ROADBLOCKS: Checklist of 101 Idea stoppers for negative thinkers

1. Our place is different. 51. It's too hard to administer.

2. That's beyond our responsibility. 52. No good!
3. That's not my job 53. Plain stupid.
4. Not enough help. 54. Screwy.
5. Why? 55. Impractical.
6. It's against company policy. 56. Idea is too radical.
7. It runs up our overhead. 57. it's too complicated.
8. We don't have the authority. 58. It's unsound
9. That's too ivory tower. 59. It's not feasible.
10. Let's get back to reality. 60. It's too difficult
11. What do our competitors do? 61. Too theoretical.
12. Can't teach an old dog new tricks. 62. Impossible.
13 Good thought but impractical. 63. Production won't accept it
14. Lars give it more thought. 64. Personnel aren't ready for this.
15. Top management would never go for it. 65. Engineering won't approve it.
16. Let's put it In writing. 66. The men won't go for it.
17. We'll he the laughing stock. 67. 1 can't sell it to management.
18. Not that again. 68. My boss won't like it
19. We'd lose money in the long run. 69. Can't see it.
20. Where'd you dig that one up? 70. Too much trouble to get started
21. We did all right without it. 71. We don't have the manpower.
22. What can be expected from the staff? 72. Who is going to do it?
23 It's never been tried before. 73. Takes too much time.
24. Has anyone else ever tried it? 74. Too much work.
25. What's the use? 75. It's never been done before.
26. Not enough time. 76. It will not apply to our problem.
27. Too hard to sell. 77. Don't move too fast.
28. I don't see the connection. 78. It's new.
29. It won't work in our industry. 79. It will set a precedent.
30. What you are really saying is 80. We have too many new projects now.
31. It won't work in my department. 81. We don't want to do this now.
32. It won't stand up. 82. Not enough background.
33. Let's all sleep on it. 83. Why can't we do this another way?
34. You're right but… 84. We have something just as good now.
35. I'm not convinced. 85. Don't be ridiculous.
36. We've tried that too but … 86. We know all this
37. We did it this way. 87. I'm too busy to decide now.
38. It won't work. 88. We haven't enough facts.
39. It's not in the budget. 89. What about the directive?
40. Where does the money come from? 90. It's not standard stock.
41. You can't do that 91. That will take two years to test.
42. You should know better. 92. It will make present equipment obsolete.
43. We're not ready for that. 93. We don't have enough volume.
44. Everybody does it this way. 94. It's not permitted by specifications.
45. No, no, no. 95. It's not in accordance with standard plans.
46. Too academic in its approach. 96. Lars shelve it for the time being,
47. It's not timely. 97. Lets form a committee.
48. It's a gimmick. 98. Cost doesn't matter
49. It's not progressive 99. Why change it - it works.
50. Not for us. 100. Could a vender supply this for less?
101. We can't help it - it's policy.

Source: Abstracted from Park, R. (1999), Value Engineering: A Plan for Invention, St. Lucie Press, Boca Raton, p.234