Imagine you are in a team of 8 people from different disciplines within your organisation. How would you go about solving these two maths problems?
The rules:
The problems:
The first one is probably not that difficult, right? You work it out in your heads and verbally compare. There of course may be someone that gets it wrong, but in that case you discuss it and probably work it out in a couple of minutes. You probably don’t even have to discuss or plan anything before you start. Your brain just automatically starts working it out and you probably even unconsciously compete in being the first to blurt out the answer.
The second one is a little more difficult though. Maybe one of you is a mathematical genius, and can solve it in her head with just a few minutes of privacy. But, even though she is right, how likely is it that there will be a consensus about that answer?
There are multiple ways to address this.
For example how you organise. You can all work on it together, you can split up into groups, or you can choose to tackle it individually. Or, how you approach it. You can just start and trust that the most appropriate method will evolve. If you split up then you can trust each group/individual to come up with their own method, or you find a common method to be applied by all. And so forth. Keep in mind that these examples are far from being exhaustive of how this can be addressed.
What is the problem?
Well, possibly there is no problem. For example if you individually work it out and come back with the same answer, it is unlikely, but possible. But as we all know, if any other method for organisation is chosen, or, god forbid, you split up and come back with different answers. Then there will be some problems [1] to overcome. But whatever you choose to do, and whatever problems that need to be solved there is one inevitable solution you will revert to.
YOU. WILL. USE. VISUAL. AID.
While not necessary for the first problem, I am ready to bet everything I own that in a situation like this, as long as there is anything available to create a visual representation, that it will be used [2]. We are programmed for it, and it will even probably be expected by each and everyone in the group. Even if one or more in the group would not have the competence to do it themselves, they would expect someone in the group to be able to.
Addressing complicated maths problems using visual aids such as numbers, letters, icons, images, or diagrams, is something that is completely natural to us. Then why, is it not as natural when we address other complicated problems? Not to mention when we address complex problems. And no, I don't count text based PowerPoint presentations as effective visual aid.
Don’t misunderstand me, we all have our mental models, and most of us even have some methods for getting them down as a visual aid. Many disciplines even have very structured language models or framework for this purpose, e.g. Enterprise architects have Archimate, customer experience experts have journey maps, and then we have multiple models for strategy, organisation design etc. like for example Business Model Canvas, Porters five forces, and so forth. But in most cases they are poor at conveying the mental model we have created to others in a way that helps them understand its meaning in the way we intended. At least when it comes to people outside of our own field of expertise.
The other aspect of maths is that it is a universal language, and one that we all are taught. Even though the methods can vary a little, or our competence in applying them, we are all familiar and comfortable with its language, and at least its most commonly used letters and icons. We are even, at least generally, conscious of who is more authoritative in a group of people depending on their background and experience. Meaning that we are likely to respect when someone else is more competent at applying the language of maths then we are if based on their studies and experiences.
Using the generally accepted rules of maths, the group can collectively work on the second problem. If they have different ideas to address it, for example between disciplines, then they can divide and allow each group to address them using their own methods. Since it is irrelevant of how they approached the problem they can still collectively go through it afterwards to verify its results. They can even break down the problem, give one part of it to each group to solve, and when all are done with their peace they can collectively solve for the results using the combined parts.
Just having this common language and understanding greatly facilitates the collaboration. It allows the individual members to better formulate themselves since they are not confined to just words to convey their mental models. It allows the group to discuss from one clear visual representation rather than multiple vague mental models. And, it allows them to break down the problem so that each group can work on their part while still being able to effectively combine them afterwards.
Now,
What If i said that there exists a language that meets the requirements of being a visual aid for documenting our mental models when we are addressing the questions and problems in our enterprises.
It may not be as known and understood as maths, not yet at least. After all, it has not even been a year since its formal release. But it is simple while still being comprehensive enough to be used to gain a holistic view of each question and problem from the perspective of multiple disciplines.
You can read more about #EDGY at Enterprise.design.
[1] If you prefer to call them challenges, then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Unless of course we are in the same organisation and one of us is higher ranked, then I guess that is who decides.
[2] Thinking about it, I actually think that getting eight or more people to verbally solve a complicated maths problem under these circumstances just might be pretty good TV.
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