“Quantity drives quality” is a key principle in applied creativity. It is often believed that creativity is about coming up with a single brilliant idea. But the most effective creative processes demonstrate the opposite: it is through the generation of many ideas that the best solutions are arrived at. This approach is deeply linked to the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking, two essential phases of creative thinking.
Divergent thinking is the first step. It is the moment when we allow ourselves to explore all possibilities, without restrictions or judgments. Here, quantity is critical. By generating many ideas, no matter how crazy or unrealistic they may seem, we open doors to unexpected solutions. This process of divergence fuels innovation, since the more we allow ourselves to step out of traditional paths, the more likely we are to find original answers.
Creativity does not stop at divergence, however. To arrive at a final solution, we must apply convergent thinking. This is when we analyze the ideas generated and refine them. This is where quantity influences quality: the more ideas we have, the more options we have to choose from. In turn, this increases the likelihood of finding a solution that is both creative and viable.
The cycle of divergence and convergence is repeated in any successful creative process.
The key is to generate many ideas at the beginning and then, in the convergent phase, select and polish the best ones. If we limit ourselves to generating few ideas, we are less likely to come up with a truly innovative solution. Therefore, encouraging quantity in the early stages is essential to achieve quality at the end of the process.
Creativity feeds on quantity, because the act of generating many ideas allows us to identify the best ones. Therefore, as we emphasized earlier, the concepts of divergent and convergent thinking are fundamental in this process. In divergence, all options are explored, while in convergence the best ones are selected. The combination of both phases is what leads to quality solutions, demonstrating that more ideas are not only desirable, but necessary to reach innovation.
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