UNIT IV

Creative and Lateral

Thinking Management
Creative Thinking

• Creative thinking refers to using abilities and soft

skills to come up with new solutions to problems.
Creative thinking skills are techniques used to
look at the issue from different and creative
angles, using the right tools to assess it and
develop a plan.
• The focus on creativity and innovation is important because most problems
might require approaches that have never been created or tried before. It is
a highly valued skill to have individually and one that businesses should always
aspire to have among their ranks. After all, the word creativity means a
phenomenon where something new is created.
• Creative thinking is a skill and, like any other, it needs constant exercise to
stay sharp. You need to regularly expose yourself to situations in which a new
idea is needed and surround yourself with like-minded people to achieve this
goal.
• Such a process is made easier with the use of certain techniques. They help
get you on the right mindset and provide the basic structure to reach new
ideas on demand
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEusrD8g-dM&t=9s
• (Creative thinking - how to get out of the box and generate ideas:
Giovanni Corazza at TEDxRoma)
Creative thinking techniques

• Creative thinking can be triggered by some widely used

techniques. These are effective methods to help you come up
with new ideas, test them under new environments, and count on
other people’s input to make them even more innovative.
• Some of the best examples of creative thinking skills may include:
lateral-thinking, visual reading, out-of-the-box thinking,
copywriting, artistic creativity, problem-solving, analytical mind,
and divergent thinking.
First research area
Group member name
1. Brainstorming

• This technique can be very useful in small or large-scale problems that require a
creative solution. The main goal is to form a group of people and throw around
ideas without interference.
• The general idea of brainstorming is that, by having an excess of creative
potential solutions, it gets easier to reach one with the highest level of quality.
• Brainstorming has several advantages that can help you exercise your creative
thinking skills. For starters, it does not require a rigid structure to function,
being very informal. However, it can be facilitated by professional guidance.
Also, the people involved do not even need to be together at the same time, as
you can use a virtual setting or put ideas into a shared document.
• For it to work well, all participants must be aware of the problem that requires
a creative solution and are familiar with how brainstorming works. In the end,
do not forget to register all the ideas through proper documentation.
2. Lateral thinking

• Sometimes, the answer to a problem is not in front of it, but besides it.
That is the general idea of lateral thinking, which is a great way to
exercise your creative soft skills and come up with innovative plans.
• Lateral thinking involves looking in less obvious areas and lines of
reasoning. It can work well if you and your partners try to put
yourselves under different perspectives or reverse the problem to look
at it differently.
• For instance, the direct solution to a loss of sales online would be to put
up more ads and promotions. However, lateral thinking might reach
alternative paths, like using e-mail marketing to reach customers that
have not bought from you in a while.
3. Mind mapping

• The process of mind mapping helps you connect ideas you never imagined could
be combined. Because of that, it might help you reach appropriate solutions
while using creative thinking skills.
• A mind map is a chart where you input ideas and connect them. It can have
possible solutions to a problem, its immediate consequences, and be the best
course of action to deal with them. Alternatively, your mind map can serve as a
way to see a bigger picture regarding what you are trying to do.
• Mind mapping can even be done individually. Sometimes, you may already have
all the ideas you need but it is required to put them to paper. Creating a mind
map helps to organize them and naturally reach conclusions.
• Also, since a mind map is essentially an infographic, those who were not part of
the process can easily understand it. Therefore, it serves as a valid piece of
documentation.
 4. Challenging norms

• Not all established working practices are the best way of doing things. People
who practice this creative thinking skill are likely to question the status quo in
search of something new which can deliver meaningful change. While any
challenge to the established order needs to be conducted respectfully and
thoughtfully, thinking of how to go beyond the norm is how innovation
occurs and where creative thinkers excel.
• As with lateral thinking, it’s important to recognize that not everything is a
problem that needs to be solved and so you may need to be selective in which
norms should be challenged – otherwise, you may never make it out of the
front door!
• Additionally, challenging the established order often means questioning the
work someone else has already done. While this is a necessary part of growth, it
should always be done constructively and respectfully.
5. Simplification

• Simplifying, presenting or decoding any information is a vital skill

when working with others. In a creative thinking
context, simplification is the act of seeing what is important
about a task or piece of data and stripping away the extraneous
parts to see things more clearly.
• Some problems can feel unassailable because of their complexity
or scale – simplification allows you to reconsider a problem in
simple terms and reframe it in a way that means you can approach
it productively.
6. Collaborative thinking

