Lateral Thinking

Description of Lateral Thinking. Explanation.

Definition Lateral Thinking. Description.

Lateral Thinking is a term which was invented by Edward De Bono in his Book: The Use of Lateral Thinking (1967). It is a creative, fresh approach to problem solving by approaching problems indirectly at diverse and unorthodox angles instead of concentrating on one approach at length. Indeed, trying harder in the same direction may not be as useful as changing direction. Effort in the same direction (approach) will not necessarily succeed.

Lat. thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately obvious and about ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic. With logic you start out with certain ingredients just as in playing chess you start out with given pieces. But what are those pieces? In most real life situations the pieces are not given, we just assume they are there. We assume certain perceptions, certain concepts and certain boundaries. Lateral thinking is concerned not with playing with the existing pieces but with seeking to change those very pieces. Lateral thinking is concerned with the perception part of thinking. This is where we organize the external world into the pieces we can then 'process'.
 

De Bono identified four critical factors associated with lateral thinking:

1. Recognize dominant ideas that polarize perception of a problem.

2. Searching for different ways of looking at things.

3. Relaxation of rigid control of thinking.

4. Use of chance to encourage other ideas. This last factor has to do with the fact that lateral thinking involves low-probability ideas which are unlikely to occur in the normal course of events.

Compare with: Thinker's Keys  |  Brainstorming  |  Synectics  |  TRIZ  |  Technological Forecasting  |  Gestalt Theory  |  Mind Mapping  |  Six Thinking Hats  |  Metaplan  |  Bounded Rationality  |  Causal Ambiguity  |  Stage-Gate  |  Scenario Planning  |  Game Theory  |  Root Cause Analysis  |  Paralysis by Analysis  |  Dialectical Inquiry  |  Analogical Strategic Reasoning  |  Theory of Constraints  |  Force Field Analysis  |  Catalytic Mechanisms  |  Johari Window  |  Coaching  |  Mentoring  |  Delphi Method

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End of description Lateral Thinking. An explanation.