417.2 Triskels of interaction The dance of divergent and convergent thinking.

CIM417 Week 2

As an artist immersed in 3D modeling, maquette painting, web design, and UX mastery, I've come to understand the delicate balance between divergent and convergent thinking.

Divergent thinking is the wild frontier of creativity, where ideas roam freely and inspiration knows no bounds. It's the realm of possibility, where I reach out into the cosmos of sci-fi, fantasy, and cyberpunk, seeking to capture the essence of the worlds that dance within my mind.

Convergent thinking, on the other hand, is the sobering reflection that brings ideas back to reality. It's the realm of strategic planning and practicality, where I refine and mold my wild notions into tangible forms with purpose and intent.

Ultimately, my drive to create stems from a simple yet profound desire: to bring my ideas to life. And I recognize the value in the creativity of others, as they serve as my collaborators and sounding boards, creating shared experiences and elevating our collective work to new heights through superior and collaborative technical execution.

In the end, the journey of divergent and convergent thinking is about realizing dreams, pushing boundaries, and embracing the infinite potential of human imagination. It's a dance of creativity that fuels my passion and propels me forward on my artistic path.

Divergence and Convergence are 2 sides of the same coin, and umbrella terms that encompass other foundational techniques.

Fast thinking and Slow thinking. Ideation and SCAMPER (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse). Discovery and Planning. Intuition and Strategy. Subconscious and Conscious. Emotion and Reasoning.

Whichever paradigm you use to create in, these are fundamental elements of creative problem solving - coming up with ideas, and working out what to do with them. While either one can produce some results. Convergent thinking alone will produce dirivitive and stale outputs, while purely Divergent thinking gives shortsighted results.

For me Divergent thinking comes naturally, daydreaming and fluid. While I have spent most of my career honing my skills in Convergent thinking by distilling ideas into the most efficient way to solve the clients problem. The context and environment determines which is "easiest".

Annotated bibliography:

Salen & Zimmerman’s Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals (2004):

This book is a deep dive into game design theory. Salen and Zimmerman break down the nitty-gritty of game mechanics, rules, and how they shape the player’s experience. It’s all about understanding the fundamentals and how games create meaning. Perfect for getting a solid grasp on the basics of game design.

Evaluation: Essential for understanding game design fundamentals but can be dense.

Jesse Schell’s The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses (2008):

Schell’s book is like having a design mentor in your back pocket. It introduces different “lenses” to view and critique your game, helping you think about design from multiple angles. It’s practical and hands-on, offering fresh perspectives on player experience and emotional impact. Great for both newbies and seasoned designers looking to refine their craft.

Evaluation: Practical and insightful; great for fresh perspectives.

Tracy Fullerton’s Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games (3rd ed., 2014):

Fullerton’s book is like a workshop in book form. It’s about making games that engage players by focusing on playtesting and iterative design. Fullerton walks you through the process—from brainstorming and prototyping to refining your design based on real feedback. With practical exercises and examples, this book is your guide to creating games that are innovative and enjoyable. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get into the nitty-gritty of game design, this book has you covered.

Evaluation: Hands-on and practical; excellent for refining designs.

Savage, A. (2019). Every Tool's a Hammer: Life Is What You Make It. Crown Publishing Group.

Savage’s book is a mix of personal stories and practical advice on making and creativity. He dives into how different tools and techniques influence the crafting process. It’s a blend of inspiration and practical tips from a seasoned maker and inventor. Great for learning about creativity and problem-solving through hands-on making.

Evaluation: Inspiring and practical; more focused on personal insights.

Additional

No-one creates in a void, a practitioner uses cultural knowledge and practices as well as their talents to create, and is judged by the community, which in turn, through natural selection propagates more knowledge and tools to the culture, and influences the practitioners experiences. This is a framework for the interaction of innovation.

(AI Generated stand in)

As a Maker, I am cross domains, but the venn diagram shares a core audience who validate my innovations and creations. This is what Csikszentmihalyi refers to as a field.

(AI Generated stand in)

But rather than being "other", my audience are my friends and collaborators. Both taking and giving inspiration to, and I am audience to my field. Roleplaying is SHARED storytelling, my role in this as a Maker this is to set the stage and create a spark to ignite the fires of their imagination. This is my culture, my community, and what saves me from the void.

Fear of the void is what motivates me to create. A deep seeded need to set my dreams free, each creation fuels my internal fire and without it, despair comes, and brings back the void. Creation lets me grow, lets me thrive, and letting it lose into the world helps others, who's creativity in turn propells me.