•
• Effective collaboration requires us to bring many different skills together, but
consciously considering how to be a more effective collaborator is worth
mentioning separately. When a creative thinker approaches collaboration, they
will try to think of how to use alternative approaches to make the
collaborative process more effective while also helping everyone on the team
contribute and be heard.
• The best collaborators also find ways to champion the work of others and create
a safe space for everyone to contribute – it might not be enough to assume
collaboration will be accomplished when you get people in a room.
• Employing this creative thinking skill can make all the difference when it comes
to job satisfaction, interpersonal relationships and group outcomes too!
7. Micro and macro thinking

• Not all problems are created equal. Depending on how much it directly
affects you, you might see a given problem as being more or less
important than your colleagues, leading to a different response and
approach to solving the problem. This creative thinking skill is all
about being able to switch between seeing the bigger picture while
also considering how something might manifest on a smaller scale.
• Micro and macro thinking means seeing both problems and potential
solutions from multiple perspectives and adjusting accordingly.
• Another key aspect of applying this approach is knowing the limits of
your own knowledge and involving stakeholders from all levels of an
organization to inform your ideation and problem-solving process.
8. Abstract thinking

• Abstraction or abstract thinking is the art of taking things out of their

normal context and presenting them in a radical new light. While
most creative thinking skills utilise abstraction in some form, it’s worth
noting that actively trying to take an idea from one context and place it
in another is a creative approach all on its own.
• Think of Pablo Picasso’s cubist portraits – by taking something as
common as a human face and bringing abstraction to his process, he
created something radically different and innovative. You can create a
similar effect by recontextualizing ideas, concepts, and problems and by
looking at them from different, perhaps even conflicting points of view.
• Abstract thinking is often built on engaging with absurdities,
paradoxes, and unexpected connections.
Benefits of creative thinking
• ability to create the best solutions to daily demands, which
provides value to clients and your own business;
• improvement on problem-solving for not only work-related
matters but also those in your personal life;
• higher workplace involvement in daily activities and engagement,
which is beneficial to a healthier environment;
• a better understanding of data — also known as data literacy —
and how to present it through data storytelling;
• focus on self-improvement as you and your teammates will
develop more soft skills.
• more effective teamwork and bonding, since people grow used to
bouncing off original ideas and learn each other’s creative traits.
Examples of creativity skills

Besides these creative thinking there are several skills you’ll need
to develop to enjoy the advantages of the techniques. Some of the
creativity skills may include:
• experimentation
• opposing views
• asking questions
• communication
• organization
Critical thinking

• Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and

skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or
evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation,
experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief
and action.
• Critical thinking — in being responsive to variable subject matter, issues,
and purposes — is incorporated in a family of interwoven modes of
thinking, among them: scientific thinking, mathematical thinking,
historical thinking, anthropological thinking, economic thinking, moral
thinking, and philosophical thinking.
Critical thinking examples

• Drawing a conclusion from the evidence

• Assessing whether the argument is deductive (has an absolute
conclusion) or non-deductive (has a plausible, but not absolute,
conclusion).
• Deciding whether the argument is valid (deciding if the premises are
true, does that mean we must accept the conclusion).
• Exploring whether the argument is sound (deciding whether the premises
are true).
Obstacles to thinking critically

• Confirmation bias. This phenomenon is when we tend to only consider what we

have already experienced before, confirming what we already know.
• Heuristics. These are the mental shortcuts we use to simplify decision making.
Examples include things like the ‘rule of thumb’ or an ‘educated guess’.
• Framing. The framing effect can make us respond differently to identical
circumstances by changing the framing of those circumstances. For example,
the focus of our attention might be drawn to different aspects of the situation.
• Common fallacies. There are some common ways that people use reasoning
that are not logical or critical. For example, someone might distort an
opponent’s arguments or views and then attack the weakened version rather
than the real argument
Difference Between Creative Thinking and
Critical Thinking?
Thinking critically and creatively
• Creative thinking is often contrasted with critical thinking. However, the two
certainly have their overlaps. Thinking creatively often requires exploring new
possibilities, finding unique angles, and using unconventional solutions.
• Critical thinking is more focused on a logical and rational process of evaluating
that which exists already. However, both types of thinking can be used to solve
problems and make decisions, and a combination of the two is often helpful.
• Creative thinking is generative in purpose whereas critical thinking is analytical
in purpose.
• Critical thinking is selective, but creative thinking is not selective.
• The mind is free to wander about in Creative thinking, but in the case of
Critical thinking it is not so.
Myths about Creativity

