Thinking outside the box : Edward de Bono’s lateral thinking

Abstract

What is lateral thinking? Edward de Bono invented the concept of lateral thinking in 1967. While the term may have been used informally before, it has become almost universally associated with the body of work written by de Bono over the following decades. Lateral thinking involves deliberate mental efforts to change more automatic or habitual responses that have been shaped through perceptual frameworks. The result is that unexpected and valuable ideas are unleashed. Such outcomes are primarily unexpected and valuable to the individual at the moment of insight, but may at times be of high impact to far wider groups of individuals, organizations, or even cultures. As opposed to other methods for idea generation, lateral thinking may be used not only for problem solving but also for design purposes and for constructive thinking. Opportunities may be created or exploited in various areas, including science, technology, management, education, economics and policy making. Belief in the application of lateral thinking goes against the assumption that some people are born creative while others are not. It furthermore implies the possibility of utilizing simple methods for a wide range of individuals to generate ideas on demand within a short timeframe.