Some researchers have shown that the key factor in a person's success is not IQ, but thinking mode.

In layman's terms, thinking is the brain's orderly thinking in different dimensions in order to solve a certain problem. The different dimensions and orders here are what we often call thinking patterns.

Innovative thinking is the thinking process of inventing or inventing a new way to deal with something or express something compared to conventional thinking.

What I want to share with you today is one of the most common thinking in innovative thinking - reverse thinking.

Literally, it is easy for all of us to understand that it means thinking in reverse. Reverse thinking can make us think more comprehensively, more thoroughly, and at the same time more creatively.

In addition to the literal meaning, what does reverse thinking mean? How to use it? Can we train it deliberately?

This article will help you solve the above problems.

First, let’s take a look at a well-known case - Sima Guang smashed a vat. Today I will reproduce this case for you, and let’s see how Sima Guang thought about the problem and how he came up with this solution.

Story reproduction:

Sima Guang and his friends were playing in the backyard. There was a large water tank in the yard. A child climbed up to play on the edge of the tank. By accident, Fell into the vat. The other children were so frightened that they cried and shouted when they saw something happened. However, Sima Guang was so anxious that he picked up a big stone from the ground and threw it at the water tank. With a "bang", the water tank broke and the water in the tank flowed out. The child who was drowned in the water was also saved.

Think about it:

When a child falls into a water tank, according to the general conventional thinking, the child should be pulled out of the water tank quickly. In other words, the child should be pulled out of the water tank. , so that lives can be saved. "People leave water" is actually an inherent way of thinking that we have developed for a long time. But Sima Guang didn't have so many fixed things in his mind. Wouldn't "letting the water leave people" also save people's lives?

This is to break through the fixed mindset and think from the opposite side of the problem, which is what we call reverse thinking.

What is reverse thinking?

Reverse thinking is a way of thinking that breaks the conventional thinking mode and thinks about common and established things, phenomena or opinions from the opposite or sideways side and obtains effective results.

The formation of this way of thinking requires that once we encounter a problem that cannot be solved by conventional methods, we must make a timely "turn" in our thinking, even a 180-degree turn, which can often lead to "a bright future" Another village” effect.

Let’s look at a few more cases:

Case 1: Borrowing arrows from a straw boat

Zhuge Liang’s “borrowing arrows from a straw boat” in the Three Kingdoms is also reverse thinking. It is impossible to directly make 100,000 arrows in the country, so making arrows becomes borrowing arrows, using heavy fog as a cover, and straw people borrowing arrows.

Case 2: The invention of the vacuum cleaner

The dust blower uses powerful airflow to blow away dust to achieve dust removal effect, but the effect is only localized and does not fundamentally solve the problem of dust. question. ?

One of the designers got design inspiration through reverse thinking. The vacuum cleaner can also achieve the effect of dust removal. There will be no problem of flying dust, but it will be more conducive to people's use. Thus, the vacuum cleaner was born.

Case 3: The emergence of Pinduoduo

When Pinduoduo first started, the e-commerce platforms represented by Taobao and JD.com were already very mature. From these giants It is not easy to steal market share, and you must find another way. Where did Pinduoduo’s innovation start at that time?

First of all, from 2013 to 2014, smartphones became popular, and mobile Internet surged from cities to rural areas; secondly, in 2015, Taobao eliminated 240,000 low-end merchants, and JD.com also gave up products for low-end users in the same year Pat.

Hundreds of thousands of low-end suppliers have nowhere to go, including many low-end high-quality merchants. At the same time, consumers in third-, fourth-, and fifth-tier cities and Guangfa rural areas are not only interested in e-commerce. Gradually accepted, and there is also a demand for consumption upgrades.

Thirdly, according to the long tail theory, for businesses, the most profitable thing is not to serve those "high net worth" consumers who are in the top positions, but those who occupy a larger proportion of the population and are relatively Ordinary people with average income levels who can bring huge traffic.

Based on the above background, in September 2015, Pinduoduo went online and spread its products to third- and fourth-tier cities.

Case 4: The emergence of low-cost airlines

In the last century, airplanes were catered to wealthy people, and the seats were very spacious. There was even a chef on board. Carve the turkey in front of everyone at mealtime. At that time, air travel was more like a wealthy person's configuration.

