Lateral thinking
Dec 26, 2015
Lateral thinking
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Lateral Thinking - Theory
The brain is not intended for creative thinking
The brains power is in forming patternsand sticking to these patterns
SO
To become creative you need to blocknormal channels and “cut across patternsin a self-organizing information system”
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
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Vertical thinking Vs Lateral thinking
Vertical thinking
1. Take a position
2. Develop arguments which are:• related to 1• derived from 1
Area of focus
TruthLogic
“What is”
Lateral thinking
1. Take a position
2. Put forward different views which are:• not derived from each other• all correct• all coexisting
Area of focusPossibilities, alternatives, what
“might be”
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Lateral thinking - Exercise
VII
Add a single line to turn this into an eight
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Lateral thinking - Exercise
IX
Add a single line to turn this into a six
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Solutions
1. IX
2. SIX
3. IX6
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Deliberate lateral thinking tools
1.
2.
3.
4.
The six thinking hats
Provocation
Random inputs
Synectics
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The six thinking hats - Process and rationale
Rationale
Cooperative exploration replaces adversarialthinking
Ego factors are removed
Negativity is “not allowed”
Process
Meeting of several people
Deliberate “putting on” of different hats i.e. differentattitudes
Everyone wears each hatsimultaneously
Hats are changed during meeting
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Six thinking hats
White hat Red hat Black hatAssociation White paper:
neutralcarrier of information
Fire, warmth Strict judge, intolerantof wrong doers
Area of focus Data and information
Feelings, intuition
Critical judgement
Questions/discussiontopic
This is what I feelMy gut feel is thatI don’t like the wayMy intuition tells me
The regulations don’t allowHe doesn’t have the experienceThose prices won’t be profitableWe won’t fill capacity
What info do we have?What info is missing?Where will we get it?How will we get it?
Source Edward de Bor
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Six thinking hats continued...
Yellow hat Green hat Blue hatAssociation Sunshine
OptimismLogical, positive view
Vegetation,Rich growth
SkyOverview
Area of focus Benefits (logically based)Feasibility
Creative thinkingNew ideasAdditional alternatives
AgendaNext stepsProcess control
Questions/discussion topic
Are there alternatives?Could there be anotherreason?What is a creative solution
Let’s summarize viewsLet’s look at prioritiesThe points to discuss are...
This would work if we did XThe benefit would come from YHigh labour costs mean a lower workforce
Source Edward de Bor
9
Six thinking hats continued...
Yellow hat Green hat Blue hatAssociation Sunshine
OptimismLogical, positive view
Vegetation,Rich growth
SkyOverview
Area of focus Benefits (logically based)Feasibility
Creative thinkingNew ideasAdditional alternatives
AgendaNext stepsProcess control
Questions/discussion topic
Are there alternatives?Could there be anotherreason?What is a creative solution
Let’s summarize viewsLet’s look at prioritiesThe points to discuss are...
This would work if we did XThe benefit would come from YHigh labour costs mean a lower workforce
Source Edward de Bor
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
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Six Thinking hats - Evaluation
“+”
“+”
“-”
Takes people away from normalattitudes
Easy to use
Participants often feel very awkwardand ill at ease initially
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Provocation
Provocation: an absurdity which takes youout 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
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Provocation - Process
1.
2.
3.
Set up a provocation
“Move” forward from the provocation by e.g.
• Extracting a principle• Focusing on the difference• Look for the benefits
Arrive at an original idea
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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 peoplechanges message according to audiencecan’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 can’t be switched off and cd also be tailored to individuals
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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 wantpromotion are more keen therefore put them in tougher jobs where they can prove themselves and be promoted
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Provocation - sources
1.
2.
3.
4.
Source Example Result
Chance/accidents
“Escape” from the normal i.e. cancel, negate, drop, remove, deny, all that you take for granted
Exaggeration
Distortion
Po, radio waves canshoot down planes
Po, restaurants do not charge for food
Po, police have 6 eyes
Po, you close the
letter after you post it
Concept of radar
Development ofdiners card
Development of neighborhoodwatch
Concept of direct mail sent in private mail
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Provocation - Evaluation
“+”
“-”
“-”
Good for thinking radical newthoughts
Difficult to apply uncomfortablefor many
Time consuming becoming familiarwith the toolkit
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Random input
Process
Take a problem
Apply a random input• word• imageTake the first characteristic thatcomes to mindDevelop solution
[NOTE Do not link the randomword to previous ideas]
Evaluation
Easy to do
Works for a group or an individual
Produces new thinking
Can feel uncomfortable
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The need for creativity
Creativity produces new ideas in:
ScienceArtsBusinessLeisureetc, etc, etc...
• The brain is not naturally creative
• Education is concerned with “right” and “wrong”
We need it... …but we lack it