By Edward de Bono
The opposite is Vertical thinking
Lateral thinking is used to dig a hole in a different place.
Lateral thinking is a creative problem solving approach that involves thinking outside the box 📦, considering unconventional ideas and looking at a problem from multiple perspectives.
Problem is reasonably clear but the solutions are not.
Techniques:
- That suspend logic momentarily to get to an inspiration that could solve a problem in ingenious ways.
- Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns of thinking in order to look at things in a different way.
Tools: - Mind Mapping - SCAMPER - Inventive Triggers - Buyer Utility Mao from the book Blue Ocean Strategy - Three tiers of Non-customers - Six Path Framework