Until the early 1990s, Southwest Airlines used the low-cost strategy as its business strategy and competitive advantage, and began to target the general public, launching a true low-cost airline.

Founder Kelleher discovered that "we no longer compete with airlines. The new opponent is highway transportation. We have to increase prices with Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, and Nissan driving on the road. We need to The passenger flow on the highway has moved to the sky. ”

Based on the simplification of products, the simplification of service distribution processes, and the simplification of organizational structures to reduce service costs, operating costs and management costs, the low-cost airline model has become very popular in various countries. Mature.

Later, Blue Jet Airlines, established in 2000, innovated under Southwest Airlines' low-cost model, launched a medium- and long-distance low-cost airline model, and provided leather seats and satellite TV services.

The above are typical cases of reverse thinking.

Reverse thinking has many forms, such as

The conversion of two opposite poles in nature: soft and hard, high and low;

Structure and position Interchange and reversal: up and down, left and right, etc.;

Reversal of process: gaseous state changes to liquid state or liquid state changes to gaseous state, electricity turns to magnetism or magnetism turns to electricity, etc.

No matter which way, as long as you think from one aspect to the opposite aspect, it is reverse thinking.

There are three specific ways of reverse thinking: reverse reverse thinking, transformational reverse thinking and shortcomings reverse thinking.

1. Reversal type of reverse thinking

Reversal type of reverse thinking refers to a way of thinking from the opposite direction of known things to generate inventive ideas. "The opposite direction of things" often refers to thinking in reverse from the three aspects of function, structure and causal relationship of things.

For example: the vacuum cleaner adopts the reverse thinking method of function inversion

2. Transformational reverse thinking method

When studying the problem, transform the method of solving the problem. Means, or a way of thinking that changes the perspective of thinking about a problem so that the problem can be solved smoothly.

Case 5: PH lamp

Generally, if you want to lower the brightness of the lamp, the conventional thinking is to control the brightness of the bulb by adjusting the knob.

However, Paul Henningsen used the transformational reverse thinking method to achieve the goal indirectly by designing the lamp with multiple shutters and using the reflective function of the shutters.

This is the famous PH lamp, a set of lamps maintained by complex reflectors that look like a pine cone.

Because of the application of transformational reverse thinking, the PH lamp, a typical representative of the Scandinavian style, was born and became an enduring classic.

Later, it also evolved into lamps of various shapes.

Case 6: From “Red Ocean” to “Blue Ocean”

When everyone was rushing to create self-media, some people saw the business opportunity of providing services to self-media, so they started With a platform like "New List".

Creating your own self-media belongs to the red ocean, while creating a platform that serves the majority of self-media belongs to the “blue ocean”.

When there were more and more merchants on Taobao and Tmall, some people did not continue to join this team, but found their "blue ocean" through reverse thinking, so they founded a company specifically for Taobao and Tmall. The agency operating companies that provide services on Tmall, such as Baozun E-commerce, have been successfully listed on NASDAQ in the United States.

3. Shortcomings reverse thinking method

Mainly discuss and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of things, and turn disadvantages into advantages.

A method of taking advantage of the shortcomings of things, turning passivity into initiative, and turning disadvantages into advantages.

This method of solving problems is not to cover up or eliminate the shortcomings of things like conventional thinking, but to make use of the shortcomings of things and carry out innovative designs. The shortcomings may also be advantages, it’s just the perspective. different.

Case 7: Utilization of metal corrosion

For example, metal corrosion is a bad thing for metal materials, but people use the principle of metal corrosion to produce metal powder or perform electroplating. Expand its uses.

No matter which method is adopted, as long as you think of one aspect and the opposite aspect, it is reverse thinking.

Generally speaking, reverse thinking can be classified into 6 categories:

1. Cause-and-effect reverse thinking

There are universal causal connections between things. Factors that are the result are considered as causes, and factors that were originally thought to be the causes are studied as the results. This is reverse causation.

Case 8: Response to low employee work efficiency

In an administrative agency, there is a problem of lax discipline among cadres and low work efficiency. From a positive perspective, this is a manifestation of an imperfect system or the result of poor leadership. Therefore, the general approach is to rectify discipline and strengthen leadership.

If we think from the opposite side, that is, if we regard this phenomenon as the reason, lax discipline and low efficiency will inevitably lead to serious dissatisfaction among the masses, thus affecting the relationship between cadres and the masses, damaging the image of the party and government agencies, and at the same time bring adverse factors to one's own growth or survival.

