Alternative worlds template

Use the alternative worlds template to investigate how a successful organization or group outside your domain would approach a given issue. Doing so requires a deep understanding of their culture, practices, and procedures, in order to determine what aspects can be appropriated for your purposes.

Adopting the perspective of a completely different domain is a novel way to shift perspective and uncover potentially breakthrough ideas.

The alternative worlds template helps you:

• Encourage creativity and outside-the-box thinking
• Provide new perspectives
• Increase engagement and participation
• Foster a culture of innovation

How to use the alternative worlds template

In this section detail each step of the process in using the Mural template. These steps may be taken directly from the template itself.

1. Define the problem or challenge

The first step is to define the problem you’re trying to solve with your brainstorming. This can be done before the meeting and participants can also be assigned pre-work to ensure that you get the maximum engagement and impact during synchronous brainstorming.

2. Introduce the concept of alternative worlds

Here’s where you can ensure that everyone has the right context before you begin—outline the alternative worlds approach and go over the alternative perspectives you’ve decided to examine during the session.

The Mural alternative worlds template provides examples and suggestions across the following categories:

• Creative organizations
• Charities and public service
• Innovative business and operating models
• Individual people
• Great customer service experience
• Global reach and footprint
• Your own alternative world

3. Identify the alternative worlds to be used in this exercise

Once you’ve selected your alternative worlds, try to immerse your participants in each one of the alternative worlds as much as possible to help understand different perspectives.

4. Brainstorm ideas independently

Use Mural’s private mode, or even asynchronous brainstorming, to have each participant think through the challenge from the perspectives included in the exercise.

5. Vote to determine the best ideas

When all participants have contributed their ideas across the alternative worlds you’ve included, bring the group back together and use Mural’s anonymous voting to select the best ideas across the team.

Tips for running an alternative worlds template workshop

To get the most out of an alternative worlds brainstorming exercise, you should:

Choose alternate realities that are relevant to the problem or challenge you are addressing.

By choosing relevant alternate realities, participants will be more likely to generate ideas that are useful and valuable.

Provide clear guidelines and expectations for the exercise.

Make sure that participants understand the purpose of the exercise and how to use the provided template or guidelines.

Encourage participation and collaboration.

Make sure that everyone has a chance to contribute and that ideas are built upon and refined through collaboration.

Allow for flexibility and creativity.

Don't be afraid to explore unconventional ideas or to deviate from the provided guidelines if it leads to new and innovative solutions.

Follow up on the ideas generated.

Identify next steps or actions to take based on the ideas generated and ensure that they are followed up on to maximize the value of the exercise.