The Art of Complex Problem Solving

Someone passed this on to me the other day ... I wish I remember who.

www.Idiagram.com

I've spent some time on this site, and have to hand it to the author Marshall Clemens, I'm impressed.

Not only does his style work for me, but the challenge of representing complex systems, problems or solutions into such easily understood illustrations or models I'm convinced now is a gift... or maybe a black art.

As I go through the site, so many concepts are illustrated so clearly that I want to bookmark every page.  I won't, but I will pass on a couple thoughts and a few links.

There are two things that have got me thinking:

1. Complex Problem Solving.  Being a more visual person myself, I need to be able to see the problem or solution before I'm able to comprehend it.  My training in the field of Economics teaches me to model, illustrate or diagram complex issues and create over-simplified metaphors using "ceteris paribus" assumptions to try to get to the heart of the hypothesis.  Marshall takes this further, inferring that these models become in a sense the system (or problem, solution, etc.) itself:
   

This is the Point:

Because complex systems are abstract, visual models and visual metaphors -- whether in our heads or on paper -- are not just useful analogies or an interesting way to think about such things, to us they ARE the things.  Other than mathematical models, and very limited direct experience, they embody most of what we understand about such systems.

Visual models and metaphors of complex systems -- how we imagine them, how we draw them -- matter because to us they are the systems.  If we are to understand complex systems, talk about them, use them to model the world, then we should be careful that our conceptions of them -- our dinstincly visual conceptions -- are accurate and productive.

-- Marshal Clemens, Idiagram

2. Practical Visual Modeling.  On a more pedestrian level, I'm envious of Marshall's ability to create visual models that convey high-level concepts as well as intricate details all within the same canvas... something I've never been able to do well myself.  Beyond my graphics-impairment, the Idiagram models convey so much more information.

	vs.
My Modeling Style		Idiagram Modeling Style

Here are a few of my favourite pieces:

• Main site:
  http://www.idiagram.com/index.html
• Interactive “Art of Complex Problem Solving” (mouse-over the stages):
  http://www.idiagram.com/CP/cpprocess.html
• The Approach:
  http://www.idiagram.com/approach/approach.html
• Strategic Mapping:
  http://www.idiagram.com/ideas/strategic_mapping.html
• PowerPoint (the builds help the visualization):
  http://www.idiagram.com/examples/powerpoint.html
• Interactive Complex Systems Science (CSS) Map:
  http://www.idiagram.com/examples/vcss/vcss.html