Inversion Exercise

What the source does

• FilesystemNone observedNo reads or writes in the source
• NetworkNone observedNo outbound calls in the source
• ShellNone observedNo commands run in the source
• DependenciesPinnedNothing floats
• SecretsNone foundNo keys in source

Five audit layers

Gates applied: no behavioural pass.

Audit 0.4.1 · source sha 6d51b9a892b5 · 27 Oct 2026Report an issue or request a re-scan

• Publisherobra GitHub userOwner of the repository this skill is read from
• Source folderobra/superpowers-skills/skills/problem-solving/inversion-exerciseThe exact folder we audited
• LicenceMITAs the repository states it
• Commit pinned for this verdict6d51b9a892b5A new audit runs when the source changes
• Repository statusArchivedLast push 377 days ago
• Sandboxed runNot runSkills are read, not executed; layer L4 is skipped

Its description: Flip core assumptions to reveal hidden constraints and alternative approaches - "what if the opposite were true?

---
name: Inversion Exercise
description: Flip core assumptions to reveal hidden constraints and alternative approaches - "what if the opposite were true?"
when_to_use: when stuck on unquestioned assumptions or feeling forced into "the only way" to do something
version: 1.1.0
---

# 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

Excerpt, first 2,022 characters of SKILL.md, verbatim from the audited commit. It is text from someone else’s repository, quoted so you can judge it before your agent reads it.

git clone https://github.com/obra/superpowers-skills
git -C superpowers-skills checkout 6d51b9a892b5

Works in

1. 2026-10-27
   ✓SAFE B 89 / 100

   first audit · source 6d51b9a892b5

Questions about Inversion Exercise

• github.com/obra/superpowers-skills/tree/main/skills/problem-solv — the audited source at commit 6d51b9a892b5 and every finding aboveObserved · 27 Oct 2026

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