> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://explorer.designcriticalthinking.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://explorer.designcriticalthinking.com/master.md).

# Introduction

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Presentation given to the Systems Innovation Geneva Hub
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## Sailing Complexity: The Explorer’s Metaphor

An introduction to sensemaking and complexity management for designers, managers, and decision-makers.&#x20;

![](/files/-MTKf7GdofP1rp023dCj)

### An invitation to be explorers, not just problem-solvers

We tend to see design and innovation as problem-solving spaces. This engineering and sometimes mechanistic approach is not bad in itself but brings a lot of limitations, one major being to quickly frame whatever challenge into a narrow, finite, solution.

When facing uncertainty, designers, innovators, and changemakers might feel unempowered. We look for recipes and pre-packaged generalist solutions — “the answer”, that sells an illusion of certainty through the economy of speed — to help us **disambiguate our very specific contexts**.

> Problem-solvers look for answers. Explorers look for better questions.

Instead, exploration makes the invisible visible. This multi-layered understanding will add more potential to our *portfolio of possibilities*.

> Problem-solvers reduce options. Explorers enable possibilities.

New challenges are invitations to become *curious explorers*, in a world where everything is believed to be known, predictable, and ordinary.

### Reclaim a space for curious exploration

![](/files/-MT6sBInod0o3QuIX9OL)

***The explorer’s framework*** is a set of ideas & concepts for practitioners to help approach challenges and problems in ways that add layers (rather than subtract), enable possibilities (rather than reduce), diversify points of views, and enable a portfolio of strategies & actions to tackle (complex) challenges (rather than single-point solutions).

*Exploration* is not to be opposed to *conception* — it is a useful tensio&#x6E;*.* Exploration should be pursued as a parallel ongoing journey with no clear end. It is the philosophy & ethics of the curious humble learner.

![](/files/-Mf8lLi8rX5feAtjZ2_5)