# lateral thinking Take a step to the side and look at things from a slightly different direction. An important part of the [[ideation]] process. Lateral thinking is known as horizontal thinking, as opposed to vertical or linear thinking. It is about using intuition and imagination to creatively look at problems in a distinctly non-typical way. It is the fancier name for “thinking outside the box”. > 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 Lateral thinking is usually described as a non-logical and non-analytical approach, however I think of it is a more creatively hyper-logical approach. The analytical focus shifts from thinking of answers to searching for better questions or better ways of exploring potential creative directions. It is about breaking from the apparent constraints of a problem by questioning and reframing the limitations. While [[divergent thinking]] is about going big and exploring many different wild ideas, lateral thinking is smaller and more focused. It is about consciously moving from one idea to another related idea. It is about moving through patterns of grouped ideas. It is about finding a common variable and exploring deeper. An example I use in my classes is about brainstorming forms of transportation. The initial ideas are the basic boring things like cars, boats, airplanes, etc. Digging deeper, we can think of vehicles that have wheels which leads from cars to trucks, tanks, bicycles, skateboards, rollerskates, scooters, roombas, wheelchairs, gurneys, office chairs, office desks, etc. The idea of flying things leads from airplanes to helicopters, hot air balloons, zepplins, jetpacks, broomsticks, being shot out of a cannon, etc. Not all of these are practical, of course, but that’s not the point. The idea is to start exploring a theme and seeing where it takes you. --- Learn more… - [lateral thinking on interaction-design.org](https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/lateral-thinking)