voting: Move from divergence to convergence through grouping and prioritising.

Mindset (Reflection & Journaling)

Do I find it easier to diverge or to converge? Why?
What holds me back from suggesting “wild” ideas?
How can I protect my imagination from judgment?

Facilitation Principle

As facilitator, your task is to signal the shift between divergence and convergence. When the group is generating, protect the space from criticism. When the group is converging, guide them toward clarity without killing the spirit of imagination.

Facilitator’s Mantra: “There is a time for everything — for flying wide and for landing well.”

Facilitation Toolkit (Methods & Activities)

Yes, And Circle → Builds trust and momentum during divergence.
Crazy 8s → Forces fast, imaginative sketching.
Dot Voting → Quick convergence tool to prioritise ideas democratically.
Idea Gallery Walk → Share, cluster, and refine collectively.

Provocation:

“Every breakthrough was once someone’s ridiculous idea.”