Lateral Thinking Techniques - How to Be Creative on Demand | Vicky Büsch | Skillshare
Drawer
Search

Playback Speed


  • 0.5x
  • 1x (Normal)
  • 1.25x
  • 1.5x
  • 2x

Lateral Thinking Techniques - How to Be Creative on Demand

teacher avatar Vicky Büsch

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Watch this class and thousands more

Get unlimited access to every class
Taught by industry leaders & working professionals
Topics include illustration, design, photography, and more

Lessons in This Class

    • 1.

      Intro Lateral Thinking

      2:50

    • 2.

      What is Lateral Thinking?

      0:59

    • 3.

      How Can You Benefit From It?

      1:03

    • 4.

      The Important Difference Between Creativity and Craziness

      2:14

    • 5.

      Technique 1: Challenge Your Assumptions

      4:40

    • 6.

      Technique 2: Ask the Right Questions and Do It Right

      2:45

    • 7.

      Technique 3: Take a Different View

      5:37

    • 8.

      Technique 4: Adopt, Adapt, Improve

      1:37

    • 9.

      Technique 5: Combine the Unusual

      0:21

    • 10.

      Technique 6: Break the Rules

      2:18

    • 11.

      Technique 7: Lateral Problem Analysis

      2:16

    • 12.

      Technique 8: Increase the Yield

      1:51

    • 13.

      The Gating Process: Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff

      3:55

    • 14.

      Summary

      2:36

  • --
  • Beginner level
  • Intermediate level
  • Advanced level
  • All levels

Community Generated

The level is determined by a majority opinion of students who have reviewed this class. The teacher's recommendation is shown until at least 5 student responses are collected.

184

Students

--

Projects

About This Class

Innovation and creativity nowadays is more important than ever. Since knowledge is now available to everyone through the internet, the competition in almost every area of business has become numerous and fierce. What sets apart the successful companies and start-ups from the struggling ones? It's innovation. And innovation is fueled by creativity.

Against common belief: everyone can be creative. The only thing you need is certain tools and techniques.

In this course I'm showing you 7 incredible lateral thinking techniques, that are used by Fortune 100 companies as well as highly successful start-ups.

What can you use these techniques for?

  • to create a product/service that is beyond the status-quo

  • to solve a problem you're stuck with

  • to improve your current product/service to make more sales, grow your following and take your business to the next level

What you'll learn:

  • What is lateral thinking?

  • What makes lateral thinking so beneficial?

  • 7 concrete techniques that enable you to be creative on demand

  • the gating process that helps you differentiate potentially great ideas from not so great ones

Meet Your Teacher

Teacher Profile Image

Vicky Büsch

Teacher

Hi everyone,

I'm Vicky from Germany and I'm the founder and CEO of Vakker Products Corp.. We create and design products and distribute them internationally. I studied media design (BA) after which I directly jumped into the cold water of being a start-up founder. Along the way I have been facing many hurdles and problems that required instant creativity and taught me how to solve problems in many different areas.

On Skillshare I will share proven techniques for creativity, innovation and design.

Looking forward to see you in my class!

See full profile

Level: All Levels

Class Ratings

Expectations Met?
    Exceeded!
  • 0%
  • Yes
  • 0%
  • Somewhat
  • 0%
  • Not really
  • 0%

Why Join Skillshare?

Take award-winning Skillshare Original Classes

Each class has short lessons, hands-on projects

Your membership supports Skillshare teachers

Learn From Anywhere

Take classes on the go with the Skillshare app. Stream or download to watch on the plane, the subway, or wherever you learn best.