If you think about problems in this way, you will adopt new methods to solve problems and get twice the result with half the effort.

2. Functional reverse thinking

Functional reverse thinking means standing in the opposite direction of the original function of things, based on the existing functions of things, to imagine the opposite function, and then based on A design thinking approach to designing new products by opposing functions.

Case 2: From vacuum blower to vacuum cleaner

Case 9: From thermos bottle (containing hot water) to ice

Case 10: "Downward "Launched Rocket"

The rocket was launched upward, but there was no available traction on it, so the engineers used the reverse thinking design method to design the forward motion of the jet propulsion device using the reaction force, and Inferring "downward launch", many earth-penetrating rocket inventions and concepts were also created using transformational reverse thinking.

3. Structural reverse thinking

Structural reverse thinking refers to the way of thinking that is based on the reverse structural development form of existing research objects to find new ways to solve these problems. Generally, reverse thinking can be done from the structural position of things, structural materials and structural types.

Case 11: Vasily Chair

The Vasily Chair was designed by the famous Hungarian designer Marcel Breuer in 1925. The Vasily chair was once called the symbol of the steel tube chair of the 20th century and pioneered modern furniture.

In an era full of wooden chairs, he designed structural materials through reverse structural thinking. He was inspired by the curved handlebars and boldly used stainless steel to design, always using wood to show its gentle characteristics. chair, from which the Wassily chair was designed.

The frame structure of the Vasily chair is a steel tube, and the support is made of fabric. The stainless steel material makes it more shiny and cool. The Vasily chair has also become a symbol of chairs in the 20th century and is still popular among consumers. Like it, it is sold on all major e-commerce platforms.

4. Program or direction reversal thinking

Reverse the original composition order, arrangement, and position of things, and then reversely change the original structure. This form of thinking is direction reversal.

Case 12: The invention of the phonograph

In 1877, while improving the telephone, Edison discovered that the diaphragm in the microphone would vibrate in response to the sound of speech. So, Edison thought, conversely, could the same vibration be converted into the original sound? As a result, Edison completed another major invention based on this idea.

5. Conceptual reverse thinking

Innovation ability depends to a large extent on people's concepts and perspectives of thinking about problems. The emergence of new ideas and concepts almost always involves the process of denying the predecessors. If we can think about everything and any problem in reverse, an extremely clever new idea may suddenly appear.

Therefore, if you want to innovate, you must first have unique and unique concepts, that is, you can think reversely of the general concepts recognized by ordinary people. This is concept reversal.

In many scenarios, there can be two completely opposite views on the same issue. Viewed from one angle, it is a dead end, but viewed from another angle, it is a sunny avenue full of hope.

If you think backwards about certain customary statements, you will find many examples of "vice versa".

For example, "More people are more powerful" and "Few people are more powerful" (reasonable division of labor and learning from each other's strengths); "Where there is a will, things come true" and "If you plant flowers with intention, they will not bloom" (subject to other conditions); "Failure is the mother of success" and "Success is the mother of success"; "Adversity produces talents" and "Good times produce talents", etc.

Therefore, in life, we must learn to use a negative perspective to look at some problems and things, so that we can innovate.

6. State (process) reverse thinking

State reverse thinking refers to a thinking method in which people understand things based on the opposite aspect of a certain state of things, thereby triggering creation and invention.

Things generally exist in their own unique states (such as positive and negative, movement and stillness, advancement and retreat, soft and hard, rigid and soft, etc.). Under certain conditions, they change their original state. status can inspire innovation.

Case 13: The invention of the electric planer

In the past, carpenters used saws and planers to process wood, but the wood did not move (actually, people moved). Doing so consumes a lot of people's physical strength. In order to change this situation, people designed and invented the electric planer from the perspective that the tools did not move and the wood moved, thus greatly improving work efficiency and craftsmanship, and reducing the workload. From the changes in the two processing states of wood, static and dynamic, we can see that it is closely connected with state-reverse thinking.

Case 14: Collapsible water bottle

Who says that bottles must be made of hard material and cannot be made of soft materials, as long as they can form a three-dimensional shape when filled with water? Is it ok? So, someone invented a collapsible water bottle, which can be folded like a plastic bag when empty.

