Workshops run on different thinking patterns than regular meetings. Instead of linear discussions, a successful workshop relies on two complementary forms of creative thinking. Understanding—and mastering—these two modes will dramatically improve the outcomes of any workshop you run.
🔧 What Is a Workshop?
A workshop is a specially organized event where people meet to present ideas, discuss, and experiment in work- or art-related contexts.
Workshops are structured spaces for exploration, hands-on collaboration, and problem-solving. To be effective, every workshop depends on the right balance of creative thinking, specifically divergent thinking and convergent thinking.
🧠 2 Types of Creative Thinking Applied in a Workshop
Every effective workshop combines two essential modes of creative thinking:
🔮 Divergent thinking — expanding possibilities
🎯 Convergent thinking — narrowing toward a solution
Both are critical. Without divergent thinking, ideas remain limited. Without convergent thinking, ideas lack direction and execution.
🔮 Divergent Thinking — Expanding Possibilities at a Workshop
"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." — Maya Angelou
Divergent thinking is the process of generating multiple, varied, and innovative ideas. It is a core component of creative thinking and plays a crucial role in the early stages of any workshop.
Strengthening your ability for divergent thinking also supports long-term creative capacity and flexibility.
Characteristics of Divergent Thinking
✨ Creative and innovative — breaks patterns
🔍 Exploratory — examines problems from multiple angles
🌊 Free-flowing — ideas emerge without judgment
🚫 Not always practical — many ideas won’t be used (and that’s expected in a workshop)
How Divergent Thinking Shows Up in a Workshop
🧩 Brainstorming sessions
📝 Generating multiple design solutions
🗺️ Mapping ideas and possibilities
💡 Open-ended creative thinking exercises
Divergent thinking ensures your workshop produces a wide range of ideas and fuels true innovation.
🎯 Convergent Thinking — Focusing Ideas into Solutions
"Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 ideas."
— Steve Jobs
Convergent thinking is the process of evaluating and narrowing ideas into practical, feasible, and effective solutions. It complements divergent thinking and is essential for turning creative thinking into actionable outcomes within a workshop.
Characteristics of Convergent Thinking
🎯 Focused — identifies the single best solution
🧩 Logical & analytical — evaluates systematically
📐 Structured — uses frameworks and step-by-step reasoning
⚡ Efficient — aims for accuracy and clarity
How Convergent Thinking Shows Up in Workshops
🔵 Narrowing ideas
🗳️ Dot voting or prioritisation
📊 SWOT or feasibility scoring
🎬 Choosing the final concept or next step
Convergent thinking ensures that your workshop results in clear, actionable outcomes rather than just ideas.
✅ Key Takeaways: Use Creative Thinking to Improve Your Workshop Outcomes
A successful workshop depends on balancing divergent thinking and convergent thinking
Divergent thinking expands ideas; convergent thinking refines them.
Both are essential components of effective creative thinking.
Mastering these thinking modes leads to better decisions, stronger concepts, and more impactful workshop results.
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[1]. Cris Griffiths with Melina Costi, The Creative Thinking Handbook - Your Step-by-Step Guide to Problem Solving in Business, Kogan Page Ltd., 2022
[2]. https://www.google.com/search?q=divergent+thinking
[3]. https://www.google.com/search?q=workshop
Thanks to karolinagrabowska from Pixabay for the picture
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