Albert Einstein reportedly said that if he had an hour to solve a problem, he’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.
The best time to use problem-solving is when there is no rush to bias towards solutions, and the focus is on the process and how to create the value through it more than the result so that stays away from poor solutions, and the concentration is on finding innovative solutions to the problem at hand.
Everyday life has many problems that need a solution, however not every solution method can contribute to finding the best solution to the problem, therefore there are many ways to solve problems.
The short answer to the question is
to resort to reactive rather than preventive thinking by using any of thinking.
When someone is trying to solve a problem, there are two basic ways to think about possible solutions. These two types of thinking are convergent and divergent thinking
– coined by the American psychologist Joy Paul Guilford.
Convergent vs. Divergent Thinking
Anne demonstrates the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking to inspire new ways to approach problem-solving with your team.
Differences Between Convergent
and Divergent Thinking
Convergent and Divergent thinking is like two sides of a coin. They are completely in contrast with each other yet extremely important in our daily lives. It’s not a must for one to always be in conjunction with another but they tend to function best when used in conjunction.
According to Praveen Shrestha, “Convergent Vs Divergent Thinking,” in Psychestudy, November 17, 2017, https://www.psychestudy.com/cognitive/thinking/convergent-vs-divergent.
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Convergent Thinking |
Divergent Thinking |
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The process of figuring out a concrete solution to any problem is called Convergent Thinking.
It’s a straightforward process that focuses on figuring out the most effective answer to a problem. |
Divergent thinking is the process of thinking that explores multiple possible solutions in order to generate creative ideas.
In contrast, divergent thinking refers to opening the mind in various directions and trying out multiple solutions for a problem. |
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Its characteristics include Speed Accuracy Logic Methods involved in convergent thinking also involve recognizing the previously tried out techniques and reapplying them along with the readily stored information.
In mathematics, convergent refers to approaching a definite limit in a series. |
Its characteristics include Spontaneous Free-flowing Non-linear Divergent thinking relates to figuring out new procedures to solve a problem despite existing solutions.
Divergent thinking generates its name from the idea that there is a limitless number of solutions for any given problem, however unrelated they might be, which are then spread on the table to pick out the best one. |
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Examples: 1- A variety of tests, such as multiple-choice tests, standardized tests, quizzes, spelling tests, and similar other tests require convergent thinking because only one answer can be 100% correct.
2- A convergent thinker would only regard a person be either sick or healthy.
3- A medical student can be either a doctor or nothing.Convergent thinking helps to find out the best possible answer to any problem, which is accurate most of the time, and no room for ambiguity is left. |
Examples: 1- Divergent thinking wouldn’t be applicable in multiple-choice tests or standardized tests, which require a single absolute answer.
2- A person can be both sick and healthy. For instance, a man can be under great stress mentally but perfectly fit physically.
3- A medical student doesn’t always have to be either a doctor or nothing. She could very well make a career switch in the future and be a writer, or a painter, and varieties of other possibilities. |
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Convergent thinking helps to find out the best possible answer to any problem, which are accurate most of the time, and no room for ambiguity is left. |
Although Divergent thinking keeps the options open, a completely accurate answer isn’t identified. |
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The answer procured by such type of thinking is either completely right or 100% wrong, which might not always be the best possible way to go about. Convergent thinking only considers the world as Black and/or White, with no other possibilities. |
The world isn’t always Black and/or White, and a divergent thinker keeps the options open. |
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A convergent thinker is exactly what the circumstances demand in various situations, such as standardized tests. |
Divergent thinker isn’t always able to pin-point the right answer. For instance, in a standardized aptitude test, a convergent thinker might be able to decide the right answer, but the contemplating mind of a divergent thinker might work against him in the situation. |
Thanks for reading!
