Curiosity Toolkit: Make it Sh*t

What is it?

Make it Sh*t asks you to design the worst possible version of an idea, product, or service, then use those “terrible” features as clues for improvement. By going to the extreme, you highlight what truly matters and uncover fixes that might otherwise stay hidden.

Why it matters

Teams often aim for “good” too soon, which limits imagination. By deliberately designing the worst, you create contrast, and contrast makes the path to better much clearer.

When to use it

• Early in idea generation or concept testing

• When the team is being too safe or polite

• To break through creative blocks

How to do it

1. Choose an idea, service, or experience you want to improve.

2. Make it awful. List features that would guarantee failure: confusing, slow, ugly, expensive, unhelpful, risky.

3. For each bad feature, write why it would frustrate or damage the user, team, or result.

4. Flip each one. Turn the harm into a positive design rule:

   • Confusing → One clear choice per screen

   • Slow → Response in under 30 seconds

5. Select the top three flips. Focus on the ones with the biggest positive impact for the least effort.

6. Sketch, mock-up, or script the flipped version and test it quickly with a safe audience.

   
   

Quick tip

Set a timer for two minutes and go wild. The more outrageous your bad version, the sharper your flips will be.