Random Entry Technique
Updated 2026-08-15
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
The random entry technique is one of Edward de Bono's lateral thinking tools. A word or image is selected at random, unrelated to the problem, and the thinker is required to connect it to the problem and generate ideas from that connection. The core claim is that deliberate thinking follows established paths, so an irrelevant stimulus forces associations the normal route would never reach. The qualification is that the technique only generates candidate ideas, so it must be followed by evaluation, otherwise it produces novelty without value.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Random stimulus: pick an unrelated word and force a connection to the problem at hand. - Pattern break: use the awkwardness of the connection to reveal assumptions you were not seeing. - Converge step: evaluate the ideas generated and keep only the ones that survive testing.
Anchor fast decisions
Established thinking moves along the paths that previous experience made easy, so it reaches the same conclusions repeatedly. Forcing a connection to an unrelated word makes those paths unusable and pushes the search into territory the normal route does not cover. The value comes from the detour rather than from the random word itself, which is why the output is a set of candidates rather than an answer.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinkingverified
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