When looking at a world map, our eyes instantly focus on landmass.
We’re usually hunting for a route between two places, or perhaps we’re looking for a new country to explore.
Almost none of our attention is given to the ocean; yet the ocean accounts for 71% of the earth’s surface.
This habit of ours got me thinking: what if we approached problem solving in the same way we approach maps?
What if we only focused on 29% of the known problem space? What if we ignored the other 71% because it’s outside our experience or realm of understanding?
Unless you’re a sailor, there are no consequences to ignoring the oceans. However, when working on complex problems, there are severe consequences to focusing on a limited part of the problem space.
Looking at the whole map, the whole world, and the whole space, helps us navigate more effectively when compared with focusing only on that which we know.
H/T to Maru for helping me think differently about how we look at our oceans and maps