LATERAL

THINKING
Gina Zarsadias
Some exercises are lifted from Jlapitan’s presentation
 Lateral thinking

many problems require a

different perspective to solve
successfully

Edward de Bono

:: lateral thinking
 Lateral thinking

Four critical factors associated with lateral thinking:

1. recognize dominant ideas that polarize

the perception of a problem
2. search for different ways of looking at things
3. relaxation of rigid control of thinking
4. use of chance to encourage other ideas

:: lateral thinking
When in a situation when
your shoes are not quite
clean, put your sock on your
hand and apply a bit of spit
and polish to shoe with sock.
©Michael Conolly & Edward de Bono Creative Team 1999
 Lateral Thinking Exercises

• Prior to the strategic planning process,

it is useful to enable creative
and lateral thinking

• Exercises are for fun, but also help people

expand their disciplinary boundaries

:: lateral thinking
 Word Expansion

I
IN
GIN
GAIN
GRAIN
RATING
TRACING
CREATING
REDACTING
DEFRACTING
©Philip L. Winters & Edward de Bono Creative Team 1999

:: lateral thinking
Word Expansion
Exercise

:: lateral thinking
 
 

Exercise
 
 

How many squares can you see in this figure?

     
 
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
       

 
 
 
       

 
 
 
Lifted from Jlapitan’s presentation

:: lateral thinking
 Exercise
Word Factory Relay

g d g n i
o c u l i
o h l p o
p j e m i
y p e k l
 Exercise:
Visualization/
Imagery/
Imagineering

What can
you see
aside
from a man’s
face?
Clue: at least
10 things
 Exercise:
Visualization/
Imagery/
Imagineering

How many
faces can
you see?

pairs of eyes?
 Exercise:
Visualization/
Imagery/
Imagineering

Aside from
fishes, what
other things
can you see?
Clue: at least
17 things
 Exercise:
Words and Symbols

• Reminis ____ • Sweet_____

• Corn____ch • Femi ______

• Catter ____llar • ______mander

• Heavyw ____

:: lateral thinking