The above are three forms and six types of reverse thinking. Let’s take a look at how to train your reverse thinking.

There is one of the simplest and most core training formulas for reverse thinking:

Ask all questions: Is this the only way? What other changes could be made?

This can be regarded as a question to train innovative thinking. Use a critical eye, especially for familiar things, break the original thinking mode and think about it in reverse.

Let’s take a look at a case first:

Case 15: Accident at a German paper mill

There was a paper mill in Germany, and something happened during the paper production process. Accident---I forgot to add paste. The resulting paper was water-infiltrated and could not be used. According to regulations, it could only be scrapped.

The factory director was very angry. Just as everyone was expressing their regrets, one employee thought to himself, can we just watch these newspapers being scrapped? Is there a way to use this batch of waste products?

(This sentence is actually a transformation of the formula, transforming "Is this the only way, what other changes can be made" into "Is this the only way?" Are these newspapers being scrapped? Is there a way to reuse this batch of waste products?)

The employee thought repeatedly and combined with the characteristics of this kind of paper, he proposed to simply change the name of this kind of paper that is easy to seep. For absorbent paper, that is to say, the purpose of paper was changed. As a result, this company produced a new product, and the sales were very good.

I suggest you ask all questions: Is this the only way? What other changes could be made?

TIPS: When training reverse thinking, the formula needs to be transformed and used according to different scenarios

Specific application steps of reverse thinking

Know the training formula for reverse thinking Now, how do we train?

Step One: Clarify the Goal

We can’t help but ask, what is the goal we want to achieve?

Step 2: Exhaust all ways to achieve the goal

This step is the most critical, first think about how we can achieve the goal.

We can list all the methods we can think of. At this time, we don’t need to consider their feasibility for the time being. In the process of finding solutions, we can use the formula of reverse thinking to ask, can we only In this way, is it possible to do it from the opposite angle?

Of course, in this link, the number of exhaustive methods needs to test the breadth and breadth of the knowledge of the person handling the problem. In teamwork, you can rely on the strength of teamwork.

This step is to exhaust everything until you can’t think of anything anymore.

The third step is to screen and improve specific solutions

Among the exhaustive solutions, among so many feasible and unfeasible solutions, how can we find the one with the best effect?

We use the principle of elimination to screen:

(1) First, remove those that go against scientific knowledge and are completely technically unfeasible.

(2) Secondly, remove the ones that do not violate scientific knowledge, but can be predicted to have poor effects at a glance.

(3) Again, you can carefully consider whether to deny the solutions that have been commonly used in the past, because innovation means being different.

(4) Finally, which plan should be adopted based on the comprehensive budget and other aspects of the situation.

The fourth step, implementation

In the implementation process, if you want to achieve a unique effect, you must use this formula frequently, and ask at every step, can you only Do this? What other changes could be made? Continuously asking questions can open our minds and spark innovation.

By setting a target result to be obtained, and then thinking about and verifying the result, and constantly deducing forward until some effective methods and methods are found, and then based on these methods and methods to achieve the original goal Goal successful.

You can start from work, life, or think about something when you see it: Is this the only way? What other changes could be made?

l Product managers can survey customers, "What is the product experience they dislike the most?" and think about how to design products.

l Salespeople can ask themselves, “What is driving core consumers away from us?” Different perspectives can reveal unexpected insights.

l Leaders can ask themselves: "What do bad leaders do every day?" Good leaders will naturally avoid these pitfalls.

l Similarly, if innovation is a core part of your company, you can ask yourself, "How can the company be less innovative?" Eliminating these obstacles can help you inspire more innovative ideas.

Of course, this is not an argument, but a reverse thinking to solve the problem and find a more optimized solution.

Only through our continuous and deliberate training can we improve our reverse thinking.

Finally, I end with a famous quote from Einstein:

Reference materials:

[1] Hu Feixue. Innovative thinking training and methods [M], Machinery Industry Publishing House, 2019

[2] Zhao Jie. Innovative thinking and TRIZ innovation method [M], People's Mail Publishing House, 2018

[3] Cui Huijuan. Reverse thinking in products Application research in design [J]. Western Leather, 2020, 42(23): 76-77.

[4] Liu Hanmin. On reverse thinking [J]. Journal of Chongqing Institute of Technology, 2005( 09)：96-100.

[5]Other network resources