Ebb N Flow of #DEEPdt: divergent & convergent thinking

What type of thinker are you? Creative Thinker? Logical Thinker? Abstract Thinker? Visual Thinker? Systems Thinker? Associative Thinker? Organized Thinker? Intuitive Thinker? It seems there are a lot of different types of thinkers in the world.  And when it comes to design thinking, the more variety of thinkers you have on your d.TEAMSs the better the outcome for the User.  Lately, divergent and convergent thinking have been popular talk around the water cooler.  Are you a divergent thinker or a convergent thinker?  Well, you are in luck if you are a design thinker and/or practicing to become a confident design thinker, because throughout the design thinking process, demonstrations and demands for divergent and convergent thinking runneth over the place thus make you BOTH. There are constant and sometimes unexpected focuses and flares, ebbs N flows of D & C throughout the DT process.

I have been exploring this idea of visualizing divergent and convergent thinking during the DEEPdt process. To me it seems obvious when moments of divergent thinking and convergent thinking appear and/or are exercised during design thinking.  I have spoken about the Flare & Focus of design thinking (HERE. HERE) For DEEPdt, I like to describe it as an Ebb N Flow.  There are moments of expansion then narrowing, moments of complexity then getting down to specifics, moments of creativity then delivering the goods.

I was inspired by a recent redesign image of the Double Diamond via Dan Nessler (which truthfully, I had seen the Double D in many forms yet it never clicked for me of its visual importance until seeing Dan's version).  I really love how this is designed and how the key components of DT flow and connect.  To me it is such a "duh" layout of content and context yet I wonder if others maybe not as DEEP into dt think the same way.  Anyway, I am using this version as an inspiration to riff D & C thinking with DEEPdt as its foundation (see below).

Below is my first attempt in visualizing D & C thinking during the DEEPdt process I threw together around the time of #sxswEDU.  I will admit it is not very good nor helpful in anyway. It is just a list.

Taking inspiration from Dan's design, I thought I could do a bit better then the above visualization.  Again, it looks obvious to me as to what I am trying to communicate yet I know it might be viewed as too busy and have a choppy flow to its design...

Discover & Empathize are opportunities for design (the understanding).  Experiment & Produce is the actual designing for others (the doing).

METHODS: The moments/touchpoints within the MODES of DEEPdt

During the different modes of DEEPdt, there are various divergent and convergent thinking elements present and demonstrated by designers. Some elements are easily repeated as my position is the Ebb n Flow of DEEPdt is a constant, nonlinear demonstration of Divergent and Convergent thinking.  

The RESULT of diving DEEP into the modes of DEEPdt are shown on the bottom of the visual.  Discover: launches designers into the challenge. Empathize: allow Users to lead, designers gain empathy. Experiment: collaborate & zoom-out, build upon ideas. Produce: share solution for impact.