developing unorthodox methods of solving problems
a heuristic for solving problems; you try to look at the problem from many angles instead of tackling it head-on
A popular term coined by Edward de Bono in the 1960s for unorthodox thinking. Learning: An increase in knowledge or skill.
The use of non-linear thinking processes to generate new ideas, check assumptions, and change perspective
Lateral thinking is a term coined by Edward de Bono, a Maltese psychologist, physician, and writer; the notion of lateral truth is discussed by Robert M. Pirsig in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance from the same era (1973/1974). De Bono defines Lateral Thinking as methods of thinking concerned with changing concepts and perception.