Introduction

People use the same words and think they understand each other, but drawings expose how different their ideas really are.

What's the problem it solves?

Teams often believe they are aligned when they are not. They use the same words in meetings and documents, but each person imagines something different. This “illusion of alignment” causes confusion, wasted time, and broken trust.

Quick Summary

The author explains that using words alone often leads to misunderstanding. Words are flexible, shaped by each person’s background and experience. When a designer hears “simple,” an engineer or product manager might imagine something else entirely. So even if everyone nods in agreement, they may be building toward totally different goals.

This invisible gap grows quietly during projects until the first design review exposes it. Then, frustration explodes. Teams feel blindsided and relationships suffer. The writer argues this problem isn’t about poor communication or bad intent-it’s about how humans think.

Designers can fix this by making ideas visible early. Visuals, even quick sketches, surface assumptions that words hide. Drawing lets teams see where they differ before it becomes costly. Designers act as bridge builders who turn abstract talk into shared understanding.

Key Takeaways from the article

• Alignment built on words alone is fragile and often false.
• Misunderstanding grows silently until visual proof exposes it.
• Visual thinking helps uncover hidden differences early.
• Designers don’t need permission or fancy tools to bring clarity.
• Sketches make invisible ideas visible and guide real collaboration.

What to do

• In meetings, sketch rough visuals of what’s being discussed.
• Ask teammates to draw what they mean by vague goals like “simple” or “engaging.”
• Use pictures early in strategy, not just in the design phase.
• Present multiple visual options to reveal different assumptions.
• Treat disagreement over drawings as success-it means real alignment is forming.
• Always “just draw a picture” to turn words into shared meaning.

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