The Creative Tug-of-War: Generators & Synthesizers

Why it matters: Teams often struggle to balance idea generation with structured execution. Understanding the roles of generators and synthesizers can lead to more effective collaboration and decision-making.

Key takeaways:

  • Generators thrive on innovation and pushing boundaries but can lack structure.
  • Synthesizers bring order and ensure follow-through but can stifle creativity if unchecked.
  • The best teams balance both styles to drive impactful work.
  • Recognizing these dynamics can improve team efficiency and product development outcomes.

🎧 Listen to the Humans First episode to hear the whole conversation.

Understanding Generators and Synthesizers

Great teams don’t just happen—they’re built with a balance of diverse thinking styles. In our latest Humans First podcast episode, we explore the concept of generators and synthesizers, a framework from Kim Goodwin’s Designing for the Digital Age. These roles shape collaboration, product development, and decision-making.

The Role of Generators

Generators thrive on ideas. They operate without constraints, exploring innovative solutions and pushing boundaries. As Nick Bray puts it,

“A generator could go all day thinking of new ways to solve problems. We try to stay above constraints, thinking idealistically.”

Key characteristics of generators:

  • Constantly generate fresh ideas and new solutions
  • Think beyond current constraints and challenge the status quo
  • Prefer brainstorming and conceptual discussions
  • Can struggle with execution and narrowing down options
  • Thrive in open-ended, creative environments

While this is essential for sparking creativity, it can also lead to challenges. Without structure, teams risk never landing on a final decision or failing to execute ideas effectively.

Read: What to do with your great ideas

The Role of Synthesizers

Synthesizers, on the other hand, provide that needed structure. They create frameworks, document decisions, and ensure ideas translate into action. Kayla Byington shares her experience:

“ I took a red marker, and I went to the board, and I started writing down the decisions that we were making, so that we had a place to start moving forward from, so the next day when we came back, we wouldn’t forget about what we decided on, and we would have that as a foundation to then innovate on our next concept.”

Key characteristics of synthesizers:

  • Organize ideas and establish clear decision-making frameworks
  • Document and track progress to ensure alignment
  • Prioritize efficiency and consistency in execution
  • Challenge ideas to refine and improve solutions
  • Can sometimes stifle creativity if overly rigid

While synthesizers play a crucial role in execution, an overly rigid approach can stifle innovation. If new ideas are dismissed too quickly, teams may miss valuable opportunities for groundbreaking solutions.

The Power of Balance

The best teams embrace both styles. As Nick Bray notes,

“If one person is in control all the time, we might not come up with new novel things that are game-changing within a market space. And if there’s too many ideas, we might actually never push anything out the door.”

By recognizing and valuing these roles, organizations can create a more effective product development process—one that fosters both exploration and execution.

Read: Pairing generator and synthesizers together

Applying This to Your Team

For teams looking to harness this model, the first step is identifying who naturally leans toward generation and who gravitates toward synthesis. Then, create structured spaces for both activities—allowing generators to explore ideas freely while ensuring synthesizers refine and implement the strongest concepts.

Go deeper: What should I be looking for in my next hire?

Try it out: In your next meeting, establish whether the focus is on generating ideas or synthesizing them. Setting this expectation upfront encourages productive discussions and ensures that both thinking styles are utilized effectively.

When teams actively embrace these dynamics, the result is stronger collaboration, higher trust, more innovative products, and greater overall impact.

Listen to the full discussion on Humans First:

🎙️ Listen now on Spotify

🎙️ Listen now on Apple Podcasts