Reversal (Lateral Thinking)
Reversal is a lateral thinking technique that involves deliberately reversing a situation's assumptions or relationships to provoke new perspectives and creative solutions. It is not about finding a single correct reversal but about generating alternative arrangements of information.
THE IDEA
Different types of reversal
There are usually several different ways in which one can ‘reverse’ a given situation. There is no one correct way. Nor should there be any search for some true reversal. Any sort of reversal will do.
For instance if the situation is, ‘a policeman organizing traffic’, then the following reversals may be made:
- The traffic organizes (controls) the policeman.
- The policeman disorganizes the traffic.
Which of these reversals is the better one? Either will do. It is impossible to say which arrangement will be the more useful until it has proved so. It is not a matter of choosing the more reasonable reversal or the more unreasonable one. One is searching for alternatives, for change, for provocative arrangements of information.
In lateral thinking one is not looking for the right answer but for a different arrangement of information which will provoke a different way of looking at the situation.
When to use it
Brainstorming new product features by reversing customer and company roles.
Rethinking a marketing campaign by reversing the target audience and the message.
Solving a team conflict by reversing each person's perspective or responsibilities.
Generating innovative teaching methods by reversing the roles of teacher and student.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Policeman organizing traffic
The situation 'a policeman organizing traffic' can be reversed in multiple ways: 'The traffic organizes (controls) the policeman' or 'The policeman disorganizes the traffic'. Neither reversal is inherently better; each provides a different provocative arrangement to stimulate alternative perspectives.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Think of a current problem you are facing. What would happen if you reversed the roles of the key elements involved?
Consider a common assumption in your field. How would deliberately reversing that assumption change your approach?
Identify a routine process at work. What would be the opposite of that process, and what insights could that generate?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Lateral Thinking A Textbook of Creativity (Edward de Bono)