Devil's Advocate
A designated role for challenging assumptions and arguments to improve group thinking.
Also known as: Advocatus diaboli, Designated dissenter, Constructive opposition
Category: Techniques
Tags: collaboration, critical-thinking, decision-making, teams, problem-solving
Explanation
The devil's advocate is a role deliberately assigned to challenge the prevailing opinion, find flaws in arguments, and present counterarguments - not from personal belief but to strengthen group thinking. The term originates from the Catholic Church's practice of assigning someone to argue against sainthood candidates. In decision-making, the devil's advocate: surfaces hidden assumptions, identifies weaknesses before they become problems, reduces conformity pressure, and legitimizes dissent. The role works because: challenge is expected (not personal), the challenger has permission to be difficult, and the focus is on improving ideas not attacking people. Effective use requires: clear role assignment, genuine engagement (not token opposition), rotating the role, and ensuring advocacy is constructive. Risks include: becoming routine and ignored, or creating genuinely adversarial dynamics. For knowledge workers, the devil's advocate technique helps: improve proposals before presentation, test assumptions, and avoid groupthink.
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