Lateral Thinking Techniques
Lateral thinking takes practice. Formal techniques provide occasions to try unfamiliar approaches until those approaches become easier to use without a set routine.
THE IDEA
Understanding lateral thinking is different from being able to use it. An idea that seems clear while reading may soon fade into a vague impression. Practice gives that idea a form we can work with and teach.
Formal techniques provide opportunities for this practice. Some may feel unfamiliar; others may seem like things we already do, or imagine we do. Each offers a way to use information differently and notice alternatives to an established approach.
The techniques need not become rigid routines. They can serve as deliberate exercises while we build enough fluency to think laterally without them. Teachers can adapt the practice material to their students and setting.
When to use it
Brainstorming sessions to generate innovative product ideas
Overcoming mental blocks when stuck on a complex problem
Teaching creative thinking skills in educational settings
Strategic planning when conventional approaches fail to yield breakthroughs
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Using the Random Word Technique
To generate ideas for a product campaign, pick a random word from a dictionary, such as 'umbrella,' and look for connections with the product. The unfamiliar starting point gives the group associations it might otherwise miss.
Applying the Six Thinking Hats
A team uses the Six Thinking Hats to examine a proposal from several perspectives, including facts, creative possibilities, and risks. Separate rounds give each perspective time in the discussion.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How can I intentionally incorporate formal lateral thinking techniques into my daily problem-solving routine?
What are the common obstacles that prevent me from thinking laterally, and how can practice with these techniques help overcome them?
Can I identify a recent problem where I automatically used vertical thinking and imagine how a lateral thinking technique might have led to a different solution?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Lateral Thinking A Textbook of Creativity (Edward de Bono)