Reverse Brainstorm
A reverse brainstorm asks how to make the problem worse, then flips each bad idea into a solution — a way round students' fear of "wrong" ideas.
Intermediate◷ 5–10 minFree · no login
How would you make it worse? Then flip it.
How to use it + an example
How to use it
- 1Ask "how could we make this problem as bad as possible?"
- 2Collect as many bad ideas as possible, quickly.
- 3Flip each one into its opposite and keep the flips worth developing.
Example
"Make the lunch queue slower" gives "one till, cash only", which flips into pre-ordering and a second pickup point.
When to use it: When a class is stuck generating ideas, or to find hidden problems in a design (MYP Design Criterion B).
Ideate: Lots of ideas first. Pick one after.
Your turn ↓
Flip your thinking upside down
First brainstorm ways to cause the problem. Then flip each bad idea into a solution.
Enter to start · Shift+Enter for a new line
Look back. Which terrible idea flipped into your best one?
Try next
- SCAMPER7 thinking strategies to transform existing ideas into new ones.Try it free →
- Lotus DiagramExpand a central idea into 8 themes, then 8 sub-ideas each.Try it free →
- Morphological ChartCombine features across categories to generate novel combinations.Try it free →
For teachers: Ideate stage · 5-10m. Free, no login. One of the 45 design thinking tools on StudioLoom, which also puts them inside lessons so students’ thinking is saved with their project.