By Edward De Bono, 1992

Here is the table of contents and a few notes from part one.

It’s fascinating! I plan on wading into the topic and starting to master the lateral thinking tools ASAP!

PART I NEED FOR CREATIVE THINKING 

Take-Away Value

Understanding the nature and logic of creativity

“Creative” = bringing it to being something that was not there before. The new thing must have value, unique or rare, not obvious or easy.

This book – looking at ‘self organizing information systems’; AKA patterning systems… 

logic of creativity = logic of patterning systems. 

Cannot use the tools effectively without understanding the logic behind them

Focus and Intention

Required: investment of time, effort and focus

High value in simply pausing at a point with determination to find new ideas of doing things.

Motivation comes from understanding the possibilities of new ideas and understanding the creative potential of the human mind

Tools and techniques

Tools are deliberate and can be used systematically.

Altered mental states sorta help, determined tool usage definitely helps. 

The Theoretical Need for Creativity 

Information systems: Passive and Active.

Passive info and info recording are inert – all activity comes from an external organizer. Ex: a gutter on a table, making balls line up.

Rain carves rivers, becoming the preferred action of the water. Self-organizing.

Our brains make connections and creates patterns. We only see in terms of those patterns.

We analyze data and only pick out the data we recognize and fits our preexisting patterns.

Model for creativity

Jumping to a side-track thought and tracing it back to our persistent thought patterns make a up a basis for creativity ( pg 15)

The time sequence trap

Seeing things in a certain order will greatly influence the construction of those ideas. 

A + T + R + E + G = GRATE

• T makes TARGET, but difficult to disconnect existing thoughts to re-arranged. All integrated together. 

The Practical Need for Creativity

Cost cutting and quality management

Maintenance Management

Competition

Many other areas

 (this is a book primarily for businesses)

Information and Creativity

Much of this section is about market research

Misperceptions About Creativity

Creativity is a natural talent that cannot be taught.

Creativity comes from rebels.

Right brain versus left brain.

Art, artists and creativity.

Release.

Freeing from the ‘one right answer’ or fear of judgement is not enough. Freeing up people might return them to a natural level of creativity (from an inhibited state) but not above a normal person.

Intuition.

Your brain can reorganize and give flashes of brilliance, but most creativity is deliberate. 

The need for craziness.

Not essential to the process. 

Scattergun success.

Lots of ideas isn’t really doing much. It can work, but random.

Big jump in small jump creativity.

Modifications (small) or overhauls (big)

Need for both.

Group or individual

Not just for groups.

Intelligence and creativity. 

Sources of Creativity

 Lateral Thinking

Perception and Processing

Design and Analysis

The Uses of Creative Thinking

PART II LATERAL THINKING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

The Six Thinking Hats

The Creative Pause

Focus

Challenge

Alternatives

The Concept Fan

Concepts

Provocation

Movement

Setting Up Provocations

The Random Input

Sensitizing Techniques Application of the Lateral Thinking Techniques 190

Harvesting

The Treatment of Ideas

Formal Output

Group or Individual

PART III THE APPLICATION OF CREATIVE THINKING

Application

Everyday Creativity/Specific Creativity

The Creative Hit List

Introduction of Creativity

Responsibility

Structures and Programs

Training

Formats

Evaluation

Summary

Appendixes

The Lateral Thinking Techniques

Notes on the Use of the Lateral Thinking

Harvesting Checklist

Techniques

Treatment of Ideas Checklist