Rehmat Dossa and Shannon Lue CRS 559

HIGHLIGHTING
Purpose:
Highlighting is a convergent tool that can be used after a divergent tool, such as brainstorming, scamper, brain writing
where problem statements or ideas have been generated. Its purpose is to screen and select from a number of options
to narrow them down and make them more manageable. It is also used to identify themes and categorize your ideas or
problem statements to synthesize the options into one statement.

Suggested Materials:
Colored sticky dots or colored markers
Flip charts/ Whiteboard
Convergent guidelines
Facilitation supplies such as flip charts, markers, Post-its, Tape, colored construction paper.

Steps:
The Purpose of highlighting must be clear from the start. Focus the group on the task by: making guidelines and
materials visible, asking the client to explain and answer any questions about the topic. Remind the groups about the
convergent guidelines:

1. Hits
Ask the group members to make hits.
Ask: Which options seem most, intriguing, useful, helpful and
so on. Hits help us to choose the most promising options.

*Tips*
Judging by how many ideas/ problem statements you have only select
about 10 to 20% as Hits.
Apply the rules of for convergent thinking to help make your options
valuable & novel:
- Use affirmative judgement, keep novelty alive, stay focused,
check your objectives.
If you dont have sticky dots, use markers to make spots, or number the ideas or problem statements.

2. Cluster
After you have marked your hits, look for a common relationship between them or a theme.
Ask: Which options seem related? or Which seem to go
together?
Ask the group members to read options clustered together, and to
clarify their themes for each, out loud.

*Tips*
Avoid too many hits in one cluster.
Check that all ideas or problem statements fit into the
theme mentioned.
Some hit may be stand-alone hits.
Ensure cluster only have one theme.
Rehmat Dossa and Shannon Lue CRS 559

3. Restate
Synthesize the different options in one statement.
Ideas Problem Statements
Ask What we see In What ways might
ourselves doing How to...
How might
What might be all the...
*Tips* -Avoid summarizing -Use opened ended questions
the cluster in one -Use positive phrasing
sentence, aim for a -Define a specific problem
paragraph - Keep it Criteria (standards,
-Avoid over measurement) FREE!
simplifying

Next Steps or Debrief:

Reflect by asking Client:
What does highlighting tell you?
Is there a hit or cluster that stands out that you would like address?
You could begin working on a cluster with actions to be implemented.
Plan to use another tool.

Additional Tips:
Selecting is not voting, the client may select their own stand out options.
The client makes the final decisions.
Post-its will ensure the best efficiency.

Applications:
The Convergent Highlighting tool can be used in almost every situation where CPS is used and where we are interested
in narrowing down our options to make them more manageable. It helps us reach more novel solutions which then lead
to action and implementation.

The CPS process can be used in our personal lives to It can be applied within education for example:
evaluate situations such as: - Staff and administration action plans
-Family purchases - Professional Development facilitation tool
-Career choices - Unit planning
- Vacation Itineraries - Developing student research questions
- Converging on ideas generated for specific tasks
- Differentiation

More Resources:
Video demonstrations and applications of tools: http://creativity.buffalostate.edu/tools
Tips and Process explanations: http://www.creativeeducationfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ToolsTechniques-
Guide-FINAL-web-watermark.pdf

References
Miller, B., Vehar, J., Firestein, R., Thurber, S., Nielsen, Dorte. (2011). Creativity Unbound. An introduction to creative process.
Evanston, IL: Foursight
Puccio, G.J., Manace, M., Barbero Switalski, L & Reali, P. D. (2012). Creativity rising: Creative thinking and creative problem solving in
the 21st century. Buffalo, NY: International Center for Studies in Creativity Press.