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12 Examples of the Big Picture

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The big picture is the broadest possible perspective that can be used for a thought process. The following are illustrative examples.

Foundational Knowledge

Foundational knowledge is information that is broadly applicable to a domain. This tends to be theoretical and hands-off. For example, a university computer science program that teaches students about fundamentals such as the computational complexity of algorithms as opposed to specifics such as how to use a particular cloud platform. Learning specifics without foundational knowledge tends lead to confusion whereby an individual is doing work they don't fully understand.

Think Global, Act Local

Think global, act local is the practice of considering the global impact of your actions. For example, a product design team for a laundry detergent that considers the fact that millions of kilograms of the product may end up in waste water each year. This may lead to biodegradable formulations that contain no harmful substances based on a principle such as waste is food.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is the process of generating ideas without a filter. It is common to ask as many people as possible to participate to generate outside ideas that may have value. This progresses to a process of evaluating ideas down to a shortlist. For example, a furniture company that brainstorms ideas for a new chair as opposed to beginning with assumptions such as a need to redesign an existing model.

Assumptions & Constraints

Avoiding unnecessary assumptions and constraints. For example, an automotive company that defines itself as a "transportation company" in a mission statement to avoid marketing myopia whereby they view the product as the mission as opposed to the value that they create.

First Principles

Thinking that begins with first principles that you know to be true or that you hold to be true. For example, a firm that begins a product development initiative with the principle that a new product has to serve customer needs and have a unique and valuable market position. This can be compared with focused thinking such as starting with the idea that you need to develop a new organic coffee product.

Strategic Thinking

Strategic thinking is planning that seeks to win in the long term. This can be contrasted with reactive or tactical approaches that only consider winning the current battle. In this context, the long term is the big picture. For example, a society that invests in new energy infrastructure that is more efficient and clean as opposed to giving subsidies to old energy industries that aren't as clean.

Root Cause Analysis

Root cause analysis is the process of identifying the root cause of problems as opposed to addressing symptoms. For example, a jogger who finds that their knees are often sore who invests in a pair of highly cushioned running shoes in an attempt to lower the stresses on their knees. This can be compared to addressing the symptoms of the problem such as taking a pain reliever.

Design Thinking

Design thinking is the practice of looking at almost everything as a design problem. This often involves big picture thinking whereby you redesign systems to solve problems. For example, an office administrator who finds that office supplies always disappear during back to school season who implements a system whereby employees order supplies online for next day delivery that creates an audit trail of usage.

Systems Thinking

Systems thinking is the process of considering the broadest impact of changes. For example, a firm that begins to aggressively monitor employee communications and physical movements might considered big picture issues such as how this may damage the relationship of trust that exists between the firm its employees.

Innovation

Innovation is the process of seeking leaps forward in value as opposed to gradual improvement. This almost always requires a view of the big picture whereby an individual is able to challenge the status quo with approaches that violate commonly held assumptions.

Creativity

Creativity is the ability to create non-obvious value. This is a process of divergent thinking whereby an individual considers broad ideas outside of the conventional thinking of a domain.

Last Responsible Moment

Last responsible moment is the strategy of delaying work and decisions as late as possible without creating unreasonable risks. This avoids wasting time or making poor decisions if something in the big picture changes. For example, an author who doesn't write a word until they've got the entire plot of a story worked out in their head.
Overview: Big Picture
Type
Definition
The broadest possible perspective that can be used for a thought process.
Related Concepts

Thinking

This is the complete list of articles we have written about thinking.
Abductive Reasoning
Abstract Thinking
Abstraction
Aesthetics
Analogy
Analysis Paralysis
Analytical Thinking
Anomie
Argument
Argument From Silence
Arrow Of Time
Assertions
Automaticity
Backward Induction
Base Rate Fallacy
Benefit Of Doubt
Big Picture
Brainstorming
Call To Action
Catch 22
Causality
Choice Architecture
Circular Reasoning
Cognition
Cognitive Abilities
Cognitive Biases
Cold Logic
Collective Intelligence
Complexity Bias
Concept
Consciousness
Constructive Criticism
Convergent Thinking
Counterfactual Thinking
Creative Tension
Creeping Normality
Critical Thinking
Culture
Curse Of Knowledge
Decision Fatigue
Decision Framing
Decision Making
Defensive Pessimism
Design Thinking
Divergent Thinking
Educated Guess
Emotional Intelligence
Epic Meaning
Essential Complexity
Excluded Middle
Failure Of Imagination
Fallacies
Fallacy Fallacy
False Analogy
False Balance
False Dichotomy
False Equivalence
First Principles
Formal Logic
Four Causes
Fuzzy Logic
Gambler's Fallacy
Generalization
Golden Hammer
Good Judgement
Grey Area
Groupthink
Heuristics
Hindsight Bias
Hope
Idealism
Ideas
If-By-Whiskey
Illogical Success
Imagination
Independent Thinking
Inductive Reasoning
Inference
Influencing
Informal Logic
Information
Information Cascade
Introspection
Intuition
Inventive Step
Learning
Lifestyle
Logic
Logical Argument
Logical Thinking
Ludic Fallacy
Magical Thinking
Meaning
Mental Experiences
Mental State
Mindset
Misuse of Statistics
Motivated Reasoning
Natural Language
Nirvana Fallacy
Norms
Not Even Wrong
Objective Reason
Objectivity
Opinion
Overthinking
Perception
Personal Values
Perspective
Positive Thinking
Practical Thinking
Pragmatism
Premise
Problem Solving
Proof By Example
Propositional Logic
Prosecutor's Fallacy
Radical Chic
Rational Thought
Realism
Reality
Reason
Reasoning
Red Herring
Reflective Thinking
Reification
Relativism
Salience
Scarcity Mindset
Scientism
Selective Attention
Serendipity
Situational Awareness
Sour Grapes
State Of Mind
Storytelling
Subjectivity
Systems Thinking
Thinking
Thought Experiment
Unknown Unknowns
Visual Thinking
Want To Believe
Whataboutism
Win-Win Thinking
Wishful Thinking
Worldview
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Thinking

An overview of thinking with examples.

Introspection

The definition of introspection with examples.

Critical Thinking Examples

An overview of critical thinking with examples.

Skepticism

The definition of skepticism with examples.

Abstract Thinking

The definition of abstract thinking with examples.

Imagination

The definition of imagination with examples.

Visual Thinking

The definition of visual thinking with examples.

Abstract Concept

The definition of abstract concept with examples.

Realism

The definition of realism with examples.

Pragmatism

The definition of pragmatism with examples.

Decision Making

A list of decision making techniques.

Automaticity

The definition of automaticity with examples.

Failure

The definition of failure with examples.

Inaction

The definition of inaction with examples.

Indecision

The definition of indecision with examples.

Path Of Least Resistance

The definition of the path of least resistance with examples.

Keep It Simple Stupid

The definition of Keep It Simple Stupid with examples.

Moot Point

The definition of moot point with examples.
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