To be creative or innovative we need to change previously established thinking patterns to find alternative ideas in a deliberate and formal way. Lateral thinking is a way of thinking that seeks to do just that using practical thinking tools to change perceptions and shift paradigms. So, if you need new solutions to old problems or want to generate more innovative ideas then lateral thinking may be the place to begin.

• Alternatives: How to use concepts as a breeding ground for new ideas. Sometimes we do not look beyond the obvious alternatives.
• Focus: When and how to change the focus of your thinking. You will learn the discipline of defining your focus and sticking to it.
• Challenge: Breaking free from the limits of traditional thinking. With challenges, we act as though the present way of doing things is not necessarily the best.
• Random Entry: Using unconnected input to open up new lines of thinking. Provocation and Movement: Generating provocative statements and using them to build new ideas.
• Harvesting: Capturing your creative output. At the end of a creative -thinking session, we normally only take note of the specific ideas that seem practical and have obvious value.
• Treatment of Ideas: How to develop ideas and shape them to fit an organisation or situation.