Reverse Brainstorming Template
Reverse your thinking in order to find the solution to a problem.
Trusted by 65M+ users and leading companies
About the Reverse Brainstorming Template
Reverse brainstorming is a creative problem-solving technique that involves thinking about a problem in reverse order. Instead of starting with the question, "How do we solve or improve this?" reverse brainstorming asks, "How could we possibly cause the problem or make it worse?"
This approach is used to stimulate new ideas and perspectives that might not emerge during traditional brainstorming sessions.
How to use the reverse brainstorming template
Reverse brainstorming is particularly useful when traditional brainstorming is not yielding effective solutions, or when a team is facing a mental block. Miro's reverse brainstorming template is easy to use and encourages thinking outside the box.
Follow these steps to get started with the template:
1. Identify the problem
In the first box, clearly define the problem or challenge you are facing. Describe it in a sentence or two and make sure it is clear to everyone involved in the brainstorming session.
2. Reverse the problem
In the box below, write down what the reverse of the problem would look like. For example, if the problem your team is trying to solve for involves "how to make a smartphone app more user-friendly," the reverse could be "how to create a complicated user interface for an app."
3. Collect ideas
Ask your team to generate ideas around ways in which the problem could get worse. There are no bad ideas here — jot down any ways that the problem could be exacerbated. This might involve considering actions that would lead to the opposite of your desired outcome.
To continue with the above example, some ideas could be:
Make the app interface confusing and hard to navigate
Introduce frequent, intrusive advertisements
Slow down the app’s performance with unnecessary features
4. Reverse the ideas to find solutions
By now, you have several reverse ideas. Discuss them and reverse them again, this time into solutions to those problems. This step involves looking at the reverse brainstorming results and thinking about how to avoid or counteract these negative scenarios.
For example:
Design a clean, intuitive, and user-friendly interface
Minimize or strategically place advertisements to avoid user frustration
Optimize the app’s performance for speed and reliability
5. Evaluate the solutions
Now is the time to evaluate which ideas are feasible. Use the final box of the template to discuss how these solutions could be implemented, and prioritize which ideas to start working on first.
When to use the reverse brainstorming template
Reverse brainstorming is a great method to use in several scenarios. For example, when teams are having trouble coming up with ideas, reverse brainstorming can jolt the team out of conventional thinking patterns and help generate new perspectives.
Reverse brainstorming is also particularly useful for risk management and mitigation. By considering how things could go wrong or how a situation could deteriorate, teams can better prepare for potential risks and devise strategies to mitigate them.
No matter the problem you are trying to solve, Miro's virtual canvas is a great tool for your brainstorm — and the reverse brainstorming template is a handy way for teams to address complex, stubborn, or challenging issues.
Get started with this template right now.
Cisco Network Diagram Template
Works best for:
Software Development, Diagrams
Cisco offers data center and access networking solutions built for scale with industry-leading automation, programmability, and real-time visibility. The Cisco Data Network Diagram uses Cisco elements to show the network design of Cisco Data Networks visually.
Six Thinking Hats Template
Works best for:
Ideation, Brainstorming
The Six Thinking Hats by Dr. Edward de Bono was created as an alternative to argument, it is designed to help teams explore and develop ideas collaboratively. Use this template to boost creative thinking and get different perspectives so you and your team can make better-informed decisions.
Azure Data Flow Template
Works best for:
Software Development, Diagrams
The Azure Data Flow is a diagram that will allow you to combine data and build and deploy custom machine learning models at scale. Azure is Microsoft’s cloud computing platform, designed to provide many cloud-based services like remote storage, database hosting, and centralized account management. Azure also offers new capabilities like AI and the Internet of Things (IoT).
3-Circle Venn Diagram
Works best for:
Education, Diagrams, Brainstorming
Venn diagrams have been a staple of business meetings and presentations since the 1800s, and there’s a good reason why. Venn diagrams provide a clear, effective way to visually showcase relationships between datasets. They serve as a helpful visual aid in brainstorming sessions, meetings, and presentations. You start by drawing a circle containing one concept, and then draw an overlapping circle containing another concept. In the space where the circles overlap, you can make note of the concepts’ similarities. In the space where they do not, you can make note of their differences.
About Me Template
Works best for:
Meetings, Operations, Management
The About Me Template is a comprehensive tool designed to help individuals compile and present both personal and professional details. One of its standout benefits is the structured format, which not only ensures a polished and professional appearance but also lets users convey their narratives with clarity and consistency, making a memorable impression on viewers.
Icebreaker Template
Works best for:
Icebreakers
There’s no better way to kickoff a meeting or workshop than by building comfort and familiarity between your guests — to put them at ease and get them ready to participate and collaborate. That’s just the kind of human connection that icebreakers create, which make them great for remote gatherings or introducing new team members. There are many icebreakers to choose from, including: Describe yourself in one word. Share a photo of yourself as a baby. And if you were an animal, what would you be?