The Provocative Operation Creativity Method
“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”
Edward de Bono was a physician, psychologist, and author.
He wrote over 60 books on creativity, including Six Thinking Hats, and is well-known for coining the term ‘lateral thinking’.
This indirect, creative approach to problem-solving differs from traditional thinking, which is grounded in logic and restricted by its focus on existing patterns, frameworks, and rules.
Lateral thinking aims to break free from the confines of tried and tested methods to generate more creative, novel solutions to complex problems.
The PO (short for Provocative Operation) Creativity Method is a process for engaging lateral thinking by deliberately challenging conventional wisdom or perspectives on a given topic.
It follows a simple process:
1. Make A Provocative Statement: Begin with a provocative statement that appears entirely absurd or contradictory.
2. Engage with the Statement: Resist your bias to reject the statement. Engage with it in good faith. How might the statement be true? What would that world look like? Explore new ideas and possibilities.
3. Extract Useful Concepts: After exploring, extract any creative ideas or perspectives you can refine for use.
Let’s put it to the test.
Imagine you work for a large confectionery company launching a new chocolate bar.
The challenge is that it’s a busy market, so you must find a way to stand out.
Step one is to make your provocative statement.
E.g. “Let’s sell chocolate that tastes awful.”
It sounds ridiculous, but let’s see where it goes.
Step two is to explore the possibilities:
What if the bad taste is a feature? Could it be a spicy or bitter chocolate for daring, adventurous consumers?
Maybe it’s not literally awful, but could you play with the idea of unusual, unexpected flavours that make people curious - like bacon, lavender, or charcoal?
Could you create a marketing campaign in which people challenge each other to try it, turning it into a viral challenge?
Step three is to extract any practical ideas:
Launch a line of bold, unconventional flavours marketed as a “challenge for your taste buds.”
Create a social media campaign: “Are you brave enough to try the world’s weirdest chocolate?”
Introduce a product line where the flavour changes every month, keeping customers on their toes.
From what seemed like a silly starting point, you’ve now got several potential ideas you probably wouldn’t have thought of.
You won’t necessarily run with any crazy ideas, but it will lead to more outside-the-box thinking.
Undoubtedly, de Bono’s PO Creativity Method is a valuable process for anyone who wants to solve problems because it forces one to engage open-mindedly with novel ideas.
So, next time you or your team feel stuck in a linear thinking pattern, try the PO Creativity Method.
You’ll love our Creative Thinking course if you find the above helpful.
Made in collaboration with some of the world’s greatest creative minds, it's packed with practical tools and tips to help unlock your creative potential.
