inversion_analysis_template

Inversion Analysis Template

Problem Statement

Original Problem: [Clearly state the problem or goal you’re addressing]

Desired Outcome: [Describe what success looks like]

Goal Inversion

Inverted Goal: “How could we guarantee failure in achieving our objective?”

Ways to Fail
Why This Would Cause Failure
Prevention Strategy
[Failure mode 1]
[Explanation]
[How to prevent this]
[Failure mode 2]
[Failure mode 3]
[Failure mode 4]
[Failure mode 5]

Assumption Inversion

Key Assumption
Reversed Assumption
Implications if Reversed
Insights Generated
[Assumption 1]
[Opposite of assumption]
[What would follow]
[New perspective]
[Assumption 2]
[Assumption 3]
[Assumption 4]

Pre-Mortem Analysis

Scenario: Imagine it’s one year in the future, and our approach has completely failed.

Failure Description: [Write a brief “history” of what went wrong]

Likely Causes of Failure:

  1. Cause 1:
    • Warning Signs: [How we might detect this early]
    • Preventative Measures: [How to prevent this]
    • Contingency Plan: [What to do if it happens anyway]
  2. Cause 2:
    • Warning Signs:
    • Preventative Measures:
    • Contingency Plan:
  3. Cause 3:
    • Warning Signs:
    • Preventative Measures:
    • Contingency Plan:

Negative Visualization

Worst-Case Scenarios: [Describe specific negative outcomes in detail]

Emotional Impact: [How would these outcomes feel? Why do they matter?]

Preparation Strategies: [How can you prepare for these scenarios?]

“Not To-Do” List

Based on the inversion analysis, these are things we commit to avoiding:

  1. [Action/approach to avoid]
  2. [Action/approach to avoid]
  3. [Action/approach to avoid]
  4. [Action/approach to avoid]
  5. [Action/approach to avoid]

Solution Inversion

How to Fail
Inverted into Success Strategy
Implementation Approach
[From failure list]
[Opposite approach]
[How to implement this]

Regret Minimization

Future Perspective: Imagine looking back on this decision in [5/10/20] years.

Potential Regrets for Each Option: - Option A: [What might you regret about this choice?] - Option B: [What might you regret about this choice?] - Option C: [What might you regret about this choice?]

Regret-Minimizing Approach: [Based on the above, which approach minimizes potential future regret?]

Key Insights from Inversion

Most Valuable Inversions: [Which inverted perspectives provided the most insight?]

Surprising Discoveries: [What unexpected insights emerged from this process?]

Revised Approach Based on Inversion: [How has your thinking changed after this analysis?]

Remember: Inversion is not about being negative—it’s about being thorough. By understanding what would cause failure, you can more effectively design for success.