- 2 min read
Recently I spent an afternoon at a beachside restaurant; people-watching and scribbling ideas in my sketchbook. I was there to listen to a new playlist I had prepared for a client. Since they shared a space with another business they needed music that matched the vibe of both establishments while also synced to the time of day. So I made morning, afternoon, and sunset playlists. I set the criteria for each playlist according to the persona of each business and curated the music to play in sync with the different crowd vibes throughout the day.
Constraints help to identify what is appropriate; they also help us create things more efficiently. Take for instance the self-imposed constraints that made the iconic Penguin book covers so successful. By setting a framework to format each book using a designed template; they were able to maintain a fixed production price with the same quality. Templates are particularly useful for businesses with many stories. A well-designed template will offer just the right amount of rules to lower production costs, with enough flexibility to make each edition remarkable.
Once you’ve determined the rules or what’s important, it is easier to identify what isn’t going to be appropriate and less meaningful. Part of the success of a storyteller is determined by how well they craft a desired emotion. I find it difficult to do this without the constraints of a framework. Particularly when it comes to making decisions. My artistic eye can easily find colours to work with but selecting the most appropriate one is another task. It requires criteria to make the final decision. Where will the colour live, who will see it, what is the desired mood, are there any preferred colours, etc.? Frameworks allow me to consider and recognize emotional states and perspectives beyond my own biases.
The complexity and difficulty of understanding what others will comprehend from an idea or feeling is difficult. We are limited by language. Full comprehension can be elusive and misunderstandings can arise from the gaps between what is said, what is felt, and what is intended. The meaning of an idea can be highly subjective and often depends on the individual's perspective, experiences, and context. The multifaceted nature of ideas emphasizes the importance of identifying a framework.
Food for thought.
Create a framework; use it as a tool. We’ve written about this before; read our brand articulation framework article for more information on using this for your business.
