Looking to come up with wild, breakthrough ideas? Try assumption reversal. Here’s how it works:
List your assumptions about a particular concept—say, restaurants.
Reverse those assumptions.
Use these new, flipped ideas to brainstorm a unique restaurant concept.
For example, if you assume restaurants are sit-down places with waitstaff, reverse it: what if there were no waitstaff, and customers served themselves in a high-tech, interactive space? Suddenly, you’re exploring fresh concepts that could revolutionize the dining experience.
Assumptions about Restaurants:
- Consistent quality
- Reasonable wait times
- Menu variety
- Convenient location
Now, let’s flip these assumptions for fresh ideas:
- Inconsistent quality – What if every visit was intentionally different? A dynamic, rotating menu or surprise dish options could add excitement.
- Slow service – Imagine a restaurant that makes waiting a feature, with engaging activities or mini-courses served during the wait.
- Limited menu – What if the restaurant focused on just one or two specialty items, perfecting them rather than offering variety?
- Unconventional location – How could a restaurant thrive in an unexpected place, like a pop-up in an industrial warehouse or a remote area with an exclusive shuttle service?
This approach challenges norms and could inspire innovative ideas for new dining experiences! You can use this method with any challenge you are facing and create a truly unique idea to help find a solution!
Tamara Bertram, Innovation Training Specialist
Tamara leads the Innovation Studio, working with businesses, startups, and nonprofits to solve complex challenges through creative problem-solving. She runs workshops and solution sprints, guiding teams to generate and implement innovative ideas. Tamara also oversees the Innovation Fellowship program, mentoring UND students.