Lateral Thinking.
The concept of lateral thinking is a way of thinking to solve a problem through an unconventional, indirect and creative approach. It can be characterized as horizontal thinking opposite to vertical thinking. In principle, lateral thinking is based on ordening existing information to generate new information. Problem solving using lateral thinking is not straightforward. The goal is to find a way that should end up in a solution that is not always obvious or obtainable with common step-by-step logic. In case no result for a solution of the problem can be found, it can be useful in another field, though. Lateral thinking is somehow like thinking outside the box.
The concept of lateral thinking is a way of thinking to solve a problem through an unconventional, indirect and creative approach. It can be characterized as horizontal thinking opposite to vertical thinking. In principle, lateral thinking is based on ordening existing information to generate new information. Problem solving using lateral thinking is not straightforward. The goal is to find a way that should end up in a solution that is not always obvious or obtainable with common step-by-step logic. In case no result for a solution of the problem can be found, it can be useful in another field, though. Lateral thinking is somehow like thinking outside the box.
Thinking Tools
Lateral thinking is useful for creating new ideas out of a known idea. The following thinking tools are defined:
- Idea generating tools to break current thinking patterns
- Focus tools to broaden the search for new ideas
- Harvest tools to get as much as possible from idea generating output
- Treatment tools to consider real-world constraints
Idea Generating Tools
- Random Entry Idea Generating Tool: Starting from a random object, or a noun, and connecting that with the specific subject of thought.
- Provocation Idea Generating Tool: Use the most outlandish out of a list of provocations, such as wishful thinking or exaggeration to genererate new ideas.
- Challenge Idea Generating Tool: Fresh new ideas can be retrieved by asking the question "Why?". Nevertheless, the aim is not the problem itself, but to challenge anything at all.
- Concept Fan Idea Generating Tool: Concepts are carried out from ideas. The goal is to expand the range and number of concepts that could end up with a broad range of ideas that can be worthwile to consider.
- Disproving: A way of convincingly disproving an opposite view.
Lateral thinking and problem solving
- Problem Solving: Problem solving deals with finding out what caused the problem and how to solve the problem. The aim is to get the situation normalized, prefarably to where it should be.
- Creative Problem Solving: Solving a problem indirectly and unconventionally by using creativity.
- Creative Problem Identification: Observation and reflexion are very important to gain insight, that can be useful to solve unrelated problems.
The idea for this blogpost about lateral thinking was generated by the thinking portal of my thoughts concerning the blogpost about serendipity.
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