Tom Wujec: Got a wicked problem? First, tell me how you make toast

翻译人员: Xiaoou Chen 校对人员: Lichao Xia

Some years ago,

几年前，

I stumbled across a simple design exercise

我偶然想到一个

that helps people understand and solve complex problems,

帮助人们理解和解决复杂问题的简单构思练习，

and like many of these design exercises, it kind of seems trivial at first,

像许多这样的构思性练习一样， 一开始都有一点琐碎无聊，

but under deep inspection,

但是在仔细的研究后，

it turns out that it reveals unexpected truths

结果发现揭示出了意想不到的事实

about the way that we collaborate and make sense of things.

有关我们合作和理解事物的方式。

The exercise has three parts

这个练习有三个部分，

and begins with something that we all know how to do,

以我们都知道的怎么做的一件事开始，

which is how to make toast.

那就是如何烤面包片。

It begins with a clean sheet of paper, a felt marker,

首先以一张白纸和一支马克笔开始，

and without using any words, you begin to draw how to make toast.

不需要任何语句， 你开始画如何制作烤面包片。

And most people draw something like this.

大部分人会画成这样。

They draw a loaf of bread, which is sliced, then put into a toaster.

他们画一条面包，切成片，然后放入烤面包机。

The toast is then deposited for some time.

然后烘烤一会儿。

It pops up, and then voila! After two minutes, toast and happiness.

然后，哗，面包弹了出来。 两分钟后则是，香香的烤面包和幸福。

Now, over the years, I've collected many hundreds of drawings of these toasts,

多年来，我已经收集了很多烤面包的画作，

and some of them are very good,

有些画的非常优秀，

because they really illustrate the toast-making process quite clearly.

因为他们清楚的展示了制作烤面包片的过程。

And then there are some that are, well, not so good.

另外，有一些画成这样的，比较差劲，

They really suck, actually, because you don't know what they're trying to say.

他们真的很糟糕， 因为你不知道他们想表达什么。

Under close inspection,

在仔细的研究后，

some reveal some aspects of toast-making while hiding others.

一些画作在展示烤面包片的某些方面时 隐藏了其他方面。

So there's some that are all about the toast,

有一些只是着重于烤面包，

and all about the transformation of toast.

和面包在备考先后的转化过程。

And there's others that are all about the toaster,

还有其它的是全关于面包机的，

and the engineers love to draw the mechanics of this.

并且工程师们特别喜欢画面包机的工作原理。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And then there are others that are about people.

然后还有一些关于刻画人的。

It's about visualizing the experience that people have.

他们将人们的经历可视化。

And then there are others that are about the supply chain of making toast

还有是一些关于制作烤面包的供应链

that goes all the way back to the store.

并且把这过程还原到商店里。

It goes through the supply chain networks of teleportation

从远距离传输开始，

and all the way back to the field and wheat,

直到田地和小麦，

and one all actually goes all the way back to the Big Bang.

甚至有些人从大爆炸开始画起。

So it's crazy stuff.

这些东西都太疯狂了。

But I think it's obvious

但是我认为很明显的是

that even though these drawings are really wildly different,

即使这些画作都非常的不同，

they share a common quality, and I'm wondering if you can see it.

但是它们都有共同点， 不知道你们发现了没有。

Do you see it? What's common about these?

你们看见了么？ 它们之间有什么共同点呢？

Most drawings have nodes and links.

大部分的画作有节点和链接。

So nodes represent the tangible objects like the toaster and people,

节点代表可触及物比如人和烤面包机，

and links represent the connections between the nodes.

链接则表示每个节点之间的联系。

And it's the combination of links and nodes

正是因为这些节点和链接的结合，

that produces a full systems model,

才生产出一个完整的系统模型，

and it makes our private mental models visible

这个则把我们个人思考事物如何运作的

about how we think something works.

思维模式可视化。

So that's the value of these things.

这就是这些东西的价值。

What's interesting about these systems models

这系统模型的有趣之处在于

is how they reveal our various points of view.

它们揭示了我们不同的观点。

So for example, Americans make toast with a toaster.

举个例子，美国人用烤面包机烤面包。

That seems obvious.

这似乎显而易见，

Whereas many Europeans make toast with a frying pan, of course,

但是欧洲人用平底锅烤面包， 当然这也是可以的，

and many students make toast with a fire.

而且，很多学生还用火烤面包。

I don't really understand this. A lot of MBA students do this.

