13: THE OTHER WAY ROUND (INVERSE)
The Other Way Round (Inverse) is the practice of thinking opposite of the 'standard' way: instead of moving the object, move the environment; instead of cooling, heat it up; instead of pushing, pull it—by flipping the action or orientation, you often unlock a solution that was previously hidden or physically impossible.
This principle is expressed in three common moves:
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Invert the action(s) used to solve the problem (e.g., instead of cooling an object, heat it)
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Make the moving part(s) of an object or environment stationary, and the stationary part move (e.g., a treadmill)
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Turn an object 'upside down' or back-to-front to change its function or access;
Why "Other Way Round" creates innovation?
When you reverse the process, you unlock results multiply design advantages at once:
1.
Breaks mental inertia: it forces you to look at a problem from a completely new angle.
2.
Higher space and cost efficiency: often, moving the environment is much easier and cheaper than moving a heavy or sensitive object.
3.
Better safety and accessibility: bringing the work to the person (like a rotary assembly) is safer than having the person move around heavy machinery.
4.
Unlock new possibilities: some physical constraints disappear when you flip the process.