CoRT thinking tools practice items
(Optional discussion.)
Thinking tools/frameworks improve thinking skill much more than discussion does. One reason is that in discussion it's very difficult to pay attention to the thinking process rather than to the content (because the content is interesting). Also, "Understanding [of the tools] will never lead to [their] use. Use can only come from habit and habit can only come from practice." (See this post by de Bono)
de Bono says that we should always practice with a mix of items of different types. The four types below are from "Teach Your Child How to Think" but I think de Bono means that adults too should use them, maybe with minor adaptations. If we post such items here, forming a catalogue of items, we can use some of each other's. Some of other people's items may be better than our own. We'll also have to spend less time designing items, so we'll have more time for actually practising the tools. (You can use the tools to create practice items for the tools, but beginners aren't skilled at the tools yet, so it may not be easy for them to use the tools to design items.)
Please post practice items below. If you want to, also add your results of doing them (your thinking output), and then others can add theirs. It's better not to look at others output from doing an item, before doing this item yourself.
Also look at practice items for the Six Thinking Hats here and for lateral thinking here.
1. Fun items
2. Remote items
3. Backyard items
4. Heavy items
Source: de Bono, Edward (1993), Teach Your Child How to Think. Penguin Books Ltd
Lateral thinking practice items
Thinking tools/frameworks improve thinking skill much more than discussion does. One reason is that in discussion it's very difficult to pay attention to the thinking process rather than to the content (because the content is interesting). Also, "Understanding [of the tools] will never lead to [their] use. Use can only come from habit and habit can only come from practice." (See this post by de Bono)
de Bono says that we should always practice with a mix of items of different types. The four types below are from "Teach Your Child How to Think" but I think de Bono means that adults too should use them, maybe with minor adaptations. If we post such items here, forming a catalogue of items, we can use some of each other's. Some of other people's items may be better than our own. We'll also have to spend less time designing items, so we'll have more time for actually practising the tools. (You can use the tools to create practice items for the tools, but beginners aren't skilled at the tools yet, so it may not be easy for them to use the tools to design items.)
Please post practice items below. If you want to, also add your results of doing them (your thinking output), and then others can add theirs. It's better not to look at others output from doing an item, before doing this item yourself.
Also look at practice items for the Six Thinking Hats here and for lateral thinking here.
Thinking tools
Click for an incomprehensive summary of seven CoRT tools which leaves out many important things.Practice items
Some of the examples below are for children but you can design practice items suitable for adults instead of using them. Not just children but adults too should practice with a mix of these four types of items.1. Fun items
2. Remote items
3. Backyard items
4. Heavy items
1. Fun items
These are imaginative, crazy, speculative and not meant to be taken seriously. Although the subject matter is not serious the principles, functions and operations are quite real (as with a metaphor). ‘What would happen if we all had a third arm in the middle of our chest?’ ‘Would it be a good idea if all children over the age of ten had to put in ten hours a week of real paid work?’ ‘If dogs could talk, what would change?’2. Remote items
These are sensible and realistic items but fall outside the experience and needs of the youngsters who are doing the thinking exercises. They may be items from the world of business, government or adult life in general. ‘What factors would you consider in choosing where to set up a new fast-food place?’ ‘How would you solve the problem of traffic congestion in cities?’ ‘What should be done with household garbage?’ ‘There is a lot of theft from the shop you are running, how would you solve this problem?’3. Backyard items
These are items that are directly relevant to the age, peer group, local environment and interests of the youngster who is learning the thinking skills. ‘Your best friend seems to be avoiding you and you do not know why – what can you do?’ ‘Your brother with whom you share a room keeps messing up the room – what can you do?’ ‘You have a choice of three things to do during the holidays – how do you make the choice?’ ‘How would you plan a party for your friends?’4. Heavy items
These are serious matters that have a direct relevance to the life of the youngster who is learning thinking. The age, interests and situation of youngsters will influence the choice of items. New items can be introduced arising from real-life needs and difficulties. These items should be used sparingly. Above all, it is important that these serious items should not be used as an excuse for parents to ’preach’ to their children. As with other types of item, these serious items must be tackled in an objective thinking manner. ’Should young people smoke?’ ’You want to have the freedom to come home late but your parents want you home early – what can you do?’ ’You know that your friends are experimenting with drugs, how can you persuade them not to?’ ’You can never find time to study, how can you solve this problem?’ ’How can you make more friends in the neighbourhood?’Source: de Bono, Edward (1993), Teach Your Child How to Think. Penguin Books Ltd
Practice
Six Thinking Hats practice itemsLateral thinking practice items
Tags: cort
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Andy on -
(1. Fun item:) A new happiness pill is invented which is not just an antidepressive but even makes people who are not depressed at all much happier. Do a CAF on this.
