When to use it
Use it when forward planning feels stuck or when you suspect blind spots in an attractive plan.
How to apply it
- State the outcome you want.
- Flip it and list everything that would ensure the opposite outcome.
- Check which of those failure behaviours you or your team are already showing.
- Turn the most important items into explicit rules or safeguards.
- Revisit your original plan and remove anything that conflicts with those safeguards.
Tip: Inversion is best for spotting avoidable errors; pair it with a forward plan rather than replacing one.