Assumptions

Create a list of your assumptions.

To find your assumptions, start by asking the following questions:

What assumptions have you made?

What are the “obvious” assumptions that you would normally not think to question?

Is there something that you assume to be true without having adequate proof?

What are you supposing to be true?

What have you taken for granted?

Is there a hypothesis, guess, theory, notion, or idea that is based on evidence that has not yet been proven?

Is there a rule, norm, convention, or tradition that is based on evidence that is not completely certain?

Is there a premise, argument, proposition, or principle that is used as evidence for a conclusion?

Focus your assumption identification at the crux or sticking point of your problem.

Have you made any assumptions that simplify your situation in order to make it more manageable?

Are you making any limiting assumptions?

• What are your assumptions about money? Are your limits realistic?
• What are your assumptions about costs? These costs may not just be limited to financial or material costs but also human resources, energy, mental effort, emotional issues, hassle, and confusion.
• What are your assumptions about time? Are your deadlines self-imposed?
• What are your assumptions about size? Is there a minimum viable size?
• What are your assumptions about yourself? Are these assumptions too optimistic? Too pessimistic?
• What are your assumptions about other people? Are you sure you know who’s in favor or who’s against a proposed solution?
• What are your assumptions about information? Are you assuming all available information is at hand? How can you obtain more information?

Make a list of your assumptions:

Note: If there are any hidden assumptions in your Problem Statement remove them.

Also, look for assumptions in your obstacles. See SWOT Analysis and Obstacles - Tree Diagram.

Source:

Virtual Salt web site at www.virtualsalt.com.