Got a shovel to think?

You most likely get these questions a lot:

What are you thinking? What do you think? Do you think that...? What were you thinking?

Questions leads you to think

So, why do you think?

To define and organize experiences, plan, learn, reflect, solve, and create

Thinking is hard.

You can't be impulsive all the time.

You have to squeeze your brain hard to form a response, an opinion or an idea.

Doing physical activities is easier than thinking.

You have two types of careers: you either do physical work as a career or work that requires brain power (thinking)

You must have heard or been told to think differently. Think outside the box.

• Become a creative thinker.

• Use analytical thinking.

• Employ strategic thinking or critical thinking.

Many call them types of thinking, but they are all labels for certain stages of thinking.

To become a distinguished thinker, you need to improve the way you think

But the environment you grow up in, the school you went to, the people you hang out with, and the TV you watch all manufacture and shape your thinking.

All have an influence on you. whatever you see and listen to, shapes your mind.

You unconsciously copy their actions, words, and responses in your day-to-day life and encounters

You repeat someone else's idea.

And you call it your own thinking. What you are doing is generating an answer from your brain's library, which you have stored from your environment over the years.

Thinking is hard.

Have you thought about why often you know what the other person is going to say or do?

Because you have heard or seen it before. You didn't think to consider other options.

You have relied on what you have in storage.

Thinking involves a lot of digging. That's why it's hard, like digging a deep hole with a shovel.

You have to find the right wordplay, concept, or structure to form an idea that captures others' attention, serve a purpose or provide good response.

Returning to the types of thinking that everyone preaches about—thinking differently—the question remains: how?

What they call creative thinking, analytical thinking, abstract thinking, and critical thinking are all stages of thinking that you use, either individually or collectively, for the same thought. You employ them based on the moment.

When you're comparing, you're analyzing. Then, you form an opinion, idea, or observation about it. You’re transitioning from the analytical to the creative stage of thinking.

Or you analyze and make a decision, you’re transitioning from analytical to critical thinking

When you reach an idea that impresses others, they may ask, 'How did you come up with it?'

Your response might entail explaining that you researched various topics, asked questions, analyzed data, explored existing ideas that may be similar, and evaluated and assessed certain factors.

All the stages you went through embody the types of thinking out there.

You didn't decide whether you are going to be abstract, analytical, or critical. The 'aha' moment dictates the stage of thinking.

Through the work I do as a design strategist and how projects can be ambiguous to approach, I've observed three ways of thinking framework:

Horizontal, vertical, and network framework

Horizontal thinking

Involves thinking in steps or a straight line. You start with a beginning point and then determine which points logically follow. You consider the related logical steps needed to connect them in order to reach a finish line and deliver a purpose, goal, or idea.

In each step of horizontal thinking, you need to consider the how to achieve it. This is when you delve into vertical thinking.

Vertical thinking

As you progress through each step of horizontal thinking, you dive deep into figuring out the tasks or activities necessary to achieve that particular step. You consider the capabilities required, identify systems and tools needed, and assess the support necessary to accomplish the task.

Once you've developed an idea, concept, or goal through the horizontal and vertical frameworks, you transition to the network thinking framework.

Network thinking

Involves connecting or linking the produced idea with other ideas, knowledge, or things. You zoom out and consider what other ideas, knowledge, or resources you can link to your produced idea, concept, or goal.

Making connections will expand your idea, knowledge or goal to higher level.

Here is an illustration explaining the three frameworks of thinking.

Whatever you're pursuing, make sure it forms a coherent block. The more you expand your thinking, the more advanced a person you become.

Thanks for reading!

Ahmed

PS two things I can help you with:

1. Run a business design discovery

Exploring and defining the strategic direction, objectives, and key elements to achieve market relevance. uncover opportunities, understand user needs, and design solutions that align with business goals.

2. Guiding and advising

Guide you and help you on a project you’re working on; need help to set direction to reach desired outcomes.