Coding for unique ideas and ambiguity: Measuring the effects of a convergence intervention on the artifact of an ideation activity

Groups can generate large numbers of ideas as part of a decision-making process. These ideas may become too numerous for the group to process effectively. Ideas may also need to be clarified to facilitate this processing. Convergence patterns of group behavior help to reduce the number of ideas to a manageable set and at the same time clarify these ideas. Research aimed at understanding convergence is in the beginning stages. Researchers are developing methods of quantifying convergence. In this paper, we present a method for quantifying the reduction and clarification that has occurred through convergence using an assessment of pre- and postconvergence artifacts. The method characterizes artifacts obtained in the field when facilitators led groups of managers through convergence activities to solve an actual business problem. The workshops utilized the FastFocus thinkLet, as part of a larger group process. We present the results of this measurement or coding method.