Creativity Requires Lateral Thinking AND Vertical Thinking

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Creativity Requires Lateral Thinking AND Vertical Thinking
When we think about solution which needs creativity, Lateral Thinking (LT) AND Vertical Thinking (VT) are both a necessity.
Vertical thinking is a type of approach to problems that usually involves one being selective, analytical, and sequential. It could be said that it is the opposite of lateral thinking. Unlike lateral thinking that involves using added intuition, risk taking, and imagination through unconscious and subconscious processes, vertical thinking consists of using more of a conscious approach via rational assessment in order to take in information or make decisions. This type of thinking encourages individuals to employ a sequential approach to solving problems where a creative and multidirectional response is seen as imprudent.

Some people will like playing with LT; others with VT. The facilitator, within a team, will have to choose the right uncertain path, while going through linearity and sequentiality, network thinking, and a high level of fragmentation in order to allow the emergence of a solution.
Complexity is part of our brain: VT and LT help us to converge towards simplicity. Thanks to De Bono.

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		Anonymous
	1 Is Vertical Thinking the Same as Rational Thinking? Hi Marcel, thank you for starting this topic on Vertical Thinking. My first question: is VT the same as rational thinking? Why (not)?

		Manoj Rambajan (MBA) Mauritius
	2 Creativity Requires Lateral Thinking and Vertical Thinking In a world characterized by constant changes and uncertainties, a linear approach to solving business problems is not sufficient. We can't just go through a prescription list, as problems are often complex and multidimensional. We often need to be creative and involve a blend of both vertical and lateral thinking in our approach. Vertical thinking will assure that our approach is rational and sequential in gathering information, interpreting, assessing and decision-making. However, the creative art of solving problems often needs additional stuff such as intuition, risk taking, emotion and imagination to be successful. We therefore need a blend of both vertical and lateral thinking in our creative approach to tackling problems.

		Marcel France
	1 VT & LT Thinking @Manoj Rambajan (MBA): 👍 Thanks Manoj for adding this interesting post. Morover, when facilitating, don't forget that part of the team is probably more VT oriented while the other part is more LT oriented. Success will depend on your way of managing the time. Try to alternate the VT & LT parts in order to give birth to team creativity. Creativity is a must It will save our world.

		K R Sethuraman Professor, Malaysia
	0 Dual Process Theory Incorporates LT and VT The Dual Process Theory is currently widely accepted as a dominant explanation of cognitive processes that characterizes human decision-making. It assumes that cognitive processes are governed by so called System I (which is intuitive, automatic, fast, narrative, experiential and affect-based) and System II (which is analytical, slow, verbal, deliberative and logical). See Wikipedia for more.

		Olaf de Hemmer Business Consultant, France
	0 Value(s) Design to Combining Analytical and Emotional in Creativity Combining vertical/analytical and lateral/emotional is not difficult with Value(s) Design: - First ask the stakeholders involved: "What is it for?" (The solution we are trying to optimize). This leads to answers in terms of needs (more rational) and desires (more emotional) - Then ask "What is enough?" for answering each and all of these needs to the people who know about solutions in other fields, eg. suppliers or people who hold the same need in another domain: this combines analysis by separating the different needs/desires and search of other domains holding the same needs, and intuition + rational from the people who are asked the question. - The final selection for the optimal solution(s) is to be done by asking all stakeholders to validate that their needs/desires are fulfilled.

		Noel Student (MBA)
	1 Comment on LT and VT Thinking Interesting topic indeed. I concur with the contributions made above. In the modern world which is so fast paced, linearity in thinking (Vertical thinking) alone is not good enough, though it gives credibility and objectivity in decisions made. A lateral thinking process is key as well to ensure that the facilitator or coordinator is accommodative of finding divergent views, which may actually carry the solution of the day. Outliers are not always bad, like they say, 'we need to be thinking outside the box'. I enjoy all these diverse views here, which are converging on the same conclusion that both LT and VT are necessary.

		Maurice Hogarth Consultant, United Kingdom
	1 Vertically Lateral Thinking @Anonymous: I would suggest that Rational (Logical) Thinking would normally be considered as the 'opposite' to Emotional (Irrational/Illogical) thinking. Note that Emotional Thinking is not necessarily the same as 'being emotional'. Creative (lateral or divergent) thinking forms are essentially logical, although they do employ 'emotional/irrational' triggers and aids. These aids enable you to look at something from a different (creative) point-of-view. My question to Marcel is: Does he distinguish in any way between the terms Lateral thinking/ Divergent thinking and the terms Vertical thinking /Convergent thinking? I am assuming that they are just different terms to mean the same thing. I suggest that CREATIVITY does NOT "require" Lateral AND Vertical thinking. Creativity of its nature stems from Divergent/Lateral thinking. The terms are effectively different sides of the same coin. I suggest that effective decision taking and their actioning, requires the effective combining of Lateral (Divergent) & Vertical (Convergent) thinking. Convergent (Vertical) thinking is necessary to focus in on the concern to be resolved and determine what 'success' criteria will be. Divergent (Lateral) thinking can look at this from a different perspective and create a new viewpoint. It is then necessary to generate the options to be considered. Convergent (Vertical) thinking then analyses the options to determine the apparent best choice. Divergent (Lateral) thinking then looks at how manyways this could fail so will it be a risk or a gamble? When the best option is selected, Convergent (Vertical) thinking constructs the plan of what, by who, by when. A combination of Convergent (Vertical) and Divergent (Lateral) thinking then identifies weak points in the plan, with their probability and impact, then develops solutions to prevent them or minimise their impact if they do occur. Personal and social values will impact on the decisions taken within this process.

		John Henry Project Manager, United States
	0 Thinking and Decions Making and Creativity Why is this line of discussion happening? Rational versus emotional, lateral versus vertical... Convergent and divergent? When faced with a situation, and driven to decide, should we not use all th (...)