Inversion Exercise

Inversion Exercise

Overview

Flip every assumption and see what still works. Sometimes the opposite reveals the truth.

Core principle: Inversion exposes hidden assumptions and alternative approaches.

Quick Reference

| Normal Assumption | Inverted | What It Reveals | |-------------------|----------|-----------------| | Cache to reduce latency | Add latency to enable caching | Debouncing patterns | | Pull data when needed | Push data before needed | Prefetching, eager loading | | Handle errors when occur | Make errors impossible | Type systems, contracts | | Build features users want | Remove features users don't need | Simplicity >> addition | | Optimize for common case | Optimize for worst case | Resilience patterns |

Process

1. List core assumptions - What "must" be true?
2. Invert each systematically - "What if opposite were true?"
3. Explore implications - What would we do differently?
4. Find valid inversions - Which actually work somewhere?

Example

Problem: Users complain app is slow

Normal approach: Make everything faster (caching, optimization, CDN)

Inverted: Make things intentionally slower in some places

• Debounce search (add latency → enable better results)
• Rate limit requests (add friction → prevent abuse)
• Lazy load content (delay → reduce initial load)

Insight: Strategic slowness can improve UX

Red Flags You Need This

• "There's only one way to do this"
• Forcing solution that feels wrong
• Can't articulate why approach is necessary
• "This is just how it's done"

Remember

• Not all inversions work (test boundaries)
• Valid inversions reveal context-dependence
• Sometimes opposite is the answer
• Question "must be" statements

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: obra
• Source: obra/superpowers-skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.