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

譯者: Yamei Huang 審譯者: Sherry Chen

Some years ago,

幾年前，

I stumbled across a simple design exercise

我偶然發現一個簡單的設計練習，

that helps people understand and solve complex problems,

它幫助人們了解和解決複雜的問題，

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

像許多這類的設計練習， 它剛開始看起來很不起眼，

but under deep inspection,

但深入審視之後，

it turns out that it reveals unexpected truths

結果它會揭開令人意想不到的真相，

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

有關於我們如何合作 以及對事情的理解。

The exercise has three parts

這個練習包括三個部分，

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

由我們都知道如何做的事情開始，

which is how to make toast.

即如何烤土司。

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

首先拿來一張乾淨的紙， 一枝馬克筆，

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

不用文字描述 開始畫出如何烤土司，

And most people draw something like this.

大部分的人畫出像這樣的東西，

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

他們畫出一條切成薄片的麵包 然後放進烤麵包機。

The toast is then deposited for some time.

經過一段時間。

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

土司彈起來，完成！ 二分鐘後，心滿意足地享受土司。

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

這些年來，我收集 好幾百張這種畫土司的圖畫，

and some of them are very good,

有些畫得相當好，

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

因為他們將烤土司的過程 說明的相當清楚。

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

有些畫得並不是很好。

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

說實在的，真的很糟， 因為你不知道他們要表達什麼。

Under close inspection,

更進一步的審視，

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

有人揭露了烤土司的某些手續， 但隱藏了一切其他手續。

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

有些完全和土司有關，

and all about the transformation of toast.

完全和土司的變化過程有關。

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

還有一些完全有關烤麵包機，

and the engineers love to draw the mechanics of this.

工程師最喜歡畫這種機械圖形。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And then there are others that are about people.

還有關於人的圖像。

It's about visualizing the experience that people have.

將人類的經驗視覺化。

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

還有的圖則是關於土司的整個供應鏈，

that goes all the way back to the store.

從產品製作一直到產品上架。

It goes through the supply chain networks of teleportation

經過快速運輸供應鏈網路，

and all the way back to the field and wheat,

畫出供應鏈的最初的田園和麥田，

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

其中有一張圖竟然 回到了宇宙大爆炸時期。

So it's crazy stuff.

真是瘋狂的想法。

But I think it's obvious

但我認為，很顯然，

that even though these drawings are really wildly different,

即使這些圖畫是如此不同，

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

他們有一個共通的特質， 我猜想你們是否能看出來。

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

看出端倪了嗎？其中的共通點是什麼？

Most drawings have nodes and links.

大部分的圖形有「節點」和「連結」。

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

「節點」代表的是有形的物體， 像是烤麵包機和人，

and links represent the connections between the nodes.

「連結」則代表 「節點」與「節點」之間的關係。

And it's the combination of links and nodes

結合「連結」和「節點」

that produces a full systems model,

產生一個完整的系統模型，

and it makes our private mental models visible

它展現出我們個人的心智模式，

about how we think something works.

展現出我們認為某些東西如何運作。

So that's the value of these things.

那就是這個構想的價值。

What's interesting about these systems models

這系統模型的有趣之處

is how they reveal our various points of view.

是在於揭露不同的觀點。

So for example, Americans make toast with a toaster.

例如：美國人用烤土司機來烤土司。

That seems obvious.

這似乎是顯而易見的。

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

然而很多歐洲人會以平底鍋煎土司，

and many students make toast with a fire.

有些學生生火烤土司。

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

雖然我不是太懂， 但有很多工商管理碩士生如此做。

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

所以計算「節點」的數量， 來判斷其複雜性，

and the average illustration has between four and eight nodes.

平均每張圖表有 4 到 8 個點。

Less than that, the drawing seems trivial,

少於這個數字，圖說會顯得太瑣碎，

but it's quick to understand,

但可以一目了然，

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

超過 23 個節點，圖形會顯得雜亂。

It's too complex.

太複雜了。

So the sweet spot is between 5 and 13.

所以最好是介於 5 到 13 之間。

So if you want to communicate something visually,

假如你想要視覺化地傳達某些觀點，

have between five and 13 nodes in your diagram.

在圖形上的「節點」 介於 5 到 13 之間。

So though we may not be skilled at drawing,

或許我們對於畫圖表不是在行，

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

重點是直覺地將複雜的事

into simple things and then bring them back together again.

分解為簡單的事，然後再合併一起。

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

所以這帶領我們進入第二階段的練習，

which is how to make toast,

也就是如何烤土司，

but now with sticky notes or with cards.

只是現在用的是便利貼或卡片，

So what happens then?

將會發生什麼事呢？

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

如果使用卡片， 人們傾向畫得較清楚，較詳細，

and more logical nodes.

以及更多具邏輯性的「節點」。

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

你可看到循序漸進的分解過程，

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

當他們擴增模型，會移動「節點」，

rearranging them like Lego blocks.

重新安排，就像在堆樂高積木。

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

看上去雖然瑣碎，但相當重要。

This rapid iteration of expressing and then reflecting and analyzing

這種快速重複的陳述， 然後反思和分析，

is really the only way in which we get clarity.

是搞清楚弄明白的唯一方法。

It's the essence of the design process.

這是設計流程的本質。

And systems theorists do tell us

系統理論家告訴我們

that the ease with which we can change a representation

這方式易於修改其表述方式

correlates to our willingness to improve the model.

與我們的想法產生關連， 以改善模型。

So sticky note systems are not only more fluid,

所以便利貼系統不只流暢，

they generally produce way more nodes than static drawings.

