We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking is a thought process that explores multiple possible solutions to a problem by generating a wide range of ideas. It is a key skill for innovation and creativity, and can be applied to a wide range of fields, from business and marketing to engineering and design. There are many online courses available that can help you learn about divergent thinking and develop your own skills in this area.

Read more

Divergent thinking is a thought process that explores multiple possible solutions to a problem by generating a wide range of ideas. It is a key skill for innovation and creativity, and can be applied to a wide range of fields, from business and marketing to engineering and design. There are many online courses available that can help you learn about divergent thinking and develop your own skills in this area.

What is divergent thinking?

Divergent thinking is the ability to generate multiple possible solutions to a problem. It is a key skill for innovation and creativity, as it allows you to think outside the box and come up with new and original ideas. Divergent thinking is often contrasted with convergent thinking, which is the ability to find a single correct solution to a problem.

Why learn divergent thinking?

There are many benefits to learning divergent thinking, including:

  • Increased creativity: Divergent thinking can help you to come up with new and original ideas, which can be essential for success in many fields.
  • Improved problem-solving: Divergent thinking can help you to see problems from different perspectives and come up with multiple possible solutions.
  • Enhanced decision-making: Divergent thinking can help you to weigh the pros and cons of different options and make better decisions.
  • Greater innovation: Divergent thinking is essential for innovation, as it allows you to come up with new and original ideas that can lead to new products, services, or processes.

How to learn divergent thinking

There are many ways to learn divergent thinking, including:

  • Take an online course: There are many online courses available that can teach you about divergent thinking and help you to develop your own skills in this area.
  • Read books and articles: There are many books and articles available on divergent thinking that can provide you with valuable insights and tips.
  • Practice: The best way to learn divergent thinking is to practice. Try to come up with multiple possible solutions to problems, and don't be afraid to think outside the box.
  • Attend workshops and conferences: There are many workshops and conferences available on divergent thinking that can provide you with valuable insights and tips.

Careers in divergent thinking

There are many careers that require divergent thinking, including:

  • Marketing: Marketing professionals need to be able to come up with new and creative ideas to promote products and services.
  • Engineering: Engineers need to be able to come up with new and innovative solutions to problems.
  • Design: Designers need to be able to come up with new and creative ideas for products, services, and environments.
  • Innovation: Innovation professionals need to be able to come up with new and original ideas that can lead to new products, services, or processes.

Online courses in divergent thinking

There are many online courses available that can teach you about divergent thinking and help you to develop your own skills in this area. Some of the most popular courses include:

  • Creative Problem Solving (Coursera)
  • Organizational Innovation and Creativity (edX)
  • Divergent Thinking for Innovation (Udemy)
  • The Art of Innovation (FutureLearn)
  • Design Thinking for Innovation (Codecademy)

Are online courses enough?

Online courses can be a great way to learn about divergent thinking and develop your own skills in this area. However, it is important to note that online courses alone are not enough to fully understand this topic. To truly master divergent thinking, you will need to practice it regularly and apply it to real-world problems.

Path to Divergent Thinking

Take the first step.
We've curated two courses to help you on your path to Divergent Thinking. Use these to develop your skills, build background knowledge, and put what you learn to practice.
Sorted from most relevant to least relevant:

Share

Help others find this page about Divergent Thinking: by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Reading list

We've selected 11 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Divergent Thinking.
Provides a practical framework for design thinking, a human-centered approach to problem-solving that emphasizes divergent thinking and experimentation.
Explores the benefits of divergent thinking and provides strategies for overcoming cognitive biases and mental barriers that can hinder creativity.
Explores the characteristics and behaviors of successful innovators, emphasizing the role of divergent thinking in identifying and exploiting new opportunities.
Provides a behind-the-scenes look at Pixar Animation Studios, highlighting the culture of creativity and the importance of divergent thinking in creating groundbreaking animated films.
Offers practical exercises and insights for developing a daily creative practice, emphasizing the importance of divergent thinking in generating and refining creative ideas.
Introduces the concept of systems thinking, an approach to problem-solving that considers the interconnectedness of different elements within a system, fostering divergent thinking and a holistic understanding of complex issues.
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2024 OpenCourser