Transcripts

1. Intro Lateral Thinking: This is a boat and this is a letter and the letter is attached to the boat. Now I have a treaty quest for you. How much off the letter is underwater of? The tide rises two meters. 90% of people say three meters, which is wrong because of the tide rises. The boat arises now. Should you belong to the 90% of people, you probably say Oh, damn sure. How could I not have known that? Well, I'll tell you how. You could have not known that because this is the way your brain works. Our brain works in a linear way. Ended works in segments. So in the boat riddle, the segment of mathematics has been triggered, which then gave us a mathematic answer. We make quick assumptions about the respect of segment and the corresponding answer. It's great because this way of thinking enables us to navigate through a highly complex world. But sometimes it's not enough. Sometimes we need to think laterally instead of linearly in order to find the right answers to problems and to innovate. Sometimes the solution is not a better cancel, but a light bulb. Sometimes the solution is not a longer telephone cable, but a more wife phone, my picky and last year. But since I came across the concept off literally thinking, probably easier way to quickly find the best in the world. Creative solutions. This isn't only for worse stuff. It's pretty much everyone wants. It's also it's also for managers. Corporations want more. This video shows little thinking techniques that you find solutions to your problems. Creates interactive, astonishing, improved before to see you in the course. 2. What is Lateral Thinking?: other terms that best describe little thinking. This are virgin. Taking more thinking outside the box box in the case is the thinking hurts dependence that same time. Keep us alive but also limit us to these exact patterns and take a look. Sound common business Question. How do we increase sales off? Say current. Then he had thinking comes up the press. But what if by lowering price profitability is at stake? That's where we need to become creative because they think they are not created, which is just not true, because everyone can be creative only amount special techniques, special techniques. 3. How Can You Benefit From It?: many areas which you can benefit. Our problem solving, which is probably the biggest one, was putting much face pours all the time, the next one. This influence and these improvements can be personalized. More friends. How can in business, how can we or how can we improve customer satisfaction? Is that this innovation big words all most of us were nowadays. But that doesn't take away trance. Innovation is probably the hardest area, but also has the most potential. Well, it's done right. Information can make us go. You can. What's the carriage from the? 4. The Important Difference Between Creativity and Craziness: before we dive into techniques to developing out of the box ideas, it's important to set Let's go, because as much fun. It was as much fun as crazy. The still initial purpose with the fastest todo ideas for sales increase for BMW. So the idea of placing real questions streets holding side. It's created because being efforts are not related to the brands or products any cuts in Austin prove you want. But I'm 100% sure that this is not increasing media coverage. Stupidity accidentally it some say Greece Fred Ways. Thus there are conditions to creativity. There's this Go in that. So with lateral thinking we can generate and use that still serves the purpose. In other words, some related to product or Brent makes sense and have injury artistic potential to reach the goal to drive results. I'll says, Let's go were the reasons in the land of green evidence we will. Sometimes I'm thinking that makes in the prison. But then, from the land of craziness, we have to develop further into school. Yes, discourse should use implicating process. Question is a change in its Brent not so veils 5. Technique 1: Challenge Your Assumptions: the jump bike syndrome derived from experience conducted many years in this experiment. Three. Such as Put a pipe. We're just fish that feeds fish in the same area with many small fish. The great Waas petitioned with conditions. So it's time. Try just next. Small fish he hitting us and they are painful. It's once the research the petition packed into take small fish because it had learned waas fruitless. The Pakistan roommates, not adapting to changing circumstances, rawness human knowledge off situation. We often it, especially operations. There's a danger, is using that process or product. It's just right city because it has always been this way, this one off, how some teachers can we grow? Another wrong assumption is showing me Sanches. We need to change them in order to either get such a are some great creative solutions not to do it First we need to be aware. Many are assumptions are wrong, and we need to constantly change his socialist Waas district of you search basic questions like other factors that might influence situation. Do I have the proof of this assumption which assumptions of those assumptions which is what do we do this? Imagine you're you processes. That's when you didn't she just ask for some? Why's this school is there to do it this way? For example, changed the assumption of city transport must invoke hysteric structure. I found the best way to do it. This we say from in different times, you could ask, How can we make more? Six. How can you make protective to customs? How can we offer a better product than competition? How can we know the press? Increase? Increase our rich possibles dressed this community, Jenna. Just first assumption attack was just the most solution for considerable next foods and doing the honest instead from Seimas. Whilst the great Your Barents Sea you can place medications these other may choose to challenge your assumptions. It's ask the right questions. 