In Visual Thinking, a question isn’t just a prompt… the question is a frame.
Visual Thinking is the art of both thinking and seeing differently.
A question can shape the canvas of our ideas, set the perspective, and define the edges. It can determine both what we focus on and what we ignore. A well-formed question can challenge the composition of our perceptions. It can draw attention to the negative space, shift the focal point, or flip our thinking.
Questions can subtly (or unsubtly) guide how a problem is perceived. Is it open or closed? What assumptions does it carry? Is it looking to fix, or does it seek to understand? Like the edges of a canvas, a question creates boundaries… but also possibility. It can widen or narrow our view.
We tend to rush to answers (at least I do 😄 ). We want immediate clarity, solutions, action and direction.
But sometimes a good question causes us to pause long enough to notice what has been there all along.
It shifts the angle of cognition, allowing for lateral thinking and oblique perspectives. It makes space... It changes the light....
The ability to surface underlying assumptions, to reframe a challenge, or to redraw the boundaries of a conversation can be more powerful than any immediate solution. It’s not always about having the right answer. Often, the most valuable insights come from what the question uncovers, rather than what we add.
Sometimes it’s about holding the right question… and holding it long enough for something deeper to emerge…
