Bridging Activities: From Possibility to Rationale

Purpose: In Lesson 2, you explored What’s Possible — generating ideas without limits. In Lesson 3, you’ll learn What’s the Rationale — how to filter those ideas using the “good explanation” test. These activities will help you practise moving from possibility (wide‑open thinking) to plausibility (ideas worth testing).

Activity 1 — Possibility Storm → Explanation Filter

Step 1 – Possibility Storm (5 minutes)

  • In your group, answer: “If there were no constraints, what could we do to double our impact in the next year?”

  • Write down as many ideas as you can.

  • Don’t judge or debate — just capture everything.

Step 2 – Apply the Explanation Filter (5–7 minutes)

  • Circle only the ideas that:

    1. Have a clear, causal explanation for why they would work.

    2. Could be tested in a way that might prove them wrong.

  • Cross out or re‑frame the rest.

Step 3 – Reflect (3 minutes)

  • How many ideas survived?

  • What changed in your thinking when you had to justify them?

Activity 2 — “Why Would That Work?” Drill

Step 1 – Idea Prompt (3 minutes)

  • Your facilitator will give you a bold idea (e.g., “Move all customer service to AI chatbots”).

Step 2 – Build the Rationale (5 minutes)

  • As a group, answer: Why would that work?

  • Link cause → mechanism → outcome.

Step 3 – Testability Check (3 minutes)

  • Ask: What evidence could show us this is wrong?

  • If you can’t name any, the idea fails the test.

Activity 3 — Idea Mutation Lab

Step 1 – Starting Point (3 minutes)

  • You’ll be given a vague or shallow idea (e.g., “We should be more innovative”).

Step 2 – Strengthen It (5 minutes)

  • Turn it into a strong, testable idea by:

    • Defining the mechanism (how it works).

    • Linking it to a clear outcome.

    • Making it falsifiable.

Step 3 – Share (5 minutes)

  • Present your “before” and “after” versions.

Activity 4 — The Two‑Minute Filter

Step 1 – Rapid Review (10 minutes)

  • You’ll be shown 5–6 “what’s possible” ideas.

  • For each, decide in 2 minutes:

    • Keep (good explanation + testable)

    • Kill (no explanation or unfalsifiable)

    • Re‑frame (needs work to pass the filter)

Step 2 – Discuss

  • Which were easiest to decide on?

  • Which caused debate — and why?

Activity 5 — Possibility → Plausibility Relay

Step 1 – Possibility Zone (5 minutes)

  • Brainstorm freely. Write each idea on a sticky note.

Step 2 – Rationale Zone (5 minutes)

  • Defend each idea using the good‑explanation test.

  • Keep only those that pass; put the rest in the “compost” pile for re‑framing.