Forward Thinking and Backward Thinking
De Bono distinguishes explaining an existing effect from creating a new one. Backward and forward thinking overlap: a new interpretation of what already exists can suggest what to build next.
THE IDEA
Innovation 9
De Bono identifies two aspects of lateral thinking:
The deliberate generation of alternative ways of looking at things.
The challenging of assumptions.
In themselves these processes are not far removed from ordinary vertical thinking. What is different is the ‘unreasonable’ way in which the processes are applied and the purpose behind the application. Lateral thinking is concerned not with development but with restructuring.
Both the processes mentioned above have been applied for the purpose of description or analysis of a situation. This could be called backward thinking: this is a matter of looking at something that is there and working it over. Forward thinking involves moving forward. Forward thinking involves building up something new rather than analysing something old. Innovation and creativity involve forward thinking. The distinction between backward and forward thinking is entirely arbitrary. There is no real distinction because one may have to look backward in a new way in order to move forward. A creative description may be just as generative as a creative idea. Both backward thinking and forward thinking are concerned with alteration, with improvement, with bringing about some effect. In practice backward thinking is however more concerned with explaining an effect whereas forward thinking is more concerned with bringing about an effect.
Forward thinking also raises the question of when to evaluate an idea and when to suspend judgement long enough to develop it.
When to use it
When diagnosing the cause of a recurring problem in a workflow, apply backward thinking to analyze assumptions and find root causes.
When generating ideas for a new product or service, use forward thinking to build something new without being constrained by existing solutions.
In a team meeting, explicitly adopt a forward thinking mode by deferring evaluation until all ideas are on the table.
To improve creativity, alternate between backward thinking (analyzing past successes) and forward thinking (imagining future possibilities).
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Analyzing a Failed Project
A team uses backward thinking to examine why a product launch failed. They review assumptions, identify missteps in the planning process, and generate alternative explanations for the outcome.
Brainstorming a New Feature
A designer applies forward thinking to create a novel user interface. They suspend judgement to explore wild ideas, then gradually refine them into a practical solution.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How might you use backward thinking to better understand a recent decision that led to unexpected results?
In what situations do you default to backward thinking when forward thinking might be more useful?
How can you practice suspended judgement to improve your forward thinking in group brainstorming sessions?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Lateral Thinking A Textbook of Creativity (Edward de Bono)