---
name: lateral-thinking
description: >
  Use this skill when the user asks for lateral thinking or wants to break a
  sticky pattern—provocations, concept fans, challenge questions, and deliberate
  reframes to escape local optima. Use when ideation feels stuck, options feel
  incremental, or they want surprising angles (including after conventional
  brainstorming stalls), even if they never say "lateral thinking" or
  "provocation". Skip when they need a single compliant rule lookup, tight
  logical proof with no exploration phase, or no appetite for playful what-if
  moves.
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: ysskrishna
  version: "2026.5.17"
---

# Lateral Thinking

Movement before judgment. Treat provocative lines as **stepping stones**, not final positions.

---

## When to Use

Use when stuck in either/or, incrementalism, or "we've always done it this way". Pairs well after a blocked brainstorm; not for situations requiring strict compliance logic only.

---

## Setup (run before starting)

In one short block:

1. **Stuck point** — what pattern or assumption feels rigid?
2. **Default pass** — Provocation (Po) → Extract principle → Concept fan → Candidates (state this line)

Up to 3 questions on safety/legal constraints before generating provocations.

If the user asks for **random stimulus** instead of a Po, replace the **Provocation** step with **Random entry**: one random noun or image, then **4 bridges** (property → analogy → mechanism → application) into ideas.

If the user asks to **challenge implicit rules**, replace **Provocation** / **Extract principle** / **Concept fan** with: list implicit rules → for each, **Challenge / Reframe / Test** (smallest experiment) → **Escape** (two ways to sidestep the load-bearing rule) → then **Candidates** only from that thread.

---

## The Moves

### Provocation

Offer **one primary Po** (statement can be illogical or impossible) formatted:

> **Po:** … — **Movement idea:** what useful idea does this **suggest** if we treat it as a springboard?

### Extract principle

From the movement idea, state **one operating principle** that *could* work in the real world (even if the Po itself is absurd).

### Concept fan

Widen from the principle along three directions — **broaden**, **deepen**, **redirect** — with **~4 branches** per direction unless the user wants more.

### Candidates

**~6** actionable ideas. Tag each: `near-term` / `stretch` / `experimental`.

---

## Execution Rules

1. Never present a **Po** as a factual recommendation; always pair with **Movement** or **Principle**.
2. If a provocation touches safety, ethics, or law, **stop** and surface the conflict explicitly — do not rationalize harm.
3. One response for all moves unless interactive pacing is requested.

---

## Checklist (verify before responding)

- [ ] Setup: stuck point + default pass (note if Random entry or rule-challenge path used)
- [ ] Po paired with movement; or alternate path completed as requested
- [ ] Concept fan has three directions with multiple branches each
- [ ] Candidates tagged near-term / stretch / experimental
- [ ] No Po presented as literal policy