我真的不是很理解。 但是很多 MBA 的学生这样做。

So you can measure the complexity by counting the number of nodes,

你可以通过数节点的个数衡量难度，

and the average illustration has between four and eight nodes.

平均的图画步骤一般在四和八个节点之间，

Less than that, the drawing seems trivial,

少于这个节点，画会看上去比较琐碎，

but it's quick to understand,

但是易懂，

and more than 13, the drawing produces a feeling of map shock.

要是多余 13 个则叫人张目结舌。

It's too complex.

因为太复杂了。

So the sweet spot is between 5 and 13.

所以呢 5 到 13 个节点恰到好处。

So if you want to communicate something visually,

如果你想用视觉进行沟通，

have between five and 13 nodes in your diagram.

那么在你的示意图里要有 5 到 13 个节点。

So though we may not be skilled at drawing,

虽然我们不一定善于绘画，

the point is that we intuitively know how to break down complex things

但关键是 我们的直觉知道如何将复杂的东西简化，

into simple things and then bring them back together again.

再将它们重新组合起来。

So this brings us to our second part of the exercise,

这样一来，我们就进入了 这个练习的第二个部分，

which is how to make toast,

就是怎样做烤面包片

but now with sticky notes or with cards.

但是得用便利贴或卡片表示出来。

So what happens then?

接着发生了什么呢？

Well, with cards, most people tend to draw clear, more detailed,

用卡片呢，大部分人倾向于 画出清晰，有细节，

and more logical nodes.

和更加有逻辑的节点。

You can see the step by step analysis that takes place,

你可以看到发生的每一步过程，

and as they build up their model, they move their nodes around,

当他们建立起他们的模型的时候， 他们移动他们的节点，

rearranging them like Lego blocks.

就像乐高积木一样重组它们。

Now, though this might seem trivial, it's actually really important.

虽然现在这看上去无关紧要， 但是实际上这非常重要。

This rapid iteration of expressing and then reflecting and analyzing

这快速的表达重述和思考与分析

is really the only way in which we get clarity.

是我们真正唯一明晰原理的方式。

It's the essence of the design process.

这是设计过程的核心。

And systems theorists do tell us

系统理论学家的确告诉我们，

that the ease with which we can change a representation

改变陈述方式的简单性

correlates to our willingness to improve the model.

与我们改进模型的积极性相关联。

So sticky note systems are not only more fluid,

所以呢，使用便利贴绘图不仅更加顺畅，

they generally produce way more nodes than static drawings.

而且比起在纸上绘图， 它们还会使人们画出更多的节点。

The drawings are much richer.

绘画内容也会更加丰富。

And this brings us to our third part of the exercise,

这便将我们带入这个练习的第三的部分，

which is to draw how to make toast, but this time in a group.

就是如何以一个小组的画出 如何烤面包片。

So what happens then?

这样会发生什么呢？

Well, here's what happens.

这是发生的状况。

It starts out messy, and then it gets really messy,

开始非常混乱，然后就变的真的很糟糕，

and then it gets messier,

之后变的更加乱了，

but as people refine the models,

但是当人们推敲模型的时候，

the best nodes become more prominent,

最好的节点们变得更加显著，

and with each iteration, the model becomes clearer

在经过每一次的重述， 模型便变得更加清晰，

because people build on top of each other's ideas.

因为人们的想法互相叠加。

What emerges is a unified systems model

这样一来着出现了一个统一的模型

that integrates the diversity of everyone's individual points of view,

将每个人不同的观点统一起来，

so that's a really different outcome

这样就会和我们之前通常看到的结果

from what usually happens in meetings, isn't it?

大不一样，对不对？

So these drawings can contain 20 or more nodes,

所以，这些画作会包含 20 或更多的节点，

but participants don't feel map shock

但是，参与者并不会感到混乱

because they participate in the building of their models themselves.

因为他们自己参与了模型的建造。

Now, what's also really interesting, that the groups spontaneously mix

更有趣的是，将参与组们即兴地混合

and add additional layers of organization to it.

和添加组织层次。

To deal with contradictions, for example,

为了解决矛盾，比如说，

they add branching patterns and parallel patterns.

他们将格局横竖分类。

Oh, and by the way, if they do it in complete silence,

哦，顺便说一句， 如果他们完全安静的工作，

they do it much better and much more quickly.

他们的效率更高，成果也更好。

Really interesting -- talking gets in the way.

非常有趣的是——讨论会降低效率。

So here's some key lessons that can emerge from this.

