vertical thinking

[ vur-ti-kuhl thing-king ]

noun

1. a more traditional approach to problem solving that relies primarily on analytical and linear thought processes: Compare lateral thinking.

   In the first session we did a lot of brainstorming, and then used vertical thinking in the second session to select the feasible ideas.

Word History and Origins

Origin of vertical thinking¹

Coined in 1967 by Maltese psychologist E. de Bono (1933–2021)