What does divergent thinking allow for during the brainstorming process?

Divergent thinking is a key component of the brainstorming process that encourages the generation of a broad range of ideas. It facilitates creative thinking by allowing individuals or groups to explore multiple possibilities, concepts, and solutions without the constraints of critical judgment. This open-minded approach is essential for fostering creativity, as it invites all participants to contribute their ideas freely, leading to a more diverse pool of thoughts from which to draw inspiration.

In contrast to focusing on a single solution or filtering out ideas too early, divergent thinking emphasizes the importance of quantity over quality during the brainstorming phase. It allows participants to consider unconventional ideas, make connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, and explore a variety of angles on a problem. This is why the ability to generate numerous ideas without immediate judgment is central to the practice of divergent thinking in brainstorming sessions.