1. Innovation = creativity
Those two words are often used interchangeably.
Reality: Although related, those are two different terms. Innovation is the
organizational function of introducing new, useful, and feasible products,
services, processes, or business models by an organization. Creativity is
the individual's (or team of individuals') cognitive ability to transcend
traditional ideas, rules, patterns, and create meaningful and original
ideas. The relationship between the two can be described as: Innovation
is the implementation of creative ideas
2. Innovation = entrepreneurship and startups
Myth: Innovation cannot be achieved by mature, large companies. Only by startups.
Reality: While most innovation comes from startup companies, some of the top
innovative companies are mature and large. (Apple was founded in 1976 and
generates $228 billion. Google: 1998, $78 billion, Microsoft: 1975, $87 billion). The
myth acts as a self-fulfilling prophecy and deters large companies from attempting
to innovate like startups.
3. You were either born creative or not
Myth: Creativity cannot be learned or exercised.
Reality: This common belief also becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, this time at the
personal level, causing some to believe they are not creative, will never be, and
shouldn't even try. In fact, creativity is learned and can be exercised, like every
other muscle in your body. It can be affected by your practices, how you expose
yourself to old ideas, procrastinate to let them incubate, trigger the combination
of those ideas into new ones, and relax to let it happen. Great ideas might feel
accidental, but they are not. You can put yourself where the likelihood of such
"accidents" is higher.
4. There is nothing you can do to increase innovation organically in your
company
Myth: If your company "lost its innovative edge," it is irreversible, and the only way
to increase innovation would be to buy it.
Reality: Since innovation is the implementation of individual (and team) creative
ideas, an organization has three main degrees of freedom to increase creativity.
First is to hire more creative people. Second is to create a climate that motivates
those individuals (and teams) to be more creative. And third, institute an effective
mechanism of self-selection of creative ideas to implement them, instead of the
archaic "innovation funnel.“
5. You need to drive innovation
Myth: Innovation will not happen by itself. If employees are given a choice, they
will not innovate. You, the executive, need to be the driving force behind
innovation.
Reality: Driving innovation is not effective. Innovation is less like golf and more like
curling. You need to let it happen. You cannot mandate it. You cannot force
employees to be creative, but you can let them know that trying things and failing
is acceptable, as long as they learn from it.
6. Financial incentives increase creativity
Myth: People work here for the money. So why not promise a bonus for great ideas? Often,
companies offer bonuses for filing patents.
Reality: Not only do financial incentives fail to increase creativity, experiments show that
they actually reduce it. Financial incentives have been proven to increase productivity on
simple and repetitive tasks. They fall under the category of extrinsic motivation.
However, complex tasks, especially the creation of new ideas, are motivated intrinsically,
within the task itself. Supervisor and organizational encouragement, autonomy, and the
right amount of resources will encourage creativity, while monetary bonuses will actually
destroy it.
7. Innovation requires significant resources and funding
Myth: Innovation is measured by the percentage of revenue that goes into R&D. The more
R&D dollars you spend, the more innovative your company will be. You need to give your
creative people every resource they need.
Reality: There is no evidence that the amount of money invested in R&D yields better
creativity. There is no doubt that employees need a minimum amount of resources to try
new ideas, but beyond a certain amount of resources, not only does "the law of
diminishing returns" come into play, but in fact you can have too many resources that will
make you think less. One of the research suggests that you have to be more creative
when you have less resources, because you have to do more with less and it kind of spurs
the creativity process."
Global study conducted by Adobe
 Factors affecting Creative Thinking

