Top down or bottom up?

Top-down and bottom-up thinking are complimentary. Let's see why:

The alternatives (all images produced in bCisive Online)

Both top-down and bottom-up thinking cut across the critical / creative thinking divide:

Critical thinking

• Structuring and categorizing (mainly bottom-up)
• Hypothesis testing (top-down)
• Argument mapping (top-down and bottom-up aspects)

Creative thinking

• Brainstorming (bottom-up)
• Mind-mapping (top-down)
• Dialogue and issue mapping (top-down)
  

Let's look at what's good about each in visual form:

Some merits of working top-down

Some merits of working bottom-up

A combined approach

The pertinent "higher level" thinking skill is knowing which tool -- top-down or bottom-up? -- to use for which job.

As with all techniques, practising the skills is important -- first learn the rules of the game, follow them until they become internalized, then understand the limits of the rules and where to break 'em -- and then you can enjoy the benefits of these complimentary approaches.