这个练习带来了一些关键的启发。

First, drawing helps us understand the situations

首先，绘图帮助我们

as systems with nodes and their relationships.

用节点的方式 理解不同情况和它们之间的关系。

Movable cards produce better systems models,

可移动的卡片生产出更好的模型，

because we iterate much more fluidly.

因为我们可以更流畅的重新表述。

And then the group notes produce the most comprehensive models

其次群体的绘图生产出更加全面的模型

because we synthesize several points of view.

因为我们将各个观点合成。

So that's interesting.

这很有趣。

When people work together under the right circumstances,

当人们在正确的环境下一起工作，

group models are much better than individual models.

团队模型要比个人模型好很多。

So this approach works really great for drawing how to make toast,

所以这个方法对于画烤面包非常有效，

but what if you wanted to draw something more relevant or pressing,

但是如果你要画些更加严肃的话题呢？

like your organizational vision, or customer experience,

比如组织远景，或是客户体验，

or long-term sustainability?

或是长期的可持续发展。

There's a visual revolution that's taking place

这个视觉上的革命正随着

as more organizations are addressing their wicked problems

更多的组织通过集体绘画的方式

by collaboratively drawing them out.

来解决那些复杂困难的问题。

And I'm convinced that those who see their world as movable nodes and links

我相信那些可以将他们的世界 看作可移动节点和链接的人

really have an edge.

会有很大的优势。

And the practice is really pretty simple.

这个的实践真的非常简单。

You start with a question, you collect the nodes,

你以一个问题开始，收集节点，

you refine the nodes, you do it over again,

优化节点，反复优化，

you refine and refine and refine, and the patterns emerge,

不断的优化，便有规律会出现，

and the group gets clarity and you answer the question.

组群便明晰起来， 然后你得到了问题的答案。

So this simple act of visualizing and doing over and over again

所以这简单的视觉化行为和不断地优化

produces some really remarkable outcomes.

产生出一些非常显著的结果。

What's really important to know

需要注意的一点是

is that it's the conversations that are the important aspects,

交流是很重要的，

not just the models themselves.

而不仅仅是模型本身。

And these visual frames of reference

这些可视的参考框架

can grow to several hundreds or even thousands of nodes.

可以有数百甚至上千的节点。

So, one example is from an organization called Rodale.

举一个来自罗达尔组织的例子。

Big publishing company.

那是一个很大的出版公司。

They lost a bunch of money one year,

有一年他们损失了很多钱，

and their executive team for three days visualized their entire practice.

他们的执行队伍花了三天将他们的全部经历可视化。

And what's interesting is that after visualizing the entire business,

有趣的是，在他们将他们的全部公司可视化之后，

systems upon systems,

系统叠加系统，

they reclaimed 50 million dollars of revenue,

他们重新声明取回了 5 亿美元的财政收入，

and they also moved from a D rating to an A rating from their customers.

他们客户那里的评价也从 D 变成了 A 。

Why? Because there's alignment from the executive team.

为什么呢？那是因为执行队伍的齐心合作。

So I'm now on a mission to help organizations

所以我现在的任务就是帮助组织们

solve their wicked problems by using collaborative visualization,

通过合作可视化的方法解决困难的问题，

and on a site that I've produced called drawtoast.com,

在一个 drawtoast.com 的网站上

I've collected a bunch of best practices.

我收集了一些最棒的实践练习，

and so you can learn how to run a workshop here,

你们可以学习怎么运行一个研讨会，

you can learn more about the visual language

你们可以学习更多视觉语言，

and the structure of links and nodes that you can apply to general problem-solving,

以及你可以运用到综合问题、 解决方法上的节点和链接的结构，

and download examples of various templates

并且可以下载不同的范例模板

for unpacking the thorny problems that we all face in our organizations.

去解决我们组织的困难问题。

So the seemingly trivial design exercise of drawing toast

所以这些看似琐碎的画烤面包的练习，

helps us get clear, engaged and aligned.

使我们更加明确，积极，和团结。

So next time you're confronted with an interesting challenge,

所以，下一次你遇到一个有趣的挑战，

remember what design has to teach us.

记住设计所教会我们的。

Make your ideas visible, tangible, and consequential.

让你的主意可视，可触摸，有结果。

It's simple, it's fun, it's powerful,

这很简单，有趣，强大，

and I believe it's an idea worth celebrating.

我相信这是一个值得庆祝的主意。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）