A few thousand years ago, an aging wolf with luscious gray fur and bright shining eyes was separated from her pack. They had tolerated her long enough. Perhaps she was too playful, barked too much, disrupted hunts. Perhaps she had outlived her usefulness. She was driven to the edge of her pack’s territory which abutted an ever growing settlement of people who were encroaching on the pack’s hunting grounds. Once there, she discovered she could live very nicely off of the discards from the settlement. Which was good, because she was about to have a litter of pups.
The people who lived in the settlement discovered her to be useful because she alerted them with her frantic barks and howls when prey or danger neared the edge of their settlement. They liked her friendly playfulness and were quick to adopt her pups when they were born. The pups shared her odd “friendliness” gene not present in their wilder cousins.
Scenarios like this played out over time again and again until the convergence of people with wolves led to a new species of canine we now know as man’s best friend.* But did you know that convergence is also a principle of creative and design thinking?
Evolutionary convergence takes place over thousands of years. But personal, business, cultural, and societal convergence happens much more rapidly. In 2019 and 2020 global society converged with a global pandemic to disrupt everything from the way we work to the way we enjoy an evening out with our friends. We adapted creatively—changing processes and systems in ways that will be forever modified. Now the way we work, learn, order supplies, eat out, and more will forever be touched by the adaptations we have made.
On a personal level, convergence and adaptation occurs every time you change jobs, move to a new city, or have any major life event. But convergence can occur even if you aren’t making a personal change. For example, the business you work for may be in an industry that is drying up or you may find the neighborhood you live in may be changing in a way that no longer suits your lifestyle.
Businesses face convergence and adaptation constantly. In the mid-eighties the graphic arts industry was disrupted when graphic design converged with the digital world of Apple Macintosh computers and software. Wave after wave of disruption followed putting numerous design firms, typesetters, and printers out of business. Those businesses that adapted survive today. Many did not.
Blockbuster once had a lock on the video entertainment industry but were unable to see the convergence of video and ultra fast-internet speeds that made streaming video possible. Netflix had the insight to adapt and now wears the crown once solidly worn by Blockbuster.
As a creative thinker, understanding convergence can help in the design thinking process. Don’t wait to try to identify problems when they crop up. Instead, predict problems that may be caused by convergence in the future. Look at the trajectory of the business you are in—but also the businesses that are parallel to yours. What is declining? What is growing? What are potential threats? Where are future opportunities? Getting out in front of converging trends and creatively adapting before convergence occurs is a winning strategy. Like the lone wolf who adapted to a world that was being changed by humans, use your creative skills to adapt to the inevitable change you or your business will experience due to convergence.
*The convergent evolution of dogs is, admittedly, much more complicated than depicted in this short example.
Dusty Crocker, PhD, is Professor of Professional Design Practice at Texas Christian University.