Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
Shitty Maps: A Trojan Horse for Sensemaking
This video is featured in the Learning playlist and 1 more.
Summary
This session is about not doing that anymore.
Polish is a trap. A finished-looking map either gets waved through—it looks done, so it must be right–or the room balks because they weren’t part of figuring it out. Either way, your map is treated as something fixed, and the thinking stops. The rough version doesn’t have that problem. It stays in motion. It invites the room in. And it’s faster than the “real” tools, which only feel fast because they look legitimate while you’re using them.
We’ll dig into why looking shitty works, then practice making rough maps together, and the skill behind the practice that makes the whole thing come together.
Key Insights
-
•
Rough, low-fidelity 's****y maps' reduce social risk and invite collaborative iteration rather than confrontation.
-
•
Visual representations persist in conversation, help point to relationships, and map non-linear concepts better than spoken language.
-
•
Power dynamics and inadequate communication mediums often inhibit people from sharing valuable perspectives in meetings.
-
•
Practicing real-time visual thinking with simple tools like note cards builds muscle memory that helps break conversational stalemates.
-
•
'S****y maps' serve as Trojan horses that sneak clarity into conversations without requiring permission or pretense.
-
•
The posture of presenting rough maps as drafts with invitation to correction reduces ego and resistance in group settings.
-
•
High-fidelity polished designs can shut down discussion by implying settled ideas, whereas rough sketches encourage exploration.
-
•
Visual sense-making is a powerful tool for sense-making, trust-building, and aligning stakeholders beyond verbal explanations.
-
•
AI-generated visualizations can augment conversation but often lack the human vulnerability and fluidity of hand-drawn sketches.
-
•
Breaking down complex problems into smaller chunks visually helps transform overwhelming issues into manageable tasks.
Notable Quotes
"Everything that I make looks s****y. How can I turn this into a benefit?"
"The map on the note card wasn’t calling anyone out. It was providing this shared point of reference."
"If something looks rough, people don’t treat it like a declaration. They treat it like a draft."
"Talking is linear, but systems are non-linear. Visual maps show those relationships that words can’t."
"I didn’t magically have crystal-clear thoughts. I changed the conditions just enough."
"S****y maps are a Trojan horse for sense-making because they’re disarming and inviting."
"The willingness to say, ‘I’m not sure this is right, but is this what we’re talking about?’ That is a s****y map."
"Visual sketching shows human vulnerability in a way that AI cannot."
"High-fidelity maps often squash discussion. Rough maps invite it."
"That pen on paper helps your brain think through ideas faster."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"I didn’t know green software existed. I didn’t know sustainability tech was a thing."
Tristin OldaniTurning awareness into action with Climate UX
January 16, 2025
"Involving designers early in the process is crucial to avoid the 'fast-food' model where they feel like order takers."
Alicia MootyDesign Staffing Models
September 30, 2021
"Connecting the repository to Slack and building an AI bot to answer questions fascinates users and drives usage."
Maria Rosala Shivanjali M.Research Repositories
March 12, 2026
"Open yourself up to the ways of being, knowing, doing, working, living, and breathing of others."
Victor UdoewaTheme One Intro
March 27, 2023
"Hybrid governance models could include civic assemblies that represent future generations, led by a mayor for the future."
Jayne Engle Tanya Chung-Tiam-FookCivic Design for the Next Seven Generations—A Discussion on Sacred Civics
August 25, 2022
"Establish yourself as a trusted expert advisor whose work drives meaningful positive change."
Megan BlockerGetting to the “So What?”: How Management Consulting Practices Can Transform Your Approach to Research
March 26, 2024
"You have to put yourself in stakeholders’ shoes and understand their domain to have meaningful conversations."
Boon Yew ChewMaking Sense of Systems—and Using Systems to Make Sense of the Enterprise
June 6, 2023
"Designers can be first responders, not just in digital but in real disaster situations."
Lada GorlenkoTheme 2 Intro
June 9, 2022
"If you’re not the solution, you’re the problem."
Cheryl PlatzCollaborative Creativity through Improv
November 7, 2018
