Desired Goal:
To uncover and challenge hidden assumptions about users, markets, and technologies, ensuring a stronger foundation for decisions and solutions.
The Tool's Purpose:
Assumption Surfacing helps teams identify, question, and validate underlying assumptions that may influence the design process, reducing biases and risks.
Overview:
This exercise begins with brainstorming and listing assumptions related to the project, such as beliefs about user behavior, market needs, or technical feasibility. Each assumption is critically examined by asking, “What if the opposite were true?” This questioning approach reveals potential blind spots, overlooked opportunities, and areas of uncertainty. Critical assumptions are prioritized for validation through research or experiments, helping teams focus on what truly matters for the success of the project.
Benefits:
– Uncovers hidden biases and assumptions.
– Prevents costly mistakes by challenging unvalidated beliefs.
– Focuses efforts on testing what’s critical.
– Encourages open-mindedness and innovation by exploring alternate realities.
Use Case Example:
A GIS company assumes that environmental consultants prefer interactive dashboards over downloadable reports. During an assumption surfacing session, the team lists this belief along with others. They then challenge it by asking, “What if consultants prefer static, offline reports?” This prompts the team to conduct interviews with consultants and discover a significant demand for offline reports due to unreliable field connectivity. By validating this assumption, the team avoids overlooking a critical user need and adds offline functionality to their app.
