Creativity and quality

Edward de Bono's work helped shatter the theory that creativity is a talent possessed only by a gifted few who can see beyond current paradigms. His seminal work in The Mechanism of the Mind and later in Lateral Thinking established the theory that creativity is a skill that can be developed and enhanced through structured training and teaching. The editors of QMHC invited Dr. de Bono to share his thoughts on the relationship between creativity and quality. In this essay, he presents his views on possible limitations of traditional quality improvement thinking and demonstrates the importance that creativity plays in enhancing quality improvement efforts.