Lateral Thinking Thinking that is Outside the Box!

27
Lateral Lateral Thinking Thinking Thinking that is Thinking that is Outside the Box! Outside the Box!

Transcript of Lateral Thinking Thinking that is Outside the Box!

Lateral Lateral ThinkingThinkingThinking that is Thinking that is Outside the Box!Outside the Box!

Can You Solve this Puzzle?Can You Solve this Puzzle?

Can You Solve this Puzzle?Can You Solve this Puzzle?

Can You Solve this Puzzle?Can You Solve this Puzzle?

Can You Solve this Puzzle?Can You Solve this Puzzle?

Lateral ThinkingLateral ThinkingLateral thinkingLateral thinking is a term coined is a term coined

by Edward de Bono, a Maltese by Edward de Bono, a Maltese psychologist, physician, and psychologist, physician, and writerwriter

de Bono defines de Bono defines Lateral ThinkingLateral Thinking

as methods of thinking as methods of thinking concerned with changing concerned with changing concepts and perception. concepts and perception.

Lateral Thinking Lateral Thinking ExampleExample

It took two hours for two men It took two hours for two men to dig a hole five feet deep. to dig a hole five feet deep.

How deep would it have been How deep would it have been if ten men had dug the hole if ten men had dug the hole

for two hours?for two hours?

The answer appears to be 25 feet The answer appears to be 25 feet deepdeep

But did you But did you consider…?consider…?

A hole may need to be of a certain size A hole may need to be of a certain size or shape so digging might stop early at or shape so digging might stop early at a required depth.a required depth.

The deeper a hole is, the more effort is The deeper a hole is, the more effort is

required to dig it, since waste soil required to dig it, since waste soil needs to be lifted higher to the ground needs to be lifted higher to the ground level. There is a limit to how deep a level. There is a limit to how deep a hole can be dug by manpower without hole can be dug by manpower without use of ladders or hoists for soil use of ladders or hoists for soil removal, and 25 feet is beyond this removal, and 25 feet is beyond this limit. limit.

But did you But did you consider…?consider…?

Deeper soil layers may be harder to dig Deeper soil layers may be harder to dig out, or we may hit bedrock or the water out, or we may hit bedrock or the water table.table.

Are we digging in soil? Clay? Sand? Each Are we digging in soil? Clay? Sand? Each presents its own special considerations.presents its own special considerations.

Digging in a forest becomes much easier Digging in a forest becomes much easier once we have cut through the first once we have cut through the first several feet of roots.several feet of roots.

Each man digging needs space to use a Each man digging needs space to use a shovel.shovel.

But did you But did you consider…?consider…?

It is possible that with more people It is possible that with more people working on a project, each person may working on a project, each person may become less efficient due to increased become less efficient due to increased opportunity for distraction, the opportunity for distraction, the assumption he can slack off, more people assumption he can slack off, more people to talk to, etc.to talk to, etc.

More men could work in shifts to dig More men could work in shifts to dig faster for longer.faster for longer.

There are more men but are there more There are more men but are there more shovels? shovels?

But did you But did you consider…?consider…?

The two hours dug by ten men may be The two hours dug by ten men may be under different weather conditions than under different weather conditions than the two hours dug by two men.the two hours dug by two men.

Rain could flood the hole to prevent Rain could flood the hole to prevent

digging.digging. Temperature conditions may freeze the Temperature conditions may freeze the

men before they finish. men before they finish.

Would we rather have 5 holes each 5 feet Would we rather have 5 holes each 5 feet deep?deep?

But did you But did you consider…?consider…?

The two men may be an engineering The two men may be an engineering crew with digging machinery.crew with digging machinery.

What if one man in each group is a What if one man in each group is a

manager who will not actually dig?manager who will not actually dig? The extra eight men might not be The extra eight men might not be

strong enough to dig, or much strong enough to dig, or much stronger than the first two. stronger than the first two.

What is Lateral Thinking?What is Lateral Thinking?

Lateral thinking is about reasoning Lateral thinking is about reasoning that is not immediately obviousthat is not immediately obvious

Ideas may not be obtainable by using Ideas may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic. only traditional step-by-step logic.

Techniques that apply lateral thinking Techniques that apply lateral thinking to problems are characterized by the to problems are characterized by the shifting of thinking patterns away shifting of thinking patterns away from entrenched or predictable from entrenched or predictable thinking to new or unexpected ideas.thinking to new or unexpected ideas.

What is Lateral Thinking?What is Lateral Thinking?

A new idea that is the result of A new idea that is the result of lateral thinking is not always a lateral thinking is not always a helpful one helpful one

When a good idea is discovered When a good idea is discovered in this way it is usually obvious in this way it is usually obvious in hindsight in hindsight

The Six Thinking The Six Thinking HatsHats

A Lateral Thinking A Lateral Thinking Strategy by Edward De Strategy by Edward De

BonoBono

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Six Thinking Hats' is an Six Thinking Hats' is an important and powerful important and powerful technique.technique.

