About this session
Many workplace practices begin as sensible responses to a particular situation and eventually become invisible rules: customers expect this, approval must happen this way, managers need to do that, this process cannot change, employees will never use it, our industry works like this.
Some of those assumptions remain valid. Others survive because nobody has separated what is actually required from what has simply become familiar.
Challenge Assumptions gives participants a structured way to make those beliefs visible and examine them without defaulting to either automatic acceptance or automatic rejection.
Participants learn to distinguish facts, constraints, assumptions and preferences; find assumption-heavy language; ask what evidence supports a belief; examine what would need to be true for the assumption to hold; deliberately reverse or remove assumptions to reveal alternatives; and identify which assumptions are important enough to test.
The final step is evidence. Challenging an assumption does not mean assuming the opposite is true. Participants turn promising alternatives into hypotheses and small tests so better decisions can emerge from evidence rather than convention, optimism or contrarianism.
What your people take away
- Recognize hidden assumptions in decisions, processes and workplace practices
- Separate facts and genuine constraints from beliefs, conventions and preferences
- Challenge assumptions using evidence, reversal, reframing and alternative hypotheses
- Use assumption challenges to generate new options without treating novelty as proof
- Identify the assumptions most capable of changing a decision or idea
- Design small tests that replace important uncertainty with useful evidence
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- What each length covers, 30 minutes to full day
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What each length covers
30 minutes
30 Minutes — Key Points: See the Assumptions Shaping the WorkA focused 30-minute session on three key points from See the Assumptions Shaping the Work: distinguish facts, constraints & assumptions, listen for hidden rules and map the assumption chain.
- Distinguish facts, constraints & assumptions
- Listen for hidden rules
- Map the assumption chain
Covers 3 of 4 points in See the Assumptions Shaping the Work.
60 minutes
Challenge the Assumptions Behind the WorkA focused introduction to assumption spotting and structured challenge. Participants distinguish assumptions from facts and constraints, reverse one or more hidden rules and use the resulting perspective to generate a better alternative.
- Fact vs. assumption
- Real vs. inherited constraints
- Assumption language
- Assumption mapping
- Evidence check
- Assumption reversal
- Problem reframing
- Challenge Assumptions Quick Practice
- Live Q&A
Covers 1 of 4 parts: See the Assumptions Shaping the Work.
90 minutes
Find, Challenge & Test Hidden AssumptionsThe extended session develops deeper assumption analysis, evidence testing, reversal, reframing and option generation. Participants identify the assumptions underneath a real or realistic workplace challenge and determine which uncertainties deserve testing.
- Assumption identification
- Assumption chains
- Evidence quality
- What must be true?
- Assumption reversal
- Constraint removal
- Alternative hypotheses
- Problem reframing
- Option generation
- Critical assumption mapping
- Test design
- Live Q&A
Covers 2 of 4 parts: See the Assumptions Shaping the Work and Challenge the Assumption Without Losing Rigor.
3 hours
Covers 3 of 4 parts: See the Assumptions Shaping the Work, Challenge the Assumption Without Losing Rigor and Turn Challenged Assumptions Into Better Options.
Full day
Assumption Challenge & Innovation LabA hands-on full-day workshop covering all four modules. Participants deconstruct a real or realistic workplace challenge, surface hidden assumptions, challenge the most important beliefs, generate alternatives and design evidence-based tests for the assumptions that matter most.
- Module 1 — See the Assumptions Shaping the Work
- Module 2 — Challenge the Assumption Without Losing Rigor
- Module 3 — Turn Challenged Assumptions Into Better Options
- Module 4 — Test the Critical Assumptions & Change the Decision
- Fact / Constraint / Assumption Sort
- Assumption Chain Mapping
- Hidden Rule Hunt
- Evidence Challenge
- What Must Be True? Analysis
- Assumption Reversal
- Constraint Removal
- Problem Reframing
- Alternative Hypothesis Builder
- Assumption-Based Option Design
- Critical Assumption Matrix
- Assumption Test Design
- Live Q&A
Covers all 4 parts.
