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{{Multiple issues|
{{Only primary sources|date=December 2021}}
{{More footnotes needed|date=December 2021}}
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'''''Po''''' is a word that precedes and signals a provocation. A provocation is an idea which moves thinking forward to a new place from where new ideas or solutions may be found. Po is also an [[interjection]], aimed at obtaining further clarifications without agreeing or disagreeing. 

== Etymology ==
The term po was first created by [[Edward de Bono]] as part of a [[lateral thinking]] technique to suggest forward movement, that is, making a statement and seeing where it leads to. It is an extraction from words such as [[hypothesis]], [[suppose]], [[Subjunctive possibility|possible]] and [[poetry]], all of which indicate forward movement and contain the syllable "po." Po can be taken to refer to any of the following: provoking operation, provocative operation or provocation operation.

Additionally, in [[Māori language|Maori]], the word "po" refers to the original chaotic state of formlessness, from which evolution occurred. Edward de Bono argues that this context as well applies to the term.{{cn|date=May 2022}}

== Usage ==

=== Initiating a proposal ===
For example, in response to "sales are dropping off because our product is perceived as old fashioned":
# po: Change the colour of the packaging
# po: [[market saturation|Flood the market]] with even older-looking products to make it seem more appealing
# po: Call it [[retro]]
# po: Sell it to old people
# po: Sell it to young people as a gift for old people
# po: Open a [[museum]] dedicated to it
# po: Market it as a new product

Some of the above ideas may be impractical, not sensible or not business-minded. The value of these ideas is that they move thinking from a place where it is entrenched to a place where it can move.

The above ideas might develop into:
{{columnslist|colwidth=30em|
# po: Change the colour of the packaging
#* update the product casing to bring it up to date (electronic goods can often do this)
# po: Flood the market with even older-looking products to make it seem more appealing
#* take a cut down version and release it as an older cheaper one to make this product seem like the [[high end|top of the line]]
# po: Call it retro
#* instead of retro say "tried and tested" or "industry standard"
# po: Sell it to old people
#* good idea
# po: Sell it to young people as a gift for old people
#* good idea
# po: Open a museum dedicated to it
#* exhibit only your competitor's products
#* sell this product in the [[museum]]
#* make the experience educational within your sector
#* open a [[café]]
#* accept group bookings
#* add a [[theme park]]
# po: Market it as a new product
#* give it a new name and call it [[state of the art]]
}}

The point of these examples is that an initial po may seem silly, but a further development may seem very good indeed. The intermediate silly idea is a necessary step to find the good idea.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* Edward de Bono. ''The Mechanism of Mind'' (1969). {{ISBN|0-224-61709-5}}, introduced the term po in chapter 34, ''The New Functional Word''
* Edward de Bono. ''Po: A Device for Successful Thinking'' (1972). {{ISBN|0-671-21338-5}}
* Edward de Bono. ''Po: Beyond Yes and No'' (1973). {{ISBN|0-14-021715-0}}
* Edward de Bono. ''Serious Creativity'' (1992). {{ISBN|0-00-255143-8}}
{{refend}}

[[Category:Reasoning]]
[[Category:Jargon]]
[[Category:Group problem solving methods]]
[[Category:Creativity techniques]]

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