一般說來比靜態圖型 產生更多「節點」。

The drawings are much richer.

其圖型會更加豐富。

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

這下就讓我們來看看第三部分的練習，

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

也就是畫如何烤土司， 但這次是一群人去做。

So what happens then?

將會發生什麼事？

Well, here's what happens.

將會發生以下的事。

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

剛開始有些混亂，然後還是混亂，

and then it gets messier,

然後更加混亂，

but as people refine the models,

但當有人將模型精確化，

the best nodes become more prominent,

最好的「節點」也就更加凸顯，

and with each iteration, the model becomes clearer

加以重述，模型就越清楚，

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

因為人們將自己的想法 架構在他人的構想上，

What emerges is a unified systems model

產生這種統一系統模型的是

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

整合每個人多樣性的個別觀點，

so that's a really different outcome

與我們平時在會議上所發生的

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

結果非常不同不是嗎？

So these drawings can contain 20 or more nodes,

這些圖包含 20 個以上的「節點」，

but participants don't feel map shock

參與者沒有感覺到圖形雜亂，

because they participate in the building of their models themselves.

因為他們參與其中建造自己的模式。

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

還有令人感到有趣的事是： 當群體自然地融合在一起，

and add additional layers of organization to it.

和加入額外的組織層級，

To deal with contradictions, for example,

例如，處理相互矛盾的事，

they add branching patterns and parallel patterns.

加入分支樣式和平行樣式。

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

順道一提，如果他們 完全沉默地完成這個實驗，

they do it much better and much more quickly.

他們會做得更好更快。

Really interesting -- talking gets in the way.

討論會礙事，真是有趣。

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

這裡有些關鍵課程， 可以從中看出端倪。

First, drawing helps us understand the situations

首先，圖形幫助我們了解情況，

as systems with nodes and their relationships.

即系統的「節點」和節點間的關係。

Movable cards produce better systems models,

移動卡產生較好的系統模型，

because we iterate much more fluidly.

因為我們更加流暢地重複執行。

And then the group notes produce the most comprehensive models

然後團隊使用便利貼 製造出最讓人理解的模型，

because we synthesize several points of view.

因為我們綜合不同的觀點。

So that's interesting.

所以那很有趣有趣。

When people work together under the right circumstances,

當人們在適當的環境一起工作，

group models are much better than individual models.

群體模型比個別模型更好。

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

這個方法對如何繪畫 製作土司流程而言相當好，

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

但如果你要畫與工作相關 或有迫切需求的事物，

like your organizational vision, or customer experience,

像是公司的願景或客戶經驗，

or long-term sustainability?

或永續經營呢？

There's a visual revolution that's taking place

現在正在發生一個視覺的變革，

as more organizations are addressing their wicked problems

當更多組織提出很棒的問題，

by collaboratively drawing them out.

以共同合作方式將圖形畫出來。

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

我相信，把他們的世界看成是 可移動的「節點」和「連結」的人

really have an edge.

的確有他們的優勢。

And the practice is really pretty simple.

這練習相當簡單。

You start with a question, you collect the nodes,

你由問問題開始，收集「節點」。

you refine the nodes, you do it over again,

推敲琢磨「節點」， 然後再做一次，

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

你一再推敲，模式就產生出來，

and the group gets clarity and you answer the question.

團隊得到清晰的構想， 而你回答問題。

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

一而再，再而三地做 這個簡單的視覺化動作，

produces some really remarkable outcomes.

產生一些令人意想不到的結果。

What's really important to know

最重要的是要去了解

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

溝通是這個過程中的重要方面，

not just the models themselves.

而不僅僅是模型本身。

And these visual frames of reference

關聯的視覺架構

can grow to several hundreds or even thousands of nodes.

可以發展成數百種 甚至上千種「節點」。

So, one example is from an organization called Rodale.

以下是一家名為羅達爾公司的例子。

Big publishing company.

它是一家大型的出版公司。

They lost a bunch of money one year,

這家公司有一年損失了很多錢，

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

他們的高階團隊以三天的時間， 將整個營業流程視覺化。

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

有趣的是，在視覺化整個商業流程後，

systems upon systems,

系統架構在系統之上，

they reclaimed 50 million dollars of revenue,

他們的營收已回復至五千萬元，

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

在他們客戶的評比中， 由 D 等級變成為 A 等級。

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

為什麼？ 因為經營團隊做了調整。

So I'm now on a mission to help organizations

我當前的任務，是幫助公司

solve their wicked problems by using collaborative visualization,

以協同視覺化的方式解決棘手問題。

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

在我架設的網站 drawtoast.com 上，

I've collected a bunch of best practices.

我收集了許多最有效的練習，

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

你可以學到如何經營一家工作坊，

you can learn more about the visual language

可以練習更多視覺化語言，

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

「連結」和「節點」的架構， 可以應用在一般的問題解決，

and download examples of various templates

並下載各式樣式的範例，

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

以解決我們在工作上 碰到的棘手問題。

So the seemingly trivial design exercise of drawing toast

這個畫土司設計練習看起來平凡簡單，

helps us get clear, engaged and aligned.

實則幫助我們搞清楚， 緊密結合和密切合作。

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

下次你面臨一個有趣的挑戰時，

remember what design has to teach us.

記得設計教會我們的道理。

Make your ideas visible, tangible, and consequential.

將你的構想視覺化， 明確化，將產出結果表達出來。

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

這簡單，有趣且功能強大，

and I believe it's an idea worth celebrating.

我相信這是一個值得慶祝的構想。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）