Overcoming The Limitations Of Visual Thinking

This is the second part of an occasional 'n part' series that started here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/history-visual-thinking-john-philpin-46vac (in case you want to catch up)

Back in 2000, my friend and colleague John Caswell founded Group Partners. For a while in the early oughts I worked with him and while there the 4 stage business framework dubbed ‘4D’ was refined and iterated and refined and iterated and .... 4D was the set of frameworks that allowed us (well - John ??) to take an organisation (any organisation) through a journey of ‘discovery, development, decision and deployment’.

It worked well. Very well … as this logo block from a few years ago attests.

But there were challenges, particularly when the ‘enchilada’ delivery required the skills of 3 very different people and those skills were unusual, hard to articulate and in those days, out of the three roles …

• Visual Thinker
• Contextual Analyst
• Facilitator

... only ‘facilitator’ was even recognised, much less understood (because an SVT Facilitator was not your usual facilitator.) That all said - it worked and is still working. Just check out the web site to really grok what Group Partners delivers today. Got to tell you - it is awesome.

The Benefits Of Structured Visual Thinking

Founded a quarter of a century ago, John's declared 'mission' was ‘to help organisations avoid solving the wrong problem really well.’ … a clear, unambiguous statement and when uttered typically stopped the listener in their tracks as they replayed the words in their head.

I still use that phrase today - a lot - and when I do, the old Victor Kiam TV ad comes to mind with that catch phrase;

I liked the razor so much I bought the company ~ Victor Kiam

Well, I didn't buy Group Partners - but I am going with that old adage immitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

The similarity in name might suggest that SVT emerged out of Visual Thinking, but in reality the truth was very different. When John introduced SVT it was clear that it was a bottom up redesign of the entire approach to strategy and marrying that to methodology, process, and strategic alignment.

It worked.

Twenty Five years since it was founded, SVT continues to help leaders and organisations:

?? Clarify Complex Strategies – Structure ideas visually so key insights are instantly clear and actionable, reducing misinterpretation and confusion.

?? Align Teams Faster – Map out problems, solutions, and dependencies in a way that removes ambiguity, breaks down silos, and ensures everyone is working toward the same goal.

?? Improve Communication – Present information in a way that is instantly understood, reducing back-and-forth, eliminating cognitive overload, and making meetings and reports more effective.

?? Drive Execution – Turn abstract discussions into structured, actionable frameworks that ensure ideas don’t just stay on paper—they drive real results.

?? Bridge Thinking and Doing – Eliminate the gap between strategy and execution by structuring information so it naturally flows into action, decision-making, and measurable progress.

BUT - as powerful as SVT was, it in turn had its own challenges.

?? Dependent on Rare Skills – SVT requires highly trained facilitators and visual specialists, making it difficult for organisations to adopt and scale independently.

?? Hard to Apply in Fast-Paced Environments – The SVT approach was a deep-dive workshop - not an everyday decision-making framework, limiting its use in rapid business cycles.

?? Lacked Flexibility for Real-World Business Use – Traditional structured models were powerful but rigid. They needed to be more adaptable to modern, agile environments where strategies evolve constantly.

?? Disconnected from Execution – While SVT helped visualise strategy, it sometimes lacked a direct bridge to execution, leading to misalignment between planning and real-world implementation.

?? Perceived as a Niche Tool, Not a Business Essential – Some leaders saw visual thinking as a ‘nice-to-have’ rather than a core competency for strategic problem-solving, limiting its adoption at scale.

Introducing Structured Thought

I was talking to John a few weeks ago and it is clear that Group Partners has today got on top of some of those opportunities ... the software behind the process provides for a lot more agility and moving talk into action is a central theme to their work.

Meanwhile, I continued on my mission to open people’s minds to the possibilities of Structured Thought. Yes 'visual' - but not to distract from 'Thought' and translate thought into useful communication tools and in turn decisions and action. I have also been working on how all of us can benefit from the approach, not just the deep pocketed corporations.

As a taster - a set of driving principles in the processes I use ...

• Ambiguity invites discovery – Uncertainty in visuals encourages interpretation and insight.
• Automation and templates work—when they fit – Use them when they enhance, not hinder.
• Constraints fuel creativity – A blank page can be daunting, but structure sparks ideas.
• Connections create clarity – Linking ideas visually strengthens comprehension.
• Context shapes cognition – How we frame information influences how we understand it.
• Emotion drives engagement – A compelling visual story resonates more than raw data.
• Everyone can visualise – But visualising is not the same as drawing.
• Iteration deepens insight – Revisiting and refining visuals leads to greater understanding.
• Narrative shapes flow – A strong visual story enhances comprehension.
• Seeing strengthens memory – Visual structures enhance retention and recall.
• Shared vision fuels collaboration – Structured visuals align teams and inspire action.
• Space influences meaning – How elements are arranged affects perception.
• Structure is essential – Organization supports clarity and impact.
• Thinking is required – It’s not optional.
• There are no absolute rules – But context always matters.
• Tools are secondary – The real power is in how you think, not how you draw.

More on this in the next issue - but before that - what do you think. Is this useful? Have some stories of your own? Comment away.