Lateral Thinking Workshop Template
Workshop Preparation
Problem/Challenge: [Clearly state the problem or opportunity you’re addressing]
Workshop Objectives: [List specific goals for this lateral thinking session]
Participants: [List who should be involved and why]
Materials Needed: - Sticky notes/digital whiteboard - Markers/digital drawing tools - Timer - [Other specific materials]
Environment Setup: [Describe ideal physical or virtual space arrangement]
Opening Activities (15-20 minutes)
Welcome and Introduction: [Brief explanation of lateral thinking and session goals]
Psychological Safety Establishment: [How you’ll create a judgment-free environment]
Warm-up Exercise: [Simple activity to get participants thinking creatively]
Provocation Operations (30-40 minutes)
Current Assumptions Identification: [List 3-5 key assumptions about the problem/situation]
Assumption | Provocation (PO) Statement | Exploration Notes |
[Assumption 1] | [Reversed or distorted version] | [Ideas that emerge] |
[Assumption 2] | ||
[Assumption 3] | ||
[Assumption 4] | ||
[Assumption 5] |
Stepping Stones: [Note which provocations seem most promising to develop]
Random Stimulation (30-40 minutes)
Random Elements Selection: [List 3-5 random words, images, or concepts to use]
Random Element | Key Attributes | Forced Connections to Problem | Ideas Generated |
[Random word/image 1] | [List attributes] | [How these connect to problem] | [Resulting ideas] |
[Random word/image 2] | |||
[Random word/image 3] |
Development of Promising Connections: [Identify and elaborate on the most interesting connections]
Concept Extraction (30-40 minutes)
Analogous Situations/Solutions: [Identify 3-5 situations or systems that solve similar abstract challenges]
Analogous Situation | Core Principles | Application to Our Problem | Adapted Solution Concept |
[Situation 1] | [What makes it work] | [How it relates] | [Solution idea] |
[Situation 2] | |||
[Situation 3] |
Assumption Challenging (30-40 minutes)
Comprehensive Assumption List: [List all assumptions about the problem, both obvious and hidden]
Assumption | Is it Always True? | What If It Wasn’t? | Alternative Approach |
[Assumption 1] | [Yes/No/Sometimes] | [Implications] | [Possible solution] |
[Assumption 2] | |||
[Assumption 3] | |||
[Assumption 4] | |||
[Assumption 5] |
Idea Clustering and Development (30-40 minutes)
Idea Organization: [Group similar ideas that emerged from previous exercises]
Concept Combination: [Identify opportunities to combine or build upon ideas]
Most Promising Lateral Concepts: 1. [Concept 1] - Key insight: - Potential benefits: - Development needed:
- [Concept 2]
- Key insight:
- Potential benefits:
- Development needed:
- [Concept 3]
- Key insight:
- Potential benefits:
- Development needed:
Practical Application Planning (20-30 minutes)
Bridge to Implementation: [How to translate lateral concepts into practical solutions]
Testing Approach: [How to validate the most promising ideas]
Stakeholder Considerations: [How to present unconventional ideas to gain support]
Workshop Conclusion (15-20 minutes)
Key Insights Summary: [Recap the most valuable perspectives gained]
Next Steps: [Specific actions to take after the workshop]
Participant Reflection: [Questions for participants to consider about the process]
Post-Workshop Documentation
Idea Documentation: [How all ideas will be captured for future reference]
Follow-up Plan: [Schedule for developing promising concepts]
Process Evaluation: [How to assess the effectiveness of the lateral thinking session]
Remember: The goal of lateral thinking is not just to generate wild ideas, but to break established patterns of thought to discover new approaches that can be developed into practical solutions.