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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It's very nice that you liked my practice item, Dennis! Also, thanks for sharing your thinking output when doing it! (Those who want to do it should do so before looking at the output of others). For me, my item fulfills all the requirements for a "fun item" (see above). I wonder if dr de Bono means that you have to fulfill every criteria for a certain type of item. Of course I think it's better the more of the requirements that you fulfill.
Yes, part of the value of this site is to show off your skill in using dr de Bono's thinking tools and methods. You could look at how good people are at using the tools and not just at how much knowledge they have or how good ideas they have that are not the result of using his methods. To come up with practice items you can use random input (the random word technique).
Yes, de Bono says that a strict time discipline removes the anguish in thinking and also makes you focus better and not think about other things. 5 or 3 minutes or even 30 seconds may seem a short time at first but is not so when you have practiced the tools for some time. 'After all, complicated dreams are supposed to take place within seconds of real time (de Bono)'.
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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People would take the pills and would be changed in such a way that a (type of) problem was solved, by changing their behaviour (forcing them to solve the problem), abilities or something else - is this what you mean, Dennis? You could use this sequence: CAF, (FIP,) APC, FIP, then PMI and C&S on each chosen (type of) problem, and so on. What sequence of tools would you use?
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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(I wonder what would've happened if as a child dr. de Bono had learned the thinking tools that he has created.)
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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'When aren't you sure of what you're trying to do?' This is what you have to answer to create a 'fun' practice item for AGO, since these are speculative. What could be the answer? Could someone create such a practice item, please?
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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I'll do an AGO for this situation later and see if I really am unsure of what the purpose of creating the new professions is. Thanks, Dennis!
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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What would be the purpose of creating the new professions?
- Decreasing unemployment.
- Making them better fit people: their interests, knowledge, skills (thinking skills), (abilities), etc.
- Making them fit many people.
- Making them better fit these new times.
- Making their tasks varied to reduce boredom, etc.
- Getting a sense of achievement from designing the new professions.
- Etc.
When you have listed enough purposes you can do a FIP. That's where the uncertainty comes in: choosing which purposes to include/exclude when designing the professions. You would be unsure of what you're trying to do which is what is requried of a 'fun' practice item involving AGO.
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Great items, mr Perrin! I'll check which requirements of a 'fun' practice item they fulfill, and I'll do the items later.
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Dennis Perrin said:Think of three to six entirely new professions
1. 'Do an AGO on creating an entirely new profession.'
2. Create three to six such professions (in theory), using some de Bono tools.
'Do an AGO on creating an entirely new profession.' means: 'What are your objectives when you want to create such a profession?' This doesn't mean just the purposes of the new profession, but also includes such things as: 'finding out what new services and products people would pay for'.
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Dennis Perrin said:More Fun Practice Items
Make up a joke about a woman who went into a shop to buy a bed.
http://www.debonosociety.com/forum/topics/lateral-thinking-practice...
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Dennis Perrin said:More Fun Practice Items
Some people in your neighbourhood all over 50 start wearing bright pink shoes. Give two reasons why.
http://www.debonosociety.com/forum/topics/lateral-thinking-practice...
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Permalink Reply by Andy on
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Practice item and my result when doing it
Do an AGO on inventing a name for a new ice cream that takes a very long time to melt in the hot sun while it's in its own container (derived from Dennis Perrin's practice item).
Here comes my result of doing this item. If you want to do this item you too, it's better if you do so before looking at my result. You can post your own result so that I can see what is missing in mine and what is there in both our results.
The objectives can be:
• Make the ice cream sell well.
• The name mustn't easily make you think of unpleasant things.
• The name mustn't already be taken.
• The name should indicate the special property of the ice cream.
• The name shouldn't mean something bad in other languages
• Select a name that you won't quickly have to change.
• Use humour.
• The name should be easily remembered.
• The name should be easy to pronounce.
• Show off your skill in lateral thinking and idea creativity.
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