1. Motivation
• Firstly, motivation is crucial as it leads people to wanting to do a task, such as
one that requires creativity or innovation. Hence, we should understand what
leads our teammates to feeling satisfied, fulfilled and/or appreciated.
Understanding what motivates people in our team or workplace will allow us
to “build an insight into how to get people to want to do the things that need
to be done”. Different factors motivate different people.
2. Leadership
• Secondly, the form of leadership that arises in the context of the team will either
enable or hinder creativity. Effective leadership should enable the learning,
creative, and adaptive capabilities of individuals and their teams. Hence, there
should be an indirect form of leadership, where the leader creates an
environment that fosters creative and learning process through social
interactions.
3. Positivity
Thirdly, we have positivity. Positivity and happiness enable creativity, just like
negative emotions impede it. Happy people are known to be more productive than
unhappy people. The same is true for creativity – the happier a person is in their
workplace (or team), the more creative that person can be. Therefore, it is crucial
for leaders and coworkers to foster a positive and happy working environment.
4. Personality Traits
Finally, a factor affecting creativity that cannot be ignored is people’s personality
and culture. Some people are more creative than others and are
naturally “innovation catalysts”– individuals leading and promoting innovative
processes – in a specific context. It is important to note, however, that although
some people might be naturally more creative than others, this is relative and
tends to depend on context.
 Creative problem Solving : Approach
Creative problem-solving, allows you to explore potential solutions regardless of whether a
problem has been defined.
• Creative problem-solving is less structured than other innovation processes and encourages
exploring open-ended solutions. It also focuses on developing new perspectives and
fostering creativity in the workplace. Its benefits include:
• Finding creative solutions to complex problems: User research can insufficiently illustrate a
situation’s complexity. While other innovation processes rely on this information, creative
problem-solving can yield solutions without it.
• Adapting to change: Business is constantly changing, and business leaders need to adapt.
Creative problem-solving helps overcome unforeseen challenges and find solutions to
unconventional problems.
• Fueling innovation and growth: In addition to solutions, creative problem-solving can spark
innovative ideas that drive company growth. These ideas can lead to new product lines,
services, or a modified operations structure that improves efficiency.:
• Creative problem-solving is traditionally based on the following key principles:
• 1. Balance Divergent and Convergent Thinking
• Creative problem-solving uses two primary tools to find solutions: divergence and
convergence. Divergence generates ideas in response to a problem,
while convergence narrows them down to a shortlist. It balances these two
practices and turns ideas into concrete solutions.
• 2. Reframe Problems as Questions
• By framing problems as questions, you shift from focusing on obstacles to
solutions. This provides the freedom to brainstorm potential ideas.
• 3. Defer Judgment of Ideas
• When brainstorming, it can be natural to reject or accept ideas right away. Yet,
immediate judgments interfere with the idea generation process. Even ideas that
seem implausible can turn into outstanding innovations upon further exploration
and development.
• 4. Focus on "Yes, And" Instead of "No, But"
• Using negative words like "no" discourages creative thinking. Instead, use positive
language to build and maintain an environment that fosters the development of
creative and innovative ideas.
Creative problem solving : Process
Step 1: Clarify
To clarify is the critical step of recognizing the existence of a gap between the current
state and a desired state. This can also be thought of as having need awareness,
which occurs when the entrepreneur notes a gap between societal or customer needs
and actual circumstances. Clarifying the problem by speaking with clients and
developing a detailed description of the problem brings the specifics of a problem to
light. Failure to identify the specifics of a problem leaves the entrepreneur with the
impossible task of solving a ghost problem, a problem that is fully unknown or
unseen. To establish and maintain credibility, an entrepreneur must clarify the
problem by focusing on solving the problem itself, rather than solving a symptom of
the problem.
Step 2: Ideate
To ideate is the step of the creative problem-solving process that involves generating
and detailing ideas by the entrepreneur. After collecting all information relevant to
the problem, the entrepreneur lists as many causes of the problem as possible. This
is the step in which the largest variety of ideas are put forth. Each idea must be
evaluated for feasibility and cost as a solution to the problem. If
Step 3: Develop
To develop is the step in which the entrepreneur takes the list of ideas generated
and tests each solution for feasibility. The entrepreneur must consider the cost of
each idea and the obstacles to implementation. The entrepreneur should identify
and assess alternative solutions to find one that is most cost-effective and feasible
to the customer.
Step 4: Implement
To implement is the step in which the solution to the problem is tested and
evaluated. The entrepreneur walks through the planned implementation with the
client and tests each part of the solution, if a service, or thoroughly tests a
developed good. The entrepreneur implements the solution and goes through a
structured system of follow-up to ensure the solution remains effective and viable.
Step 5: Evaluate
To evaluate is the step in which the final solution is assessed. This is a very
important step that entrepreneurs often overlook. Any fallacy in the
implementation of the product or service is reassessed, and new solutions are
implemented. A continual testing process may be needed to find the final solution.
Case Study: Taaluma Totes
• Young entrepreneurs Jack DuFour and Alley Heffern began to notice the beautiful
fabrics that came from the different countries they visited. The entrepreneurs
thought about what could be done with the fabrics to create employment
opportunities both in the country from which the fabric originated and in their home
base of Virginia. They decided to test producing totes from the fabrics they found
and formed Taaluma Totes. DuFour and Heffern also wanted to promote the
production of these fabrics and help underserved populations in countries where the
fabric originated maintain a living or follow a dream.
• The team continued to test the process and gathered original fabrics, which they
sent to Virginia to create totes. They trained individuals with disabilities in Virginia
to manufacture the totes, thus serving populations in the United States. The
entrepreneurs then decided to take 20 percent of their profits and make
microloans to farmers and small business owners in the countries where the fabric
originated to create jobs there. Microloans are small loans, below $50,000, which
certain lenders offer to enterprising startups. These startups, for various reasons
(they are in poor nations, at poverty level), can’t afford a traditional loan from a
major bank. The lenders offer business support to the borrower, which in turn
helps the borrower repay the microloan. The microloans from Taaluma are repaid
when the borrower is able. Repayments are used to buy more fabric, completing
Taaluma’s desire to serve dual populations. If the process proved unsuccessful, the
co-owners would revise the process to meet the plan’s requirements.
• DuFour and Heffern now have fabrics from dozens of countries from Thailand to
Ecuador. The totes are specialized with features to meet individual needs. The
product line is innovated regularly and Taaluma Totes serves a dual purpose of
employing persons with disabilities in Virginia and creating employment for
underserved populations in other countries.
What is Lateral Thinking?
• Lateral thinking (horizontal thinking) is a form
of ideation where designers approach problems
by using reasoning that is disruptive or not
immediately obvious. They use indirect and
creative methods to think outside the box and
see problems from radically new angles, gaining
insights to help find innovative solutions.
• “You cannot dig a hole in a different place by
digging the same hole deeper.”
• — Dr. Edward de Bono, Brain-training pioneer
who devised lateral thinking
Techniques
 Break Out of the Box

