Making Sense of Complexity (Glaringly Obvious)

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I had an amazing chat with Dave Gray about how simple visual frameworks can help teams make sense of complex problems together. Every messy situation can be turned into something people can see, talk about, and work on… if you can find the right pattern.

Dave believes that when we externalize our thinking through sketches and metaphors, we stop guessing and start seeing. His approach gives teams a shared lens for making sense of complexity by creating clarity together.

Big ideas:

  • Sketch the pattern, not the answer → A good framework reveals meaning hidden in the mess.
  • Change the metaphor, change the solution → The words and images we use shape how we solve problems.
  • Make problems visible → Drawing surfaces hidden dynamics and builds shared understanding.
  • Narrow the field to find the truth → Fewer, clearer patterns help teams focus where it matters most.
  • Frameworks align people, not opinions → Shared visuals create alignment without forcing consensus.

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Dave’s work shows how visual frameworks turn confusion into collaboration. They give teams a way to see what’s really happening, not just what they assume.

:speech_balloon: Discussion:
How does your team make complex problems visible? Do you use sketches, models, or metaphors to help people align on what’s really going on?

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Those are the sketches that he makes? I’ve always really loved them.

I personally think sketches are the most effective (really anything visual, as humans are visual creatures).

Question:

What are models in this case?

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SOOO GOOD! These visuals are so stinkin’ cool.

Totally agree with this. When teams externalize their thinking, messy conversations suddenly have shape. I’ve found that the moment you put a simple pattern or metaphor on the table, alignment happens faster, not because everyone agrees, but because they can finally see the same problem.

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Hey everybody! Bryan just let me in

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When I use the term model I mean something like what Jeff Hawkins describes in his book “A Thousand Brains” — well-captured in these book notes by Peter Morville: Mental Models

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Hey Dave! Glad to have ya!

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Prediction is not just one of the things your brain does. It is the primary function of the neocortex, and the foundation of intelligence.

Powerful read. Putting this on my read list to dive into all of the sources.

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It’s a great book, I recommend it, a good pairing with Metaphors we Live by, by Lakoff and Johnson, or Surfaces and Essences by Hofstaedter

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Shared our interview with my audience. Great stuff!

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One theme that keeps coming up in our Helio Glare assessments is how hard it is for teams to handle complexity. Capital D Design can help teams find their way through it, but it often hits roadblocks when decisions need to connect with business goals.

I often see things break down when metrics don’t match how the business defines the problem.

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