Assumption Surfacing
Description
Many times, a person or group will support a solution to a problem on a hunch or informally arrive at an idea that appears foolproof. In situations like these, it may be useful to conduct Assumption Surfacing, an evaluation technique that involves writing out underlying assumptions and counter-assumptions. To apply the technique, consider these assumption pairs in terms of the likelihood of one vs. the other, how well these have been investigated, whether they require further assumptions to be feasible, among other criteria. This technique is very useful when defining a problem or evaluating multiple ideas where it is difficult to qualify a “good” idea.
Category
Technique