Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT a technique for divergence?

1. Mind-mapping

2. Analogy thinking

3. Lateral thinking

4. Benchmarking

The correct answer is: Mind-mapping

Divergence refers to techniques that help generate a wide variety of ideas and solutions in the creative process. Mind-mapping, analogy thinking, and lateral thinking are all techniques that encourage expansive thinking and exploration of multiple possibilities, thus promoting divergent thinking. Mind-mapping is a visual tool that allows individuals to organize their thoughts around a central concept, helping to uncover new ideas and foster connections between different concepts. Analogy thinking encourages drawing parallels between seemingly unrelated ideas, which can spark innovative solutions. Lateral thinking involves approaching problems from unusual angles and generating creative alternatives rather than following a linear path. Benchmarking, on the other hand, focuses on comparing processes and performance metrics to industry standards or best practices. It is primarily an analytical technique used for improvement and optimization, rather than a method to generate new ideas. This makes it fundamentally different from the other techniques listed, as it is not primarily designed for divergence but rather for evaluating current practices against a set reference point.