002: Diverge-Converge
The double diamond design process.
![002: Diverge-Converge](/content/images/size/w1460/2020/01/TFJ-episode-2-titlecard-1.jpg)
![Animated drawing of TV broadcast person standing in front of screen that says 'Episode 2'](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2020/01/episode-2-weatherman-Vid7-compressed.gif)
Since last week
Hitting 'publish' last week felt great.
30 seconds later: Did I just commit publicly to something I can't deliver on?
![Looping GIF of GOB Bluth saying "I've made a huge mistake"](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2019/12/huge-mistake-GIF_w-text.gif)
Luckily, someone replied with a reminder:
The hardest part is getting started.
You'll probably change the house you're building about a thousand times - just lay a few bricks down and see where it goes."
One step in front of the other.
![](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2019/12/Hand-drawing-a-line_vector-1.png)
![](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2020/01/two-points-make-line-text-1.jpg)
Some common barriers
What seems to derail creative endeavors?
![A long vertical series of drawings of words: "procrastination, insecurity, criticism, self-doubt, disapproval" etc.](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2019/12/fear-of-words-2.png)
The ego aspects, in particular, are tough.
Then, there are the process-based risks.
A common obstacle = Trying to create and analyze simultaneously.
![Animated graphic of double-diamond with "converge" and "diverge" overlayed on top](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2019/12/diverge-converge-GIF_converted.gif)
You've proabably seen some version of this concept before somewhere.
The key point = Generating ideas and refining / executing concepts are fundamentally different steps. People can't handle both effectively at once.
This is why brainstorming aims to generate huge quantities of ideas first (initially deferring all assessment of quality and feasibility). That's the theory, at least.
![Drawing of double-diamond graphic with messy scribbles on top](https://www.thefirejar.com/content/images/2020/01/doublediamond_wScribbles.jpg)
Something I'm thinking about: If people like certain things here, it'll signal that I should make more. If you think stuff is bad, that's good to know too. Feedback helps.
Along the way, I'll try to rapidly test and learn.
Diverge-converge.
How do you move through creative fear?
When do you decide to generate ideas vs. critically evaluate options?
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