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Devil's Advocacy

Devil’s Advocacy

Section titled “Devil’s Advocacy”

What It Is: A contrarian technique where an individual or a group is assigned the role of challenging a preferred hypothesis or plan by building the strongest possible case against it.

When to Use It: When a consensus view has formed around a particular explanation, especially on a high-stakes issue, to avoid groupthink.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. STEP 1: Start with the project’s goals, assumptions, and gaps. (Beebe and Pherson, 2015, p. 187)
  2. STEP 2: Build a logical case against the proposed decision by focusing on potential pitfalls. (Beebe and Pherson, 2015, p. 187)