Problem-solving today has a very wide scope, intricate factors and multitude of perspectives.
Alternative Problem Solving focuses on idea generation without immediate judgment, allowing for exploration of unconventional solutions.
Here are concise, creative “recipes” — step‑by‑step problem‑solving patterns you can use alone or with teams to surface unconventional solutions. Each recipe names the pattern, lists ingredients, and gives a short method and when to use it.
Reverse the Assumptions
Ingredients: problem statement, list of core assumptions, whiteboard.
Method: write assumptions, invert each (what if opposite?), brainstorm solutions consistent with inversions, test plausibility.
Use when: you’re stuck in conventional thinking or want to expose hidden constraints.
Constraints as Catalysts
Ingredients: strict constraint set (time, budget, materials), creative team.
Method: impose an artificial but tight constraint and design solutions that must satisfy it; iterate by loosening one constraint at a time.
Use when: you need high creativity under limited resources.
Analogous Domain Mashup
Ingredients: target problem, two unrelated domains mapping template.
Method: map principles from other domains to your problem, extract transferable tactics, adapt.
Use when: seeking novel metaphors and transferable practices.
Opponent’s perspectives
Ingredients: persona of an adversary or skeptical user, role‑players.
Method: argue the problem from the “opponent” perspective; let them propose worst‑case designs, then transform those into resilient or user‑centered solutions.
Use when: you need robustness or to pre‑empt criticism.
Small Experiments (Fail Fast)
Ingredients: hypothesis, minimal test, metric, timeline (days–weeks).
Method: convert ideas into ~1–2 day experiments that produce clear data; iterate based on results.
Use when: uncertainty is high and rapid learning is essential.
SCAMPER Remix
Ingredients: the SCAMPER checklist (Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse), product or process.
Method: run through each prompt to generate variations, then prototype the most promising.
Use when: improving or reinventing existing offerings.
Storyboard Future Scenarios
Ingredients: user archetypes, timeline, pen and cards.
Method: sketch 3–4 vivid future scenarios (best/worst/likely), storyboard how users experience each, identify opportunities that perform well across scenarios.
Use when: long‑range planning or ambiguous futures.
Role Rotation Jam
Ingredients: cross‑functional group, 30–60 min slots, problem brief.
Method: each member assumes another role (designer as engineer, marketer as customer) and proposes solutions from that lens; rotate and synthesize.
Use when: you need broader perspective and empathy quickly.
Constraint‑Driven Prototyping (Materials Sprint)
Method: build a tangible mock of a concept under material limits; test with users immediately and iterate.
Use when: physicalizing ideas can reveal issues faster than talk.
Question Storming
Ingredients: problem statement, 10–20 people, sticky notes.
Method: instead of ideas, generate as many questions as possible in 10 minutes; cluster the most provocative questions and use them as reframes for ideation.
Use when: you need reframing to unlock new solution spaces.
Decision Tree Pruning
Ingredients: decision tree, criteria for success, risk map.
Method: map branching choices and prune low‑value branches early; focus resources on high‑expected‑value paths and build contingency plans for pruned branches.
Use when: multiple pathways exist and resources are limited.
Human‑Centered Constraint Swap
Ingredients: target user, list of user pains, potential resource swaps (e.g., time ↔ money).
Method: trade constraints between stakeholders to create win‑wins (what would users do if time cost was halved?), prototype swapped incentives.
Use when: misaligned incentives block adoption.
Quick pairing tips
Combine Tiny Experiments + Storyboard Future Scenarios to test near‑term viability within long‑range contexts.
Use Question Storming before Analogous Domain Mashup to surface productive metaphors.
Follow Constraint‑Driven Prototyping with Opponent’s Playbook to stress‑test physical designs.
Problem-solving today has a very wide scope, intricate factors and multitude of perspectives. The main emphasis is in doing better pre-work, such as defining the situation and the "success criteria," taking consideration of the range of options, rather than the traditional "jump to solution" problem-solving method.
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