Also available as a 4-week or 8-week program, for change that lasts. Ask us about it.
What’s covered
See the Assumptions Shaping the Work
Every length- Distinguish facts, constraints & assumptionsParticipants separate what is known from what is believed.
- Listen for hidden rulesAssumptions often appear in language such as 'we have to,' 'customers always,' 'nobody would,' 'this can only,' 'management expects,' or 'that's just how it works.'
- Map the assumption chainA visible decision may depend on several less visible beliefs.
- Find where assumptions matter mostNot every assumption deserves investigation.
Challenge the Assumption Without Losing Rigor
90 minutes and longer- Ask what evidence supports itParticipants examine where an assumption came from, what evidence currently supports it and whether that evidence is direct, recent and relevant to the decision being made.
- Ask what would need to be trueInstead of debating whether a statement sounds right, participants identify the conditions that would need to hold for the assumption to remain valid.
- Reverse the assumptionParticipants deliberately state the opposite of an assumption.
- Remove or alter the constraintParticipants explore what the solution would look like if a supposed requirement disappeared, doubled, halved or changed substantially.
Turn Challenged Assumptions Into Better Options
3 hours and longer- Reframe the problemWhen an assumption changes, the original problem may also change.
- Generate alternative hypothesesParticipants create several plausible explanations or possibilities instead of moving directly from the original assumption to one preferred opposite.
- Build assumption-based optionsParticipants use challenged assumptions as prompts for new process designs, customer propositions, policies, team practices or strategic options.
- Screen for value & consequenceNew possibilities are compared against the desired outcome, stakeholder impact, strategic relevance, feasibility, risk and potential value.
Test the Critical Assumptions & Change the Decision
Full day only- Identify the critical assumptionsParticipants rank assumptions according to uncertainty and consequence.
- Design the smallest useful testParticipants choose proportionate ways to gather evidence.
- Define what would change your mindBefore testing, participants identify what evidence would strengthen, weaken or invalidate the assumption and what decision would follow.
- Build assumption challenging into the workParticipants establish simple habits for surfacing assumptions during planning, problem-solving, innovation and decision-making rather than waiting for a dedicated workshop.
Tools and materials
- Fact / Constraint / Assumption Sort
- Assumption Map
- Assumption Chain Map
- What Must Be True? Canvas
- Assumption Reversal Builder
- Constraint Challenge Canvas
- Problem Reframe Canvas
- Alternative Hypothesis Builder
- Critical Assumption Matrix
- Assumption Test Designer
How booking works
- Book online. Create a free Workbliss profile, then pay with session credits, by card or by invoice.
- Pick a date. Choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or book now and set the date later.
- Choose your expert. Within 3 working days, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date.
- We deliver it. Your expert is briefed on your people and goals, then runs the session live online or at your site.
Questions about Challenge Assumptions
How long is Challenge Assumptions?
Challenge Assumptions runs as 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 3 hours or full day. You choose the length when you book. A 30-minute session covers three key points from See the Assumptions Shaping the Work: distinguish facts, constraints & assumptions, listen for hidden rules and map the assumption chain. A 60-minute session covers See the Assumptions Shaping the Work in full, with a live Q&A. A 90-minute session adds Challenge the Assumption Without Losing Rigor. A 3-hour session adds Turn Challenged Assumptions Into Better Options. A full-day session adds Test the Critical Assumptions & Change the Decision. It is also available as a 4-week or 8-week program.
Can Challenge Assumptions be delivered online or in person?
Yes, both. It runs live online, so every office can join at the same time, or in person at your site, in any country.
How do we book Challenge Assumptions?
Create a free Workbliss profile with your work email, then open Challenge Assumptions to see the price for each length and book it. You can pay with session credits, by card or by invoice, and choose a date at least 14 days ahead, or set it later.
Who leads the session?
A vetted Workbliss expert, briefed on your people, culture and goals before the session. After you book, we send you profiles of the experts available for your date within 3 working days, so you can choose who leads it.
Can it be tailored to our company?
Yes. Every session is shaped around your goals, your people and the benefits you already offer, and delivered by experts in your people’s languages.