Reverse Brainstorm
Ideas flipped from ways to make it fail
- PhaseIdeate
- Group4 to 15 people
- Time30 minutes
- SettingRoom or remote
- ExecutivesYes
What it is
Reverse brainstorm asks the group to list every way to make something fail, then flips each failure into an idea or a safeguard. It is easier for people to name failures than to propose ideas, so it uncovers risks early.
When to use it
When ideas feel safe or the group is stuck, and when you want to find risks before building. It also helps people who hesitate to criticise.
When to skip it
When the group is already very cautious, or has been through a failed project and needs a positive start first.
How to run it
- 5 minAsk: “How could we make this problem worse, or make an AI solution fail badly?”
- 10 minEveryone lists as many ways as they can, quickly and playfully.
- 10 minFlip each one into an idea or a safeguard.
- 5 minPick the flips that matter and add them to the idea pool.
About 30 minutes of method time. Add ten to fifteen minutes to open and close the session.
What to watch for
Staying only in the failure list. Flips that are vague (“do it well”). A list of risks nobody acts on.
The AI lens
Include these failures: a confident wrong answer, data that should not have been used, and people who stop checking. The flips become the oversight design.
What you leave with
Ideas and safeguards flipped from failure modes.
An example
'How could we make customers lose trust in our AI assistant?' produces answers such as confident wrong answers, no way to reach a person and hidden data use. Each one flips into a design rule.
How it compares
Reverse Brainstorm generates safeguards before the idea exists. A Pre-mortem examines a specific plan after it has been chosen.
Related methods
Questions
What is Reverse Brainstorm?
Reverse brainstorm asks the group to list every way to make something fail, then flips each failure into an idea or a safeguard. It is easier for people to name failures than to propose ideas, so it uncovers risks early.
When should I use Reverse Brainstorm?
When ideas feel safe or the group is stuck, and when you want to find risks before building. It also helps people who hesitate to criticise.
How long does Reverse Brainstorm take and how many people do I need?
Reverse Brainstorm takes about 30 minutes and suits 4 to 15 people, plus a facilitator. Add ten to fifteen minutes to open and close the session.
How is Reverse Brainstorm different from other methods?
Reverse Brainstorm generates safeguards before the idea exists. A Pre-mortem examines a specific plan after it has been chosen.
Can I run Reverse Brainstorm remotely or with executives?
Yes. Reverse Brainstorm works in the room or remotely. Remotely, put the canvas on a shared board in advance and write silently in the board, not in chat. Executives: Yes, works with executives present.