Problem Reversal
Reference model
Reversing the problem can reveal hidden opportunities and blind spots.
About this model
A technique, often called reverse brainstorming, that looks at a problem from the opposite angle: instead of asking how to solve it, ask how to cause it or make it worse, then flip each answer back into a practical solution.
Originator not stated.
How to read it
- Start with a clear statement of the problem and the objective.
- Reverse it: ask how you could cause the problem or achieve the opposite.
- List the reversed ideas, then flip each one back into a real action.
- Score the flipped actions on impact and ease, and take the best into the action plan.
What this does
Generates new ideas by flipping the problem on its head, then turning each reversed idea back into a real action and ranking the results, so a team can choose which fresh ideas to pursue.
When to use it
Use it when traditional problem-solving methods have stalled and fresh perspectives are needed to uncover options that are not immediately obvious.
Not when: Do not use it when the problem is straightforward and can be solved with existing solutions, or when the cause is already known and only execution is missing.
What happens next
Test the top-ranked ideas against the constraints, for example with an impact-effort matrix, and then run the highest-scoring ones as small pilots through the action plan.
Golden thread
Builds on ←
- Problem statement
- Brainstorming
- Root cause analysis
Feeds into →
- Action plan
- Impact-effort matrix
Use this tool, free
Sign in to open the worksheet. Your work saves as you type, the AI can draft the parts you have not filled in, and you finish with an analysis and a 30/60/90-day action plan.
Drafted with AI and reviewed by Eccellere on 04/11/2026. Guidance, not advice: apply your own judgement.