“The box” refers to the apparent constraints of the design space and our limited perspective
from habitually meeting problems head-on and linearly. Designers often don’t realize what
their limitations are when considering problems – hence why lateral thinking is invaluable in
(e.g.) the design thinking process. Rather than be trapped by logic and assumptions, you
learn to stand back and use your imagination to see the big picture when you:
1. Focus on overlooked aspects of a situation/problem.
2. Challenge assumptions – to break free from traditional ways of understanding a
problem/concept/solution.
3. Seek alternatives – not just alternative potential solutions, but alternative ways
of thinking about problems.
When you do this, you tap into disruptive thinking and can turn an existing paradigm on its
head. Notable examples include:
 Caselets

• The mobile defibrillator and mobile coronary care – Instead of

trying to resuscitate heart-attack victims once they’re in
hospital, treat them at the scene.
• Uber– Instead of investing in a fleet of taxicabs, have drivers use
their own cars.
• Rather than focus on channeling more resources into established
solutions to improve them, these innovators assessed their
problems creatively and uncovered game-changing (and life-
changing) insights.
 Exercises
• A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is
full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for
him?
• The third. Lions that haven't eaten in three years are dead.
• A woman shoots her husband. Then she holds him under water for over 5 minutes. Finally, she hangs him. But 5 minutes
later they both go out together and enjoy a wonderful dinner together. How can this be?
• The woman was a photographer. She shot a picture of her husband, developed it, and hung it up to dry.
• What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away?
• The answer is Charcoal.
• Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday,
or Sunday? (or day names in any other language)
• Sure you can: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow!
• This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so plain you
would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about
it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out.
• The letter "e," which is the most common letter in the English language, does not appear once in the long paragraph...