Oblique Strategies for Tech Workers (Who Sometimes Get Stuck)

Looking for a spark of inspiration with Brian Eno

In 1975, musician and producer Brian Eno teamed up with artist Peter Schmidt to release a curious little box. Inside: a set of cards, each with a simple yet disorienting phrase. They called it Oblique Strategies. They weren’t solutions, or zen-like aphorisms. They were logical detours—designed to break creative blocks.

Fast forward to today: we work in software. Surrounded by Agile, OKRs, DevOps, retros, and discovery sprints, we’re immersed in systems meant to improve our workflow. But even the smoothest flow hits the occasional snag.

That’s why there’s still something we can learn from Eno & Schmidt.

Why Tech Needs Detours

We’ve got methods, frameworks, and metrics. But some days (and some projects), retros feel hollow, dailies sound like replays, and creativity gets buried under a perfectly groomed backlog.

In those moments, what we need isn’t more process—but strange questions. Oblique perspectives. Phrases that force us to not think the way we usually do.

6 Oblique Strategies, Reimagined for Tech

• “Use an old idea”
  Not nostalgia—pattern recognition. A familiar idea, dropped into a new context, can unlock original solutions.
• “What would your closest friend do?”
  Pretend the problem isn’t yours. It’s your friend’s. Or your accountant’s. Change the perspective. Change the answers.
• “Repetition is a form of change”
  Iteration isn’t copying—it’s improving. The difference is intention.
• “Work at a different speed”
  Team moving slow? Speed up. Everyone rushing? Slow down. Rhythm is a tool, not a rule.
• “Ask your body”
  Feeling tired? Bored? Anxious? Your body gives you signals—even in retros. Creativity doesn’t live only in your head.
• “Emphasize the flaws”
  That tech limitation, that bug, that sluggish process—what if it’s not something to fix, but something to use?

How to Actually Use These (Not Just Talk About Them)

🌀 Try Reverse Brainstorming
How would you make the product worse? What feature would ruin the experience? Absurdity often reveals the essentials.

👥 Mix the Teams
Put a PM in a dev retro. Drop a dev into a marketing call. People outside the problem see it with fresh eyes—and ask better questions.

🧪 Create Artificial Constraints
"Let’s design this feature with zero budget and three days." You’ll quickly see what’s essential—and what isn’t.

🌍 Change the Environment
Walk during meetings. Take a call from a café. Run your planning session off-site. It’s not indulgence—it’s a reset.

🔁 Embrace the Loop
Sometimes it’s not about changing tools—it’s about changing mindset. Iteration isn’t failure. It’s momentum.

Takeaways

• The best ideas often come from outside—outside the method, outside the team, outside the room.
• Creativity isn’t a talent. It’s a posture—uncomfortable, but necessary.
• Oblique strategies don’t solve problems. They help you see them from angles you’ve never considered.

Bernhard Sterchi’s channel is especially helpful here—he’s an expert in corporate culture and leadership development.

Want to Try It?

Take your next retro and change the rules. Or share this article with your team and pick an oblique phrase to experiment with.

If you want to discover how we can help translate your needs into effective, tailored technology solutions, get in touch. We’re ready to speak your language.