The series of four asymmetric divisions undergone by the sensory organ precursor cells to generate cells that have distinct cell fates. For example, in the external sensory organ, the precursor cells give rise to one multidendritic neuron and four additional cells (the socket, shaft, sheath cells and the external sense neuron). [ GOC:mah http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18295597 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11171389 ]