10 - Organize

Summary

The second step in the DOC Process is Organize. The Organize step is the transition step between the divergent and convergent thinking steps. The Organize step has characteristics of both the divergent and convergent steps, but is much more than solely a transition step. This is the step where the information generated in the Diverge step is synthesized. This step requires holistic and integrative thinking. It is a crucial step in either refining a problem or a solution. This step is also key to creating personas from the abundance of needs, wants and desires that are uncovered during open-ended interviews.

The Organize step has three components–categorize, connect and cause. Information generated via the divergent-thinking activities are first categorized. In the connect phase, idea-fragments that were previously categorized together are combined. Connections between categories or natural sequences are also identified. The connect phase is a critical component in persona development. The final phase of the Organize step is cause. In this phase, causal relationship between the data categories are uncovered.