Brainstorming's Bizarre Cousin: Introducing Reverse Brainstorming

What? ??

When it comes to problem-solving and idea generation, brainstorming is a popular technique that encourages people to think freely and share their ideas without judgment. It's like a party for wild and crazy ideas, where anything goes and everyone's invited to join in.The goal is to generate a huge pile of ideas, even if they seem silly or impossible at first. Later on, these ideas can be sorted through and refined to find the hidden gems that might just change the world.

But what if you've tried brainstorming and still can't seem to find the solution you're looking for? That's where reverse brainstorming comes in. It's like taking the problem and turning it on its head, asking the question "How can we make the problem worse?" instead of "How can we solve the problem?" It's a strange and counterintuitive approach, but it can be surprisingly effective at uncovering new perspectives and creative solutions.

Once the problem has been thoroughly "reversed," the team can then work to flip the ideas back around and find ways to solve the problem in unexpected and innovative ways. By combining the power of traditional brainstorming with the unconventional approach of reverse brainstorming, teams can tap into their full creative potential and find solutions to even the toughest challenges.

Reverse brainstorming is an effective technique to use when it's difficult to find direct solutions to a problem. This engaging process can reveal hidden faults in a product or process and bring fresh perspectives to the table. It's a useful approach to consider when traditional brainstorming methods are not yielding the desired results.

When you reverse brainstorm you start with the problem, not the solution → The major principle of Design Thinking

How? ??

Following are the steps you can follow to use the Reverse Brainstorming Technique

1. Problem : Identify the problem or challenge to be addressed.
2. Reverse : Reverse the question and ask "how can we make the problem worse?"
3. Collect : Collect all the ideas generated by this process.
4. Reverse : Reverse the ideas back to "how can we solve the problem?"
5. Evaluate : Evaluate the reversed ideas and select the most promising ones for further development.

For example, a company looking to improve their customer service could use reverse brainstorming. Instead of generating ideas to improve the customer experience, the team would ask themselves how they could make the customer experience worse. This approach could lead to ideas like rude representatives, long wait times, or confusing phone systems. After reversing the ideas back to "how can we improve the customer experience?", the team can focus on solutions like faster response times, more helpful representatives, or simplified phone systems. By using reverse brainstorming, the team can identify potential problems and challenges in a more creative and unconventional way, leading to better solutions and a more positive customer experience.

Some guidelines that you can follow during the process

• No criticism of negative ideas
• New and wild negative ideas are welcomed, in fact needed
• No war stories (it is called "productive blocking" in brainstorming literature)

Pros and Cons ??

Pros

• Easier than traditional positive brainstorming
• Criticism is easier
• Does not require a lot of training
• Can be fun and help teams that are tired, cynical or hostile
• Can be used with in remote or face-to-face brainstorming

Cons

• Requires good facilitation
• Requires time to convert negative ideas to positive ideas

Conclusion ??

Reverse brainstorming is a technique that is built on our natural inclination to identify problems rather than solutions. By starting with the question of how to make a problem worse, teams can more easily identify potential issues and pitfalls that may have been overlooked with traditional brainstorming methods. This approach can be particularly useful for entrepreneurs who may be overly optimistic about their ideas and need a check to ensure they are not overlooking potential flaws.

Additionally, reverse brainstorming can help save teams from the sunk cost fallacy, which occurs when they invest more time, money, or resources into a project that is not yielding the expected results. By examining how to make a problem worse, teams can identify potential issues early on, allowing them to cut their losses and redirect their efforts towards more promising solutions.

Reverse brainstorming can be a valuable technique for approaching problems from a fresh perspective and generating innovative solutions. However, it's important to note that it may not be suitable for every situation and that it's just one tool in the problem-solving toolkit. Teams can achieve better outcomes and make more informed decisions by considering the strengths and weaknesses of reverse brainstorming and choosing the appropriate technique for the task at hand. By using this technique in conjunction with other problem-solving methods, teams can effectively tackle problems and drive innovation in their organizations.

“It was only by starting with the question of what could go wrong that we were able to come up with creative solutions to ensure that nothing did.” - Eric Ries in his book 'The Lean Startup'