Lateral thinking

Lateral Thinking - Theory

The brain is not intended for creative thinking

The brains power is in forming patterns

and sticking to these patterns
SO
To become creative you need to block
normal channels and “cut across patterns
in a self-organizing information system”

1
 Explaining lateral thinking
• Mind is like mud – grooves are formed where
water/thoughts run. Need to form new avenues
• “Discovery consists of looking at the same
thing as everyone else and thinking something
different” Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Nobel Prize
Winner
Vertical thinking Vs Lateral thinking

Vertical thinking
Lateral thinking
1. Take a position
1. Take a position
2. Develop arguments
2. Put forward different views which
which are:
• related to 1 are:
• not derived from each other
• derived from 1
• all correct
Area of focus • all coexisting
Area of focus
Truth Possibilities, alternatives, what
Logic “might be”
“What is” 2
Lateral thinking - Exercise

VII
Add a single line to turn this into an eight

3
Lateral thinking - Exercise

IX
Add a single line to turn
this into a six

4
Solutions

1. IX

2. SIX

3. IX6
5
Deliberate lateral thinking tools

1. The six thinking hats

2. Provocation

3. Random inputs

4. Synectics

6
The six thinking hats - Process and rationale

Rationale Process

Cooperative exploration Meeting of several people

replaces adversarial
thinking Deliberate “putting on” of
different hats i.e. different
Ego factors are removed attitudes

Negativity is “not allowed” Everyone wears each hat

simultaneously

Hats are changed during

meeting
7
Six thinking hats

White hat Red hat Black hat

Association White paper: Fire, warmth Strict judge, intolerant
neutral of wrong doers
carrier of
information
Area of focus Data and Feelings, Critical judgement
information intuition

Questions/discussion What info do we This is what I feel The regulations don’t

topic have? My gut feel is that allow
What info is missing? I don’t like the way He doesn’t have the
Where will we get it? My intuition tells me experience
How will we get it? Those prices won’t be
profitable
We won’t fill capacity

Source Edward de Bor 8

Six thinking hats continued...

Yellow hat Green hat Blue hat

Association Sunshine Vegetation, Sky
Optimism Rich growth Overview
Logical, positive
view
Area of focus Benefits (logically Creative thinking Agenda
based) New ideas Next steps
Feasibility Additional alternatives Process control

Questions/discussion This would work if we Are there alternatives? Let’s summarize views
topic did X Could there be another Let’s look at priorities
The benefit would reason? The points to discuss
come from Y What is a creative are...
High labour costs solution
mean a lower
workforce
Source Edward de Bor 9
Six thinking hats continued...

Yellow hat Green hat Blue hat

Association Sunshine Vegetation, Sky
Optimism Rich growth Overview
Logical, positive
view
Area of focus Benefits (logically Creative thinking Agenda
based) New ideas Next steps
Feasibility Additional alternatives Process control

Questions/discussion This would work if we Are there alternatives? Let’s summarize views
topic did X Could there be another Let’s look at priorities
The benefit would reason? The points to discuss
come from Y What is a creative are...
High labour costs solution
mean a lower
workforce
Source Edward de Bor 9
Sequence is not fixed, but often it is:
1 White – info
2 Green – ideas
3Yellow – benefits of ideas
4 Black – evaluation
5 Red – feelings
6 Blue - conclusions
Six Thinking hats - Evaluation

“+” Takes people away from normal

attitudes

“+” Easy to use

“-” Participants often feel very awkward

and ill at ease initially

10
Provocation

Provocation: an absurdity which takes you

out of your main line of thought

Examples;

Po, you close the letter after you post it

Po, restaurants do not charge for food

Po, police have 6 eyes

11
Provocation - Process

1. Set up a provocation

2. “Move” forward from the provocation

by e.g.

• Extracting a principle
• Focusing on the difference
• Look for the benefits

3. Arrive at an original idea

12
 Provocation - Process

1.Set up a provocation eg bring back the town crier – used for ad company

2.“Move” forward from the provocation

by e.g.

• Extracting a principle – what does the town crier do?

goes to thee people
changes message according to audience
can’t be switched off
• Focusing on the difference
• Look for the benefits

3.Arrive at an original idea – idea was to have adverts on pagers cos they
12
can’t be switched off and cd also be tailored to individuals
1.Set up a provocation eg employees should wear stripy shirts if they
want promotion

2 & 3.“Move” forward from the provocation arrive at original idea

by e.g.

• Extracting a principle –be open about career ambitions  frank

feedback for those who want it

•Focusing on the difference – clear to everyone what you want  shd you
only invest training in those who are ambitious?

• Look for the benefits – self-fulfilling ie those who’ve said they want
promotion are more keen therefore put them in tougher jobs where
they can prove themselves and be promoted
12
Provocation - sources
Source Example Result

1. Chance/accidents Po, radio waves can Concept of radar

shoot down planes

2. “Escape” from the Po, restaurants do Development of

normal i.e. cancel, not charge for food diners card
negate, drop, remove,
deny, all that you take
for granted

3. Exaggeration Po, police have 6 Development of

eyes neighborhood
watch

4. Distortion Po, you close the Concept of

letter after you post it direct mail sent
in private mail

13
Provocation - Evaluation

“+” Good for thinking radical new

thoughts

“-” Difficult to apply uncomfortable

for many

“-” Time consuming becoming familiar

with the toolkit

14
Random input

Process Evaluation

Take a problem Easy to do

Apply a random input Works for a group or an

• word individual
• image
Take the first characteristic that Produces new thinking
comes to mind
Develop solution Can feel uncomfortable

[NOTE Do not link the random

word to previous ideas]
15
The need for creativity
We need it... …but we lack it

Creativity produces new ideas • The brain is not naturally

in: creative

Science • Education is concerned with

Arts “right” and “wrong”
Business
Leisure
etc, etc, etc...

16