Multiple Hypothesis Generator

Create many possible solutions.

Use our Multiple Hypothesis Generator to develop a large set of possible solutions from one feasible solution that you already have.

Part I: Create Multiple Hypotheses

Step 1:  Begin with a single hypothesis. If you don't already have a feasible solution, go to our Hypothesis Generator tool and create one.

Step 2:  Take a plausible hypothesis and identify:  Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, From Where, and To Where. These are the interrogatory words inherent in your hypothesis.

Step 3:  Use the Form below and write the integoratory words from your initial solution into the boxes across the first row (labeled "Your Hypothesis").

Helpful Hint:

If you can't quickly come up with a word to fill into a box, just skip it and go to the next one.

Step 4:  Create a list of as many possible alternatives words for the Who. Write your alternative words in the 'Who' column (2nd column in diagram below).

Helpful Hint:

You may want to use a Thesaurus to find alternatives words.

Step 5:  Repeat Step 4 and develop alternative words for the rest of your interrogatory dimensions:  What, When, Where, Why, How, From Where, and To Where.

Part II: Interchange Interrogatory Words to Create More Solutions

Step 1:  Next, create a new list of all of the possible alternative hypotheses by interchanging the interrogatory words you created using the Multiple Hypotheses Generator. Just mix-and-match them until you run out of ideas.

Step 2:  Identify all of the mutually exclusive permutations.

Step 3:  Throw out the hypotheses that make no sense.

Part III: Interchange Relational Words to Create More Solutions

Step 1:  In the next step, identify the relational words in your remaining hypotheses. (See our Relational Words tool for a generic list of relational words.)

Step 2:  Create a new list of all of the possible alternative hypotheses by interchanging the relational words. As before, just mix-and-match your relational words until you run out of ideas.

Step 3:  Identify all of the mutually exclusive permutations.

Step 4:  Next, make a final list of all of the new hypotheses that make sense.

Part IV: Rank the Credibility of Your Solutions

Step 1:  Assign a credibility score to each one of the remaining alternative hypotheses. Use 1 for least credible and 10 for most credible.

Step 2:  Rank your hypotheses from most credible to least credible.

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Multiple Hypotheses Generator Form:  Use this form to create multiple solutions from a single hypothesis. (For Part I & Part II above.)

PRINTABLE:  Excel version of Multiple Hypothesis Generator.xlsx (Click link to download Excel version).

PRINTABLE:  Word version of Multiple Hypothesis Generator.docx (Click link to download Word version).

PRINTABLE:  PDF version of Multiple Hypothesis Generator.pdf (Click link to download PDF version).

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Related Tools:

• Hypothesis Generator: Use this tool to create a potential solution.
• Hypothesis Testing Matrix: Test and rank your solutions.
• Rival Hypotheses: Create other ways to explain the same set of data.
• Analysis of Competing Hypotheses: Free computer program to evaluate multiple hypotheses.
• Create Solutions: This section of our Toolkit has many other tools for generating solutions.

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