Worst Possible Idea
A liberating ideation technique that inverts the usual brainstorming prompt. Instead of 'How might we solve this?', participants are asked 'How might we make this as bad as possible?' or 'What is the worst idea you can think of?' This removes the pressure of having good ideas, frees up creativity, and often leads — by inversion — to genuinely useful solutions.
How to run it
- 1
Frame the problem clearly.
- 2
Reframe the prompt: 'Forget good ideas. Generate the worst, most useless, most harmful ideas you can think of for this problem.'
- 3
Give 5 minutes for silent individual ideation — write every terrible idea on sticky notes.
- 4
Share all the terrible ideas with the group. Have fun with them.
- 5
Now invert: for each terrible idea, ask 'What's the opposite?' or 'What would we need to do to avoid this?'
- 6
The inversions become raw material for genuine solutions.
- 7
Evaluate and develop the most promising inverted ideas.
Tips
The laughter that comes with bad ideas is not a distraction — it's a signal that creative inhibitions have dropped.
The funnier the terrible idea, the more likely the inversion will be novel.
Allow absurdity.
Variations
Run a 'Kill the Company' variant: 'If you wanted to destroy our product/company in 6 months, what would you do?' Then invert for strategic insights.
Where it fits
Frequently asked questions
When should I use Worst Possible Idea?â–¾
Use Worst Possible Idea when you want to: Breaking creative blocks in brainstorming; Design thinking workshops; Strategy sessions; Energising stalled groups.
How long does Worst Possible Idea take?â–¾
Worst Possible Idea typically takes 20–40 minutes.
How many participants does Worst Possible Idea work for?â–¾
Worst Possible Idea works best for groups of 2–20 participants.
What materials do I need for Worst Possible Idea?â–¾
To run Worst Possible Idea you will need: sticky notes, markers, whiteboard.
How difficult is Worst Possible Idea to facilitate?â–¾
Worst Possible Idea is rated beginner — straightforward to facilitate even without prior experience.
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