6. Technique 2: Ask the Right Questions and Do It Right: asking the right questions and doing it. Threats. One of the most unfortunate creative skills is once we start to question everything like a child with questions, a huge potential way was sitting apart. That's practices first. Us. Why do people buy headrests? What is it? Is which? What is it which? Yes, I wash it. Why was it what else? To make it beautiful. What does? They wanted to be parents. And so the mission. You're attracted. Which from open few. Who is this match time? So you might already since so the right kind of question always never in my making of saints instead us. Okay, Twice. But like so wide and wishes, we also should be let potential the other four interrogators. What's well? We're once the US Those questions we will almost always changing. We got us what? This is what other worlds of business What? Where is the best time to advertise? When is the best time to launch improvement? Who is could still best customer experience where waste produced little prince Where is the best location for me? 7. Technique 3: Take a Different View: Well, actually two s together These numbers 389 5 300 please. It's if you first you see it as my studio for four months. It becomes much easier to Seoul saying all products if your stuff was something, seems not to be able to find a solution. Try approaching dry folk. Some of these use customers. You, you you Yeah, you just how would we take all these years? Let's say you're generated. Why? The invention of you must fast by foot. How do you weigh eight? You're approach products. You was how to leave the cars subjected to customs which is the usual. How can we make the whole driving experience that for customs by thus came up with the idea by Kai Parks in congested cities, then making them available for Jesus? And he wants to which I strongly believe that would have had a major impact All the houses an easy way for you to this asking how it's approach or so the problem. Say what you want, you must How can they get place so much pain? Chisel those carts with his word and send them to potential so you could create a little physical. Most cuts feature you work consider to protect shall stagnancy. So five fittest on which basis you could check out. Let's see what they are off, Rachel says. Whatever it ISS, it has to be more. You are pretty much the best fittest in your field. Getting to you is your state. Let's take the main from probably How can I make were See? It's we're sending manage to those questions attractive to customers. How can I reach more customers? I exceed our customer's expectations. How can I best communicated the benefits of the product? How could I have a problem? Another thing that helps is approaching. I do you? It's something you born my but the problem into little where it's, says Ross. Many unusual things from it. Residents. What used to consider for this stuff? Angel, flexibility, image, cost, communications, customers and I can draw for the bridges. The last thing you can do. Teoh you this to do the artist that's particularly helpful. You It's working well, if you want change Just escrow for the But the time Henry Ford started his company, High school, traditionally 71 place workers came to the but he did work is smooth course. He had the Christ moved to the workers and then I invented the world changing 17 cap, allergic to for many, pretty much a professional person said You always do your cocoles one. What did that? Of course, that's a result. Has severe se approaching what you said? 8. Technique 4: Adopt, Adapt, Improve: thing is one of the most successful innovation creativity. Find out why so successful that actually sounds first, you know, just frozen snow for still periods when you choose to use and launch quick frozen foods and persuaded details to stop that freezes. Agent Frozen fruits Chris Event is the role deodorant for you. Way to play, but and he adapted the concept off the ball point pen. Create. How can you plan that 1st 5 people in your life business during different areas. Countries are different continents. So you say what other industries it works with My great magazines visit a different country to front. 9. Technique 5: Combine the Unusual: come by. The usual most credit is combinations. Please let us take the three They haven't been. We're not happy with studious. Then one of the 10. Technique 6: Break the Rules: many, which is Indians. All this. It was originally designs. 18 seventies past operations were calling. He's just all those in the region. We're stuff that is, It's so oftentimes business rules look a successful. Some tools became in just exploration and reserves take sacred and should not be released. Anyone What did wants to issue to change for it presses totally. People predict best places to drill for gold Well, 1000 forward scientists judges What participated? Five and five best contestants predicted very ignorant occasions with which the mind is able to produce 10. Sensible they had previously. And that price difference. Now how do you break the rules in your business or industry? First recognize that your business is all sorts, guys limits, I said. Write down all the rules that apply in your business and which ones are essential. And which ones are memories? Chances are you can really You can also just try to do the opposite off 11. Technique 7: Lateral Problem Analysis: I said once set. If he had one hour to save the world's, he would spend 59 minutes in a problem. One minute was service. After we do the after we see the problem, think of the first solution coming up. It's implemented. Just I think a better way to do it is to in an US moves with respective way. Want to take a 1st 2nd good way to do it? This fish, it looks like that's official and enables us to usually discovered the problem. This official and the bulls? No, that first. Each small at the finish. Official because much easier to grass whole. You problem. It's decided which caused to take first treaty too soft. This the problem exploration is why. Why ask office? Why to