Tools for perspective integration
Here are two tools for perspective integration:
I. STEELVENN
A “steelvenn” is a Venn diagram that steel-mans different perspectives on an issue. It doesn’t go as far as articulating a synthesis perspective, but it shows that different perspectives can co-exist. Steelvenns are an excellent tool for getting the right ingredients on the table, which can then be used to cook up some synthesis.
Note: Venn diagrams aren’t entirely ideal for representing synthesis, because they limit us to common ground, while synthesis ideally seeks higher ground — a higher-order, more complex view. Still, Venns are useful for articulating different perspectives and showing indicating that they can co-exist.
To see a variety of steelvenns on issues from Michael Jackson to abortion, check out this thread.
To learn how to make steelvenns, hear Faces of X creator Stephanie Lepp on the Deep Dive podcast (3:30-9:30).
II) INTEGRAL MATRIX
An “integral matrix” integrates different strategies for achieving the same goal.
Starting with some context: back in 2000, psychologist and author Daniel Goleman published a leadership matrix. Essentially, it identifies six distinct leadership styles, the circumstances in which they’re most useful, and the impact they have on the overall organizational climate. Take a look:
Notice that Goleman’s matrix can be abstracted and used for things other than leadership: what are the different strategies for achieving this goal? Under what circumstances is each strategy most useful? What impact do the different strategies have on the overall system?
Enter the integral matrix — a tool that integrates different strategies for achieving the same goal into one overarching integral strategy. It shifts the question from “which strategy is right?” to “under what circumstances is which strategy useful?” The integral matrix is an excellent tool for transforming a debate about which strategy is best into a dialogue about how to mix-and-match different strategies in pursuit of a shared goal.
To learn how to make an integral matrix, hear Lepp on the Deep Dive podcast (35:27-40:36).