Separate Invention from Evaluation
Generate possibilities before criteria and criticism narrow them
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 97%
This framework separates the cognitive act of inventing options from the act of judging them. During invention, criticism is suspended and the goal is to produce many possibilities, including ideas that initially look unusual. This protects creative flow from familiar killer phrases such as having tried something before or assuming it will not work. Only after the option set is visible does the process introduce criteria, evaluate trade-offs, develop promising ideas, and winnow the list. The method applies both to negotiating mutual gain and to personal decisions that appear trapped between A and B. Ury also uses walks, natural settings, and questions to friends to widen his own option set. The mechanism is sequencing: divergent creation first, convergent evaluation second.
Origin
Extracted from The Tim Ferriss Show
Core principles
- 01Creation and judgment are different cognitive jobs
- 02Early criticism suppresses options
- 03Quantity expands the chance of a better path
- 04Criteria belong after possibility generation
How to run it
- 1
Open the option space
Restate the challenge without assuming the current A-versus-B framing is complete. Treat a third or fourth path as possible.
Pro tip Ask what would capture all the available gain rather than only divide it.
- 2
Suspend judgment
Create a protected invention phase in which criticism and evaluation are not allowed.
Pro tip Make the no-criticism rule explicit before ideas begin.
Watch out Do not mix feasibility debate into option generation.
- 3
Generate broadly
Produce and capture many possibilities. Use walks, scenery, or conversations with friends if they help widen thinking.
Pro tip Aim for range before refinement.
Watch out Do not stop at the first plausible answer.
- 4
Apply criteria
After generation ends, introduce relevant criteria and evaluate how well each option satisfies the desired interests.
Pro tip Compare options against interests, not attachment to the original positions.
- 5
Winnow and improve
Select the strongest possibilities, develop them, and combine elements where that creates more value.
Pro tip An initially odd idea may contain a useful design element.
Watch out Do not confuse a large list with a final decision.
In the wild
In the Brazilian business dispute, Ury looked for structures that protected freedom and dignity without letting analysts identify a loser. A non-compete disappeared rather than being bargained down to another number, and one class of stock exchanged for another without a visible discount.
→ The parties found a formula they could both sign without either being seen to lose.
Considering a sabbatical, Ury writes possibilities, asks whether to learn a language or take a pilgrimage, walks to stimulate ideas, and asks friends what they would do. He delays narrowing the answer until he has a broad set.
→ Criteria can then select among genuinely different possibilities instead of one prematurely chosen path.
Common mistakes
Using killer phrases
Immediate statements that an idea has failed before or will never work stop further creative contributions.
Evaluating while inventing
Doing both cognitive jobs at once narrows the option set before useful alternatives emerge.
Choosing the first plausible path
Early convergence prevents comparison against a richer set of possibilities.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for groups or individuals who need creative deal structures, directions, or solutions before making a decision.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when immediate safety or legal constraints require options to be screened as soon as they appear.
From the transcript
“our ability to invent means separating the the cognitive process from evaluating which is really important from the cognitive process of inventing of creating”
“you have one Golden Rule which is no criticism was allowed”
“come up with a lot of possibilities and then start to winnow it down”
From the episode
#721: Master Negotiator William Ury — Proven Strategies and Amazing Stories from Warren Buffett, Nelson Mandela, Kim Jong Un, Hugo Chávez, and More
William Ury