explore the causes. Then what can you take one last before you tackle the issue to wait for it that you're self conscious? Just the results. It's a deliberate destination. A long time 12. Technique 8: Increase the Yield: it's going consoled. That's two questions. There's one answer to a problem. There's one solution. Unfortunately, the weird world is that's usually is the and often fire away from being the best that's in recent years how this feels. Sometimes an idea also has to go to the city for except that that's China bases what was strictures and ended up sneaking at the newspaper articles, which significantly slow down brainstorming session suggested poll. Waas myself to stop that from this that is cleaning your school reality, but let's do the black people which they implemented and sauce, he said. He also company National US for the sitting contribution. So how can you increase the yet? Do brainstorming and said high tide it for yes and then exceed Nice. Second to determine which is which one's much is what next 13. The Gating Process: Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff: searching the weight from the chop in order to determine which ideas are workable, which aren't means gauging. It's direct from engaging process that 68% of leading U. S. Productivity issues and this is what it looks like. It has three main steps, which each step should eliminate, sometimes rather to third. Ideas that I sorted out should be stored in a database for maybe at a later point. They can be combined with something or you to change circumstances more applicable. The first gave this assessment gate all ideas that have not been criticized or evaluated before. Now I rate it. There are three common rating techniques. The first oneness. Enough technique asking is a novel isn't attractive. Is it feasible? Each idea then goes to these questions received. A rating from 1 to 5. One means not attractive, not feasible. Five means very attractive and very feasible. One with the highest rate makes it to the next eight. The developed gate here. Each point is investigated in more detail efficient, splitting it up in several areas. For example, asking isn't a normative customers, is it? Nobody for us consider nobody for the industry Or is it a national international poverty. And so what is it? Attractive customers is a tractor for us, Which means is the possible return on investment significant? The feasibility could be spreading into budget's time. Needed it, and people need it. If you need, it will be erected with five. If it takes a long time until completion, this point would be rated with one, depending on our depending on the specific situation on the problems that need to be solved . You can also put a different weight on seven points. If, for example, you need money quickly, you cannot afford to spend much time promising projects. That's the point. Rating. The time needed what we wanted to. Why even the one coach with the highest rating off this game exit to the test gate here. All the points rated have to be tested or have to undergo in depth Field research, for the point is the enormity for customers. You serve any factory asking customers if it is a national novelty. It my surface to conduct a detailed Google research. Attractiveness can also be tested service where its visibility could be determined by looking at past similar projects and assessing recesses and assessing the recesses needed. Now each points rated again with a much more reliable form. Again, the highest score, 1/3 makes it to the launch prioritization of which idea to implement First can be also done based on negating scores. The ideas with the highest scores, of course, should be implemented first. Now that's a basic example off a systemized skating process which will make the decision which ideas to implement way easier instead of enough technique. You can also go for better, cheaper or needs. Is a customer for this? Great. Can we make a profit from this six seat? Can we build a real winner speech? How soon can we bring this to market? 14. Summary: wow comments from making it to this whole course. I hope you take away something for you that might help you solve problems improving products. Will services help you innovate to get ahead of your competition? Yes, it was. We kept off the main points. Natural thinking is thinking. Apart from thinking pennants, it is delivered creativity and can be applies and trained with certain weeks. That's help with problem solving improvements and the two most important techniques to challenge your assumptions. I ask questions like a child, which leads to a deeper exploration of the problem and never needs to better solutions to take a different view and, for example, ask how shall stop approach this problem. You can also adopt implement ideas that already work in other industries and combine your products or services with rent words that we just sometimes crazy But in each case, more creative than usual ideas. You shall take a closer look to which rules apply to your industry. It might be outdated and can be broken. Maybe you can even do the opposite of what the rule says. It's also important that you really analyze the problem in this. For example, with Fishbone analyzes and then increase the use to produce as many ideas as possible. Those ideas finally goes gating process with specific requirements and numerical ratings that help determine which ideas make it to the next gate. To make it easier to apply for you, I prepared chain sheet's in the product section. For each technique, there's one document to drive this project. You can fill out one sheet with a technique of your choice and uploaded here. I tried to personally comment on each single one. You will definitely not be easy as it's a new way off things, but But as our bring us a muscle, the unilateral connections will soon for with repeated training and lateral thinking becomes easy and natural. It made my life a lot easier, and I'm confident it will also benefit years.