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Lateral Thinking:
The Tool Kit of
Pattern Breaking
Idea Generating Tools
Workshop and Seminar Pre-Reading Booklet
The Power of
Provocation.
If an opportunity doesnt
knock . . . build
a door.
Dr. Edward de Bono
Lateral Thinking :
The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking
Idea Generating Tools
Copyright 1999. The McQuaig Group Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be copied, reproduced, reprinted, used in films or video recording, or stored in electronic devices
without written permission of the copyright holders. The material may not be incorporated into training programs except
under the supervision of a certified Lateral Thinking Master Trainer or certified instructor. Lynda Curtin, Lateral Thinking
Master Trainer at The Opportunity Thinker, is pleased to provide you with this complimentary copy to help you prepare to
attend your upcoming event with her.
Author:
Dr. Edward de Bono
Booklet and Cover Design:
Michael Wheary, Calypso Concepts
Publisher:
de Bono Thinking Systems, Inc.,
formerly Advanced Practical Thinking Training, Inc. (APTT)
Publisher of this Edition:
The Opportunity Thinker with the permission of APTT.
www.deBonoForBusiness.com
Contents
Build Your Foundation ... Build Your Future ... Creativity is Serious Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A Message from Lynda Curtin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
A Message from Edward de Bono . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Subject of Creativity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Misconceptions About Creative Thinking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Using Tools and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
The Lateral Thinking Tool Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
The Lateral Thinking Quick Reference Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Testimonials and Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
My Creative Hit-List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Meet Lynda Curtin: The Opportunity Thinker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
The creative
process has had
Practical. Radical. Innovative.
Six Thinking Hats: A Creativity Process for Results Driven Groups
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
Focus on Facilitation: How to Lead Productive Thinking Together Meetings that Deliver Remarkable Results
The de Bono Suite of Productive Creativity and Innovation Thinking Tools are all about helping you and your groups
power-up your thinking skills so you can create better futures for your organizations, yourself, your colleagues, your customers, your families. Its all in how you go about thinking. Its really that simple.
1. Whats your thinking challenge?
more impact,
power, influence,
and success than
any other process
in history.
Robert Fritz
Fact: Creative thinking tools and steps are often missing in routine business processes. This contributes to stagnation;
nothing new--status quo; incremental improvements that eventually reduce the value of your products, systems, processes, strategy. Theres a huge gap to close. Lets close it.
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
A Message From
Lynda Curtin
convened a Lateral
Thinking meeting.
Lynda Curtin
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
A Message From
Edward de Bono
Edward de Bono
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
The Subject
of Creativity
program teaches
things that have value. Yet, many artists are productive styl-
eral Thinking.
individuals creativity
and the skill of generating ideas while
and experience.
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Misconceptions about
Creative Thinking
Creativity, and
especially Lateral
Thinking, is also
changing percep-
tions, concepts,
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
concerned with
and ideas.
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Misconceptions about
Creative Thinking
Creativity is a talent . . .
ent. They are not much good at playing the game every-
one else is playing. They may not even want to play the
game at all. They want to play their own game. This has
beginning to under-
of creativity. We can
understand how
self-organizing in-
formation systems
form asymmetric
want to play this game and may not be any good at it. So
changing. We are
and they have to want to play that game. The rebels al-
an understanding
want to.
tools of Lateral
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
Thinking.
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Misconceptions about
Creative Thinking
Being liberated is enough.
10
development of
systematic tools
and techniques
step. The person still has to acquire the skill of violin play-
cape from a locked room. But the key does not determine
creativity, which
effect as liberation.
must be free.
mal. Yet music and ballet are both creative and formal at
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
Some people
will be contrary to
the very nature of
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Using Tools
and Techniques
their own fields have said they get the best ideas when they
resurrect later.
11
out motivation tools never get used. There are two ap-
creative and then teach them the tools. Or you can teach
them the tools and when they find they can use the tools
and you would get there faster by walking. But when you
perior to walking.
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Using Tools
and Techniques
Do the Tools Work?
Time Tested
ent cultures have used the tools laid out in this course over
answer is that maybe the tools do not work for that person
Systematic Use
good at mathematics.
sential. But even when you have mastered the tools, you
Precise Use
will still get the best results when you use the tools sys-
of Lateral Think-
own fields have told me that they still get the best new
mess around. For this reason, the precise use of the tools
ideas (the ones that really surprise them) when they use
ing, sometimes
with spectacular
results.
12
the tools. A carpenter does not flop about and hope that
things will happen.
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
The Lateral
Thinking Tool Kit
Idea Generating Tools: A robust variety of idea generating tools from which to choose.
Top-of-the-Head: Use knowledge and experience to generate existing ideas. Clear the mind of existing ideas to prepare the brain to
generate new ideas using pattern breaking idea generating tools.
Concept Fan: An inexhaustible idea generation tool. Extract concepts from ideas and use them as springboards to more ideas. This tool
alone will greatly improve the idea output of your creative sessions.
