Disrupting Innovation

1. Think of a situation, product, or concept, related to a challenge you are facing, and think about the assumptions associated to that situation

2. Write down those assumptions; then reverse them

3. Finally, think about how to make those reversal meaningful

Example taken from "Cracking Creativity" by Michael Michalko
Suppose you wish to open a restaurant but are having difficulty coming up with new ideas and a novel concept.
Write the most common assumptions about running a restaurant:

ASSUMPTION
Restaurants have menus
REVERSAL
Restaurant have no menus


ASSUMPTION
Restaurants charge money for food
REVERSAL
Restaurants do not charge money for food


ASSUMPTION
Restaurants serve food
REVERSAL
Restaurants do not serve food

Now think about a reversal business.

A restaurant with no menus.
The chef informs each customer what he bought that day at the market: meat, vegetables and fish. The client selects the food and the chef makes something out of it, unique and specific for each customer.

A restaurant that does not charge for food
This restaurant is a coffee bar where people get together to talk and work with each other. The restaurant charges for the time spent there. Selected low cost food and beverages are given for free.

A restaurant that does not serve food
The restaurant has a unique and beautiful decor in an exotic environment. People bring their own food and beverages in picnic baskets and pay a service charge for the location.

Escape the usual chain of associations and come up with new ideas !

Another example is to make a banking experience pleasant.
Instead of thinking how can I make it pleasant, think the opposite way.
I can I make it horrible? The answer might yeld to some interesting insights.
Try to enter in a bank in Italy and you will understand :)

Any other examples ?