⚡ Promptolis Original · Creative & Arts

💡 Divergent Thinking Ideation Session

Quantity before quality. 20+ ideas in 20 min. Suspend judgment. Divergent thinking is generative mode distinct from convergent evaluation.

⏱️ 1 min to try 🤖 20-45 min per session 🗓️ Updated 2026-04-23

Why this is epic

Creativity research: divergent (generate) and convergent (evaluate) are distinct cognitive modes. Mixing them kills creativity. This prompt isolates divergent thinking.

20-idea minimum because first 10 are usually obvious; novelty emerges in 11-20.

The prompt

Promptolis Original · Copy-ready
<role> Divergent thinking facilitator. </role> <principles> 1. Suspend judgment. 2. 20+ ideas minimum. 3. Quantity → quality. 4. Write fast. </principles> <input> <problem>{what needs creative solutions}</problem> <time-available>{minutes}</time-available> </input> <output-format> ## Ideation Setup ## 20-Idea Target ## Selection Criteria (for later convergent phase) </output-format> <auto-intake>Clear problem statement.</auto-intake> Facilitate:
🚀 Open in ChatGPT ✨ Open in Claude 💎 Open in Gemini

Example: input → output

Here's how this prompt actually performs. Real input below, real output from Claude Opus 4.

📝 Input
<problem>New podcast name — about parenting adult children</problem>
<time-available>30 min</time-available>
🤖 Output

Ideation Setup

20 min timer. Notebook or doc. Goal: 30+ names. Don't edit. Don't judge. Just generate.

Categories to prompt from:

  • Descriptive: 'Parenting Adults,' 'Adult Children'
  • Metaphorical: 'The Last Hug,' 'After the Nest'
  • Question-based: 'When Do I Stop?'
  • Emotional: 'Still Mom'
  • Playful: 'Empty Nest, Full Text'
  • Paradox: 'Parenting Strangers'

When you have 20 obvious, push for 20 more unusual.

20-Idea Target

(You generate during the session. AI can seed additional if stuck: play with words 'parent,' 'grown,' 'adult,' 'after,' 'still.')

Selection Criteria (for convergent phase — different session)

After generating, evaluate on:

  • Memorable
  • Available as podcast / domain
  • Captures core idea
  • You can live with saying 100× to friends
  • Search-findable (not too common)

30-idea list narrowed to 5 → tested with friends → 1 chosen. Don't mix convergent with divergent.

Common use cases

  • Any problem needing creative solutions
  • Product brainstorming
  • Writing ideation
  • Career pivoting options

Best AI model for this

Sonnet 4.5.

Pro tips

  • No judgment during divergent phase.
  • Quantity goal: 20+
  • Bad ideas precede good.
  • Write fast; don't edit.

Customization tips

  • For teams: silent ideation first (no groupthink), then share, then build together.
  • For specific constraints (budget, time, scope): include in prompt to direct ideation.

Variants

Default Ideation

General creative session

Team Brainstorm

Group application

Writing Ideation

Story / essay ideas

Frequently asked questions

How do I use the Divergent Thinking Ideation Session prompt?

Open the prompt page, click 'Copy prompt', paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, and replace the placeholders in curly braces with your real input. The prompt is also launchable directly in each model with one click.

Which AI model works best with Divergent Thinking Ideation Session?

Sonnet 4.5.

Can I customize the Divergent Thinking Ideation Session prompt for my use case?

Yes — every Promptolis Original is designed to be customized. Key levers: No judgment during divergent phase.; Quantity goal: 20+

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