Reverse brainstorming template

Clear the path to impactful solutions by brainstorming the problems first

Reverse Brainstorming is a technique to help teams ultimately identify solutions by thinking of problems first.

As the name suggests, Reverse Brainstorming reverses the outcome of the brainstorming session to identify potential roadblocks to success rather than diving headfirst into potential solutions. It’s a great way to get your team to think about causes to current problems and things that are standing in the way of success to help clear a path to impactful solutions.

How it works

Step 1: Start by defining the goal or problem your team is trying to solve.

Step 2: Instead of thinking of solutions to the problem, invite your team to think of potential causes to the problem, or all of the things that could make the problem worse.

Step 3: Now, think of potential solutions to the ideas you’ve identified in the previous step.

Step 4: Discuss and evaluate the ideas to determine what’s feasible and what’s not.

Step 5: Note down action items and next steps.

Reverse Brainstorming is particularly helpful when:

• Your team is feeling blocked on generating ideas quickly
• You have a complex or persisting problem / goal
• You have a team member(s) that have strong opinions that may hold back the generation of free flow ideas
• You have a highly analytical team that may find identifying problems easier

This Reverse Brainstorming template will help you:

• Identify potential roadblocks and problems that you may not have considered in the past
• Identify impactful solutions more easily