Every Transformation and every budienss needs creativity and experimental mindset. That Is something I find very exciting. My work and life experiences hat taken me to diverse situations, and therefore I have a library which is a great base to prectice cross-over-thinking. It’s fun, to mix and merge different frameworks and methodoogies and to find out, how and if it will work. Let me explain why:
Lateral thinking: creative solutions through unconventional thinking
What is lateral thinking?
Lateral thinking, is a creativity technique that aims to find new ideas and solutions through unconventional approaches. In contrast to linear or vertical thinking, where you proceed step by step and fall back on tried and tested patterns, lateral thinking promotes creative and innovative ways of thinking.
How does Lateral Thinking work?
The lateral thinking process consists of several steps:
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Problem definition: Firstly, the problem to be solved is clearly defined and delimited.
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Change of perspective: Then you try to look at the problem from different angles. The Six Thinking Hats method, in which each hat represents a different way of thinking, can be helpful here.
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Generating ideas: In this phase, as many ideas as possible are collected without initially evaluating them. Techniques such as brainwriting or mind mapping can help with this.
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Provocation: Targeted provocation and questioning of assumptions can break through entrenched thought patterns and stimulate new ideas. The SCAMPER method can be helpful here.
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Evaluation: Finally, the ideas generated are evaluated, developed further and checked for feasibility
Areas of application and significance
Lateral thinking is suitable for a wide range of applications, from product development to marketing and strategy development. The technique is particularly valuable when it comes to overcoming entrenched thought patterns, finding out-of-the-box solutions and driving innovation. Lateral thinking plays an important role in the context of design thinking, as it helps to develop user-centred solutions and overcome existing boundaries. By promoting creativity and lateral thinking, lateral thinking makes a significant contribution to successfully shaping transformation processes in companies.
Sources: De Bono Book: Lateral thinking: creativity step by step
