Think ‘outside the box’ 想一下「箱子外面」

某日和同事一起研究專案工程的技術文件，他拿著一封郵件來問我，信上面寫著：They are still evaluating this to be part of their rack design but need us to help them think ‘outside the box’， 「這裡講的box在哪？」
對啊，我看著線路圖上面有好多個box，上面只有編號區分，這裡是指哪個box呢？

圖片來源:istock

原來這是一個片語，根據Merriam Webster的解釋：

think outside the box是指，探索創造性和不尋常的想法，不受規則或傳統的限制或控制；用白話一點的說法就是「突破傳統思考」，或是「跳脫框架思維」。

所以原句譯為：

They are still evaluating this to be part of their rack design but need us to help them think ‘outside the box’.

他們仍在評估這是否屬於他們機櫃設計的一部分，但需要我們幫助他們“跳出框架”來思考。
evaluate 評估；rack機櫃；design設計

例句：
To solve this puzzle, you'll have to think outside the box.
要解決這個難題，您必須跳出框架思考。
Puzzle難題

This company is going to go out of business unless we start thinking outside the box.
除非我們開始跳出框架思考，否則這家公司將倒閉。
go out of business歇業、倒閉

Some of the best inventions have come from someone taking a regular product and adapting it by thinking outside the box.
一些最好的發明來自於某人使用一般性(常規)產品，並藉由跳出框架思考對其進行調整。
invention發明；adapt改編、調整

Advertising agencies must think outside the box to come up with fresh new ideas that will grab consumers' attention.
廣告公司必須跳出框架思考，想出新的創意來吸引消費者的注意力。
come up with想出； grab someone's attention吸引某人注意。