We are constantly faced with the challenge of solving complex problems in creative ways. While it may seem like magic and logic are opposing forces, they can often work together in design, where creative thinking and strategic actions can create truly transformative and magical experiences.
Magic and creativity are often used interchangeably because they involve creating something new and original, whether a product, idea, or experience. Magic is the ability to create something that seems extraordinary or miraculous, while creativity is the ability to generate new and original ideas. Both creativity and magic require originality, imagination, and the ability to think outside the box.
It is important to note that creativity is not the same as irrationality, although they are often conflated. Irrationality is the absence of reason or logic, while creativity often requires logical thinking to create universally welcomed and scalable ideas. For example, GenAI is often perceived as magical and creative due to its ability to swiftly create things without requiring specific skills. However, this magic can only occur through a user’s numerous logical prompts on the front end with a system rapidly connecting numerous logical principles and a collection of creative activities from history.
When it comes to tackling challenges and achieving success, two different mindsets constantly play together: Logic and Magic. While both are important, they approach problems from different perspectives. Logic focuses on problems and how to solve them, while magic focuses on opportunities and how to create them. Logic is useful for understanding ill-defined problems to find patterns, and magic is useful for generating north-star ideas and exploring possibilities.
Whether you choose to focus on a problem or an opportunity, we will need to start by putting our efforts into understanding the context we are in. To solve some of the pain points of complex human beings — who we often refer to as our users, customers, consumers, and/or audiences — we need a deep understanding of human emotions, fundamental truths about human behavior, unconscious or unspoken needs of humans, previous trials and errors, and the underlying motivations of different parts of a system.
“Systems thinking complements Design thinking: together they’re a dynamic duo.” — Christian Tooley, World Economic Forum
The main idea is that everything is related to each other. When we say “everything is interconnected” from a Systems thinking perspective, it means that we don’t separate the user from their surroundings. While Design thinking is anchored on understanding users’ needs, Systems thinking looks at how different parts of a system are connected and how these connections create new effects over time. By understanding the big picture of a problem at a system level, we can activate a sharper problem-solving mindset and design solutions that closely meet the needs of the people we are designing for.
Now there are many ideas that you or your team are eager to implement, but you have limited resources and time. It’s crucial to understand that the choice not to do something isn’t because it’s not valuable but rather because something else is more valuable right now. We can make informed decisions about where to invest our resources by weighing the relative value and impact of different options.
The impact-effort matrix relies on two key factors: the size of the impact and the amount of effort required to achieve it. By breaking down problems and opportunities into two key components, we can identify the most promising opportunities within our own unique constraints to create magic.
In this version (example 1), we merge desirability and viability into the same y-axis to consider a balanced impact for both users and the business. Additionally, the feasibility of achieving that impact is represented on the x-axis. The higher the level of technical complexity of an item, the greater the effort required, making it less feasible to achieve. Individual scores can be calculated using the scorecard, as illustrated in example 2.
- Size of Impact: Desirability + Viability. When trying to identify and prioritize problems, we first need to understand the impact that each problem has on our business or organization. This impact can be measured in terms of desirability, which is how much customers or users want or need the solution, and viability, which is how well the solution aligns with our business goals and objectives.
- Level of Effort: Feasibility. The parallel step is to assess the effort required to address each problem. This effort can be measured in terms of feasibility, which is the level of difficulty or complexity involved in developing and implementing a solution.
It is important to recognize that prioritization is an ongoing process and highly customizable to reflect your organization’s context and goals. As circumstances change and new information becomes available, our priorities may shift. This means that we must remain flexible and adaptable in our approach to prioritization, continually re-evaluating our decisions and making adjustments as necessary.
Ultimately, effective prioritization is about making informed choices that maximize our impact given the unique constraints we face. By recognizing that every choice to prioritize something is also a choice to invest, we can approach prioritization with greater intentionality and make decisions that drive meaningful progress toward our goals.
It is not about a comparison between logic and magic. It is about using logical thinking to create magic. The essence of creating magic lies not only in generating exciting ideas but also in employing logical reasoning to transform those ideas into implementable and sustainable solutions. Utilizing frameworks such as the impact-effort matrix and scorecard can help prioritize ideas and make informed choices to ensure they meet the needs of customers or users and align with business goals and objectives.
Whether in the context of a stage performance, a digital experience, or an interactive space, creating magic requires careful planning, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. By continually re-evaluating decisions and being flexible in the prioritization process, we can drive meaningful progress toward our goals. By acknowledging the interplay of logic and magic, we approach creativity in a practical and grounded manner, avoiding reliance on irrational or supernatural forces.
Viewed as a problem-solving tool, creativity is a mindset that fuses logical thinking with the art of making magic. It is crucial to employ logic when defining the role of creativity, ensuring that our ideas are rooted in reality and viable solutions to the problems we face. It is about finding new and innovative ways to solve problems, embracing the diversity of thought, and encouraging team members to foster a sense of excitement and inspiration.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” — Steve Jobs