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My Preferred Definitions

I created this work-in-progress list of my preferred defintions across all four areas of this website, with links back to the original article.

Separately but related, I created a specific post for Design Thinking vocabulary which may also be helpful.

Feel free to add your own definitions in the comments at the bottom of this page.

Definitions Used Through All Posts

Analytical Thinking, from Analytical Thinking vs Critical Thinking

Analytical Thinking breaks down a specific thing (a piece of information, insight, idea or decision) into smaller, discrete components or elements to better understand the whole. By understanding the whole, you may be able to apply the learning to anything else. Analytical Thinking is thinking inside itself.

Compare this definition to Critical Thinking.

Assertiveness, from Being Assertive

Communicating with others in a direct and honest manner without intentionally hurting anyone’s feelings.

Creative Churn, from Creative Churn

Endless brainstorming with diminishing returns

Common Sense, from 10 Ways to Harness Your Subconscious

One’s sound understanding and judgment, but not based on specialized education; this truth is shared by (or ‘common to’) nearly all people.

Conflict, from Managing Conflict

The condition in which people’s concerns (the things they care about) appear to be incompatible. (Kenneth Thomas)

Creativity, from The Definition of Creativity

The act of combining previously unconnected ideas, concepts, information or elements to make something new, unique or useful.

Creative Thinking, from Creative or Strategic?

Creative Thinking is one’s ability to create as many potential ideas as possible. In turn, this helps achieve a positive business outcome, either by solving a problem or issue or fulfilling a wish or a need.

Creative thinking expands upon the insights of strategic thinking by creating alternative plans, solutions or options. How many different ideas a person can quickly create is a useful definition of ‘how creative someone is.’

Critical Thinking, from Analytical Thinking vs Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking evaluates or critiques a specific thing (a piece of information, insight, idea or decision) by comparing and contrasting it against something else to better understand it. Critical Thinking is thinking outside of itself.

Compare this definition to Analytical Thinking.

Criticism, from The Difference Between Negativity and Criticism in Brainstorming

The expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes.

Compare this definition to Criticism, where negativity is general and criticism is specific.

Data, from How Information Becomes Ideas (The Information Chain)

A loose term to describe every single iota of intelligence in the world.

Empathy, from How To Be Empathetic in Seven Steps

Empathy is the ability to identify and accept the feelings and perspectives of another, and to respond appropriately.

See Sympathy for comparison

Free Association, from Word Stimulus

Free association is a mental game where a stimulus – like a word or a photograph – spontaneously suggests another word, usually without any logical connection between the first and second.

Force Fitting, from How To Create Ideas

Force Fitting is a conscious and deliberate creative technique to force two elements together, usually against logic or reason, to create a new idea.

Grawlix, from The Basics of Email

 The use of typographical symbols to replace profanity.

Glossophobia, from Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

The fear of public speaking.

Idea, from The Definition of an Idea

A single solution, plan or option which solves a specific problem or fulfils a need.

Nothing more or less than a new combination of old elements. (James Webb Young, a creative director at the advertising agency J.W. Thompson in thew 1920s.)

Two divergent thought elements which come together to produce a new idea, one that is fresh, different and unique from the original sources. (From a Facebook Creativity community, from 2001.)

Imagination, from How to Stimulate Brainstorming

Your ability to create mental visions or pictures of the future.

In the Box Thinking, from Out of the Box

Going by the rules, using existing or standard policies, or following common methodologies

Infinity, from How to Stimulate Brainstorming

Your ability to create as many ideas as possible.

Insight, from How to Stimulate Brainstorming

Isolating the kernel of truth or understanding about a particular topic.

Intelligence, from How to Stimulate Brainstorming

The combination of your knowledge and skills stored in your brain.

Intuition, from Strengthen Your Intuition in Ten Steps

The ability to understand a topic, a situation or a person without the need for conscious thinking or logical reasoning.

Also, from Intuition

Making a decision without a specific thought process, based on a personal perception of the truth.

Knowledge, from How Information Becomes Ideas (The Information Chain)

Practical or theoretical information or skills that you acquire through learning, as well as judging it through your lens of experience and perceptions.

Listening (Active), from Listening

Active listening is hearing what the person is trying to tell you, not listening and waiting for what you want to hear.

Metaphor, from Metaphors

Compares an existing problem with another unrelated problem, object or situation.

Mood Boards, from Mood Boards

A curated collection of random images, words and textures brought into focus by a single reference point

Negativity, from The Difference Between Negativity and Criticism in Brainstorming

The expression of criticism of or pessimism about something.

Compare this definition to Criticism, where negativity is general and criticism is specific.

Objectives, from Objectives Strategies Tactics: What’s the Difference?

Objectives are statements expressing a mission, a purpose or a standard.

Out of the Box Thinking, from Out of the Box

Thinking outside of your assumptions, limitations and self-restrictions to gain new solutions to solve problems.

Problem, from Defining the Problem

The gap between the current state of affairs (either/both the situation or mindset) and the desired state of affairs (either/both situation or mindset), by Gene Agre from ‘The Concept of a Problem.’

Science (or Exact Science), from Is Creativity an Art or a Science?

An exact science is knowledge systematised to the extent that it can predicted and verified through measurement, experiment and observation.

Strategic Thinking, from Creative or Strategic?

Strategic Thinking is one’s ability to judge whether a specific situation or piece of information is right or wrong. This is based on whether that situation or information can help achieve a positive business outcome or solve a business problem or issue. Strategic Thinking reduces gathered information down to how accurately and/or quickly a person can extract insight from general information is a useful definition of ‘how strategic someone is.’

Sympathy, from How To Be Empathetic in Seven Steps

When you feel compassion, sorry or pity for the other party. You share the other party’s emotion.

Compare this definition to Empathy.

Tactics, from Objectives Strategies Tactics: What’s the Difference?

A tactic is a specific step of action, planned and implemented to make a strategy operative. A few aspects will separate a strategy from a tactic. It usually has a vendor (or a ‘do-er’), a budget and a time-frame.

Values, from Universal Values

Values are the deeply rooted principles or standards which are universally accepted among the target audience.

Also, Universal Values are values that an overwhelming number of human beings, in the vast majority of places and situations, at almost all times, hold in common, whether consciously and explicitly or as expressed in their behaviour.

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