A way of making meaning that emerges from nonlinear, spatial, or systems-oriented cognition. Rather than simplifying ideas into linear sequences, diagrammatic thinkers design tools, interfaces, and processes that mirror the structure of their minds. This concept resists advice like “just say it simply,” instead valuing environments where complexity can be held, mapped, and gradually revealed.
When to Use This:
- When outline-based writing stalls
- When visual/spatial logic feels more honest
- When system design is meaning-making
Core Readings:
- Ursula K. Le Guin – Carrier Bag Theory
- Bret Victor – Ladder of Abstraction
- Donella Meadows – Thinking in Systems
- Lynda Barry – What It Is
- Christopher Alexander – A Pattern Language
Related Concepts:
- Systems Thinking
- Cognitive Mapping
- Visual Epistemology
- Pattern Recognition
- Narrative as Structure
Design Prompt:
If your thoughts are constellations, not sentences—what’s the interface that lets you move between them?