Dumb-Thinking Tools

A curated collection of mental models to help you think "dumb".

Make It Worse Method

A mental model for solving problems by first making them worse—then flipping the results into solutions.

What it is

Make it Worse is a technique where, instead of asking how to fix a problem, you deliberately brainstorm ways to make it worse. This counterintuitive approach helps expose hidden assumptions, challenge default thinking, and generate creative solutions. Once you’ve identified the worst possible actions, you reverse them into effective strategies.

When to use it

When traditional brainstorming isn’t producing fresh ideas.
When a problem seems too complex or overwhelming to solve.
When you want to challenge assumptions about what not to do.
When you need to approach an issue from a completely new angle.

How it works

Define the Problem

Clearly state the issue you’re trying to solve.

Reverse the Question

Instead of asking how to fix it, ask:

How could we make this problem even worse?

Brainstorm the Worst Ideas

List as many terrible, destructive, or ridiculous ideas as possible.

Flip the Results

Take each "bad" idea and reverse it into a potential solution.

Refine & Implement

Select the best reversed ideas and test them.

Example 1

Improving Customer Service by Designing It to Be Worse

Problem

A company wanted to improve customer satisfaction but struggled to pinpoint specific pain points.

Reverse Brainstorming Question

“How could we make our customer service as terrible as possible?”

Breakthrough

The team generated ideas like:

Make customers wait on hold for an hour.
Have an unhelpful chatbot answer all questions.
Force customers to repeat their issue to multiple agents.

Solution

By reversing these ideas, they improved response times, streamlined issue resolution, and enhanced the customer experience—directly increasing satisfaction.

Example 2

The Birth of the Dyson Vacuum

Problem

Traditional vacuum cleaners often lost suction and clogged with dust.

Reverse Brainstorming Question

“How could we make a vacuum completely useless?”

Breakthrough

The worst ideas included:

Design it so that the filter clogs instantly.
Make it lose suction the more you use it.
Ensure it’s impossible to empty the dustbin easily.

Solution

James Dyson flipped these frustrations into innovations, creating the first bagless, clog-free vacuum cleaner—a revolutionary product that disrupted the market.

Why it works

✓ Forces you to challenge assumptions by identifying hidden flaws.

✓ Breaks through conventional thinking patterns by flipping problems upside down.

✓ Turns negative creativity into positive solutions.

Tips for applying

👉️ Ask: “How could we make this problem 10 times worse?”

👉️ Embrace exaggeration—the worst ideas often reveal the most valuable insights.

👉️ Take common frustrations and invert them into opportunities.

👉️ Run a “Bad Idea Contest” with your team to uncover creative solutions.

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