In a nutshell

Exploring analogies makes it easier to re-imagine products, services, strategies and systems.

Using information from one domain helps you to solve problems in another area.

In a nutshell

• You’ll need a specific problem or opportunity, someone who owns it, and a group that’s ready to think critically and creatively.
• paper or whiteboard for sketching a visual model and mapping ideas.

Activity flow

Step 1: Define the problem or opportunity (5–10 mins)

• Ensure there’s a clear ‘problem owner’ – someone who wants solutions and is ready to act. The team’s task is to serve them.

• Frame the challenge as an open question (open to multiple slutions) starting with “How might we…” (e.g., “How might we make onboarding joyful?”).

• Create a basic diagram or visual model of the current situation: use shapes and arrows to show key elements and relationships. Keep it simple—this becomes your anchor.

Step 2: Choose and explore an analogy (10–15 mins)

• Generate 3–5 possible analogies from a wide range of domains, such as:

  • Nature (gardens, beehives, mycelium, weather)

  • Science/tech (machines, circuits, AI, gravity)

  • Society & culture (festivals, teams, rituals, jazz bands)

  • Industry parallels (hospitality, logistics, urban planning)

• Pick ONE that feels rich and full of possibility.

• Map out its key attributes (functions, components, characteristics, behaviours, relationships, dynamics) —what makes it tick? At this stage just focus on understanding the analogy, not solving the problem (that comes next!)

Step 3: Apply the analogy to your challenge (10–15 mins)

• Take each attribute from your analogy and treat it as a metaphor or provocation for addressing your challenge:
  “If our challenge worked like this, what would that look like?”

• Use “Yes, and…” to stretch ideas further—keep it playful and productive. Great ideas can build off middling ideas.

• Look for fresh ideas, systemic shifts, or small experiments worth trying.

• Identify the most exciting possibilities and agree on first steps.

• You can explore another analogy if you’re still looking for the ‘Aha!’ flash of inspiration. Redundancy isn’t wasteful, it’s essential to creativity: films are edited, art galleries are curated. 

Results

You’ll uncover surprising, novel, and often actionable ideas that wouldn’t emerge from direct problem-solving alone. 

This approach helps people reframe stuck patterns, expand their perspective, and imagine new ways of approaching a challenge.

Things to flag up

• The quality of the analogy matters: avoid dry or overly technical ones unless they spark curiosity.

• Don’t rush to solutions—spend time understanding how the analogy works first.

• Analogies don’t have to be perfect or exact—they’re springboards, not blueprints.

• Sketching the analogy with a diagram helps surface unexpected insights.

Riffs & variations

• Use a deck of random analogy prompts (e.g. “volcano,” “restaurant kitchen,” “orchestra”) for inspiration.

• Run the process in small groups, then compare ideas.

• Try applying multiple analogies to the same challenge to open up radically different paths.