When you’ve been stuck searching for a solution to a wicked problem, have you tried Opposite Thinking? This involves taking an opposite approach to solving the problem and identifying those things that will help you to achieve the opposite of what you really want to achieve. Instead of asking,
‘How do I solve or prevent this problem?’ ask,
‘How could I make the problem worse?’
This discussion can be fun and provide new insights into the problem, which then helps you to identify new solutions.
Barbara Wilson describes how to undertake negative brainstorming in our book, Creativity Cycling: Help your team solve complex problems with creative tools. She suggests that if you are working with a team, use a brainstorming approach to identify different ways that you can avoid or stop the problem from being solved. Put your ideas up on a whiteboard so everyone can see them. Then use a reversal exercise to discuss how you could turn each idea into something positive.
I’ve talked previously about the importance of identifying the assumptions we have about a problem, and about the solution, as they can constrain our thinking. I found an interesting video that presents an approach that maps out our assumptions as a first step in engaging in opposite thinking. Here’s a link to the video from Board of Innovation which will give you more ideas on how you can shake up your thinking to knotty problems.
References
Creativity Cycling: Help your team solve complex problems with creative tools by Barbara Wilson and Tracy Stanley