It is used to look at decisions It is used to look at decisions from a number of important from a number of important perspectives.perspectives.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

This forces you to move outside your This forces you to move outside your habitual thinking style, and helps you habitual thinking style, and helps you to get a more rounded view of a to get a more rounded view of a situation.situation.

It has the benefit of blocking the It has the benefit of blocking the confrontations that happen when confrontations that happen when people with different thinking styles people with different thinking styles discuss the same problem. discuss the same problem.

Each 'Thinking Hat' is a different style Each 'Thinking Hat' is a different style of thinking. of thinking.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Many successful people think from a very Many successful people think from a very rational, positive viewpoint. This is part of rational, positive viewpoint. This is part of the reason that they are successful.the reason that they are successful.

Often, though, they may fail to look at a Often, though, they may fail to look at a problem from an emotional, intuitive, problem from an emotional, intuitive, creative or negative viewpoint.creative or negative viewpoint.

This can mean that they underestimate This can mean that they underestimate resistance to plans, fail to make creative resistance to plans, fail to make creative leaps and do not make essential leaps and do not make essential contingency plans. contingency plans. 

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Similarly, pessimists may be excessively Similarly, pessimists may be excessively defensive, and more emotional people may defensive, and more emotional people may fail to look at decisions calmly and fail to look at decisions calmly and rationally.rationally.

If you look at a problem with the 'Six If you look at a problem with the 'Six Thinking Hats' technique, then you will solve Thinking Hats' technique, then you will solve it using all approaches. it using all approaches.

Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, Your decisions and plans will mix ambition, skill in execution, public sensitivity, skill in execution, public sensitivity, creativity and good contingency planning. creativity and good contingency planning.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

White HatWhite Hat

With this thinking hat you focus on the data With this thinking hat you focus on the data available. Look at the information you have, available. Look at the information you have, and see what you can learn from it.and see what you can learn from it.

Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try Look for gaps in your knowledge, and either try

to fill them or take account of them.to fill them or take account of them.

This is where you analyze past trends, and try This is where you analyze past trends, and try to extrapolate from historical data.to extrapolate from historical data.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Red HatRed Hat

'Wearing' the red hat, you look at problems 'Wearing' the red hat, you look at problems using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion.using intuition, gut reaction, and emotion.

Also try to think how other people will react Also try to think how other people will react emotionally.emotionally.

Try to understand the responses of people who Try to understand the responses of people who do not fully know your reasoning.do not fully know your reasoning.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Black HatBlack Hat

Using black hat thinking, look at all the bad points Using black hat thinking, look at all the bad points of the decision. of the decision.

Look at it cautiously and defensively. Look at it cautiously and defensively.

Try to see why it might not work. This is important Try to see why it might not work. This is important because it highlights the weak points in a plan.because it highlights the weak points in a plan.

It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or It allows you to eliminate them, alter them, or

prepare contingency plans to counter them.prepare contingency plans to counter them.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Black HatBlack Hat

Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans Black Hat thinking helps to make your plans 'tougher' and more resilient.'tougher' and more resilient.

It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks It can also help you to spot fatal flaws and risks before you embark on a course of action.before you embark on a course of action.

Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of Black Hat thinking is one of the real benefits of this technique.this technique.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Black HatBlack Hat

Many successful people get so used to thinking Many successful people get so used to thinking positively that often they cannot see problems positively that often they cannot see problems in advance.in advance.

This leaves them under-prepared for This leaves them under-prepared for difficulties.difficulties.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Yellow HatYellow Hat

The yellow hat helps you to think positively. The yellow hat helps you to think positively.

It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to It is the optimistic viewpoint that helps you to see all the benefits of the decision and the see all the benefits of the decision and the value in it. value in it.

Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going Yellow Hat thinking helps you to keep going when everything looks gloomy and difficult.when everything looks gloomy and difficult.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Green HatGreen Hat

The Green Hat stands for creativity.The Green Hat stands for creativity.

This is where you can develop creative This is where you can develop creative solutions to a problem. solutions to a problem.

It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which It is a freewheeling way of thinking, in which there is little criticism of ideas. there is little criticism of ideas.

The Six Thinking HatsThe Six Thinking Hats

Blue HatBlue Hat

The Blue Hat stands for process control.The Blue Hat stands for process control.

This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings.This is the hat worn by people chairing meetings.

When running into difficulties because ideas are When running into difficulties because ideas are running dry, they may direct activity into Green running dry, they may direct activity into Green Hat thinking. Hat thinking.

When contingency plans are needed, they will ask When contingency plans are needed, they will ask for Black Hat thinking, etc.for Black Hat thinking, etc.