Non-geometrical Shapes
A lateral thinking concept that moves beyond standard geometrical patterns to constructing new patterns in complex situations, illustrated by the puzzle of describing a milk bottle with half a pint of water.
THE IDEA
Non-geometrical shapes
Having used the geometrical shapes to illustrate the deliberate search for alternatives (and also the possibility of such alternatives) one can move on to more complex situations. In these more complex situations it is not so much a matter of picking out standard patterns as alternatives but of putting things together to give a pattern.
- A one pint milk bottle with half a pint of water in it. How would you describe that bottle?
When to use it
Solving problems where conventional approaches fail by reframing the problem
Creative brainstorming sessions that require novel combinations of ideas
Analyzing ambiguous situations that do not fit standard patterns
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Milk Bottle Puzzle
A one pint milk bottle with half a pint of water in it. How would you describe that bottle? This puzzle encourages looking beyond standard descriptions to construct a new pattern.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How would you describe a milk bottle that contains half a pint of water? What different perspectives could you take?
In what complex situations can you deliberately construct new patterns instead of relying on standard ones?
Often confused with
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Lateral Thinking A Textbook of Creativity (Edward de Bono)