vertical thinking

American  

[vur-ti-kuhl thing-king] / ˈvɜr tɪ kəl ˈθɪŋ kɪŋ /

noun

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

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

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Etymology

Origin of vertical thinking

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

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vertical thinking

This distinction between vertical thinking and horizontal thinking is as important in brain science as it is in contemporary economics.

From Forbes ● Nov. 21, 2012

The key to challenging the inviolable may lie in the difference between vertical thinking and lateral thinking.

From Time Magazine Archive