You can do no
Random Entry: An idea generating tool that jolts you out of ho-hum, same-old, dead-end thinking. Connections start to pop that result
in exciting new ideas.
better than to
Provocative Operation (PO): Four different ways to set up provocations in order to move forward to new idea territory. When youre
really stuck this is the tool to use. The key is being able to shift your thinking from judgment to movement.
attend a de Bono
Challenge: A tool to constructively challenge the status quo, routine patterns. Its a great structured process for thinking outside the box.
From deep understanding can come fresh new ideas.
Why A? Why B? Why C?
Current Thinking Checklist: Dominating ideas, assumptions, boundaries, essential factors, avoidance factors.
seminar.
Tom Peters
Idea Sorting Tool: A tool to help individuals & teams quickly organize idea output into a framework for action.
Harvesting: How to manage your idea output for long term value. Select ideas to build on right away. Identify ideas to work on later.
Expand your list of concepts for future consideration. Determine the nature of the ideas generated to help you move towards different
kinds of ideas next time break patterns.
Idea Building Tools: Now its time to work with one idea at a time. Build on an idea to see if it can be made
viable. Very often articulated ideas havent been explored in any detail and they get killed too early in the
process at the idea generating step. Tremendous potential is discarded.
Treatment: Can the idea be made to work within real-life constraints? How can it be strengthened? Can it be tailored to work within
resources available? What weaknesses need to be overcome?
Assessment: Checklists and assessment questions that take into consideration corporate alignment, risk, fit, power, etc.
13
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Focus
Random Entry
Team Name PO
Bumblebee.
aha!
Concept Triangle
Concept
Principle
Association
3. Concept
Extract the
Concept.
1. Focus
2. Idea
aha!
Reversal
Escape
Wishful Thinking
Arising
14
volves breaking
out of established
patterns in order
look at things in a
different way.
Edward de Bono
Harvest
Specific
Ideas
PO
A lternatives
B ecause
C ut
Why?
Provocative Operation
PO police officers have six eyes.
PO + Movement = Ideas!
Creativity in-
Beginning
Ideas
3 Focus
3 Flavor
Shape and
Tailor
3 Changes
3 Concepts
Receivable
Ideas
3 Ideas
3 Approaches
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Testimonials
and Results
By the end of this year we will have doubled our business since our creative thinking session with you, and we are 60% of the way
to the goal. Its almost time to raise the bar!
Dan Weare, National Business Manager
The results of the training are visible. We have received a large research project due in part to the creativity tools Lynda taught us.
Alex DAnci, Marketing Manager, ABB Finland
I have found there are 3 basic pillars supporting creativity and innovation: the Osborn/Parnes problem solving model, and the Six
Thinking Hats and Lateral Thinking tool kits. This is where you should start. Lynda Curtin is the right person to do this training.
Roland Boose, Nestle USA Prepared Foods Division
Results: If an opportunity doesnt knock, build a door. At DuPont lateral thinking tools led to an employees suggestion
that eliminated nine steps in the Kevlar manufacturing process. The savings$30.0 million.
Results: Three-day Power Session with Lynda Curtin. Develop ideas to grow the business. Increased revenue by $300 million. Used Lateral Thinking and Six Thinking Hats tools.
or Lateral Think-
Results: A division of a well-known Fortune 500 (a top 50 company) generated 44% of all patents filed worldwide: Lynda
Curtin trained this group to lead innovation meetings using Focus on Facilitation, Lateral Thinking and Six Thinking Hats
tools which helped with this accomplishment.
15
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
My Creative Hit-List
As you prepare to attend your Lateral Thinking session, think about the creative challenges you need to work on.
What challenges would benefit from some Lateral Thinking application? Where do you need new ideas?
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Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com
Lynda is a thriving senior leader in de Bono Thinking Systems, Inc. global network. A talented practitioner with over
35 years of real-world business challenges under her belt, clients love being able to tap her wealth of experience, and the
creative approach she brings to their events--always results oriented. Her clients have:
Increased revenue by $300 million.
Generated 44% of all the patents generated in a Fortune 50 company.
Reduced meeting time from 30 days to 2 days.
Background Highlights
Celebrated her 20th Anniversary as a Six Thinking Hats Master Trainer by hosting an exclusive Executive Deep
Dive in Los Angeles.
Shot her second hole-in-one on April 22, 2012. Shot her first hole-in-one on December 19, 2009.
Is one of only 12 de Bono Thinking Systems Master Trainers in the world qualified to lead the de Bono Suite of
Productive Creativity and Innovation Thinking Tools: Six Thinking Hats, Lateral Thinking, Focus on Facilitation.
Led the development and world-wide launch of Focus on Facilitation, the first workshop developed without Dr.de
Bonos direct involvement.
Top and bottom-line business experience--broke sales and profit records--delivered over $100 million in sales
while Product Manager, Major Appliances.
Real-world, practical business experience with product development, packaging design, merchandising,
advertising, marketing, market research, and forecasting.
Past President of the National Speakers Association Los Angeles Chapter, Lynda has great platform skills.
Lynda Curtin
17
Lateral Thinking: The Tool Kit of Pattern Breaking Idea Generating Tools
www.LyndaCurtin.com