Diverge-Narrow-Converge with AI
Small groups co-write a prompt to generate a large set of ideas with AI, then ask the AI to score every idea against criteria the facilitator prepared, such as feasibility, desirability and viability. Each group brings only its top five to the whole group. The extra narrowing step keeps the volume AI produces from swamping the discussion.
Use in ideation workshops where people have AI tools at hand and you need to keep the group from drowning in output.
Solves: With AI, a team can generate two hundred ideas in ten minutes and then has no way to discuss them.
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Step 1: Present the challenge and the evaluation criteria, with a 1-10 scale for each (5 min).
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Step 2: Groups of 2-4 write one prompt together asking for 15-20 ideas (5 min).
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Step 3: Run the prompt, read the output, and refine the prompt at least once (8-10 min).
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Step 4: Ask the AI to rate every idea on each criterion as a scorecard and return the top five (5 min).
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Step 5: Each group reviews the five, swaps out any it disagrees with, and posts them to the shared board (5 min).
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Step 6: Whole group converges on the shortlist using your usual voting method (10-15 min).
- Plan more time than a non-AI round. Reading and re-prompting take longer than people expect.
- Co-writing the prompt is valuable in itself; the discussion while drafting often matters as much as the output.
- Keep human judgement in step 5. The scorecard is a filter, not a decision.
- Have people ideate alone without AI first, then use AI to extend the set, to keep original thinking in the mix.