Zooming in and out means moving closer to a problem to see its details and then pulling back to see the bigger picture.
- Zooming in helps us see the finer points of processes and near-term actions.
- Zooming out allows us to see larger patterns, trends, and contexts that we may have missed when we were zoomed in.
There are two types of zooming in and out:
- Spatial. This allows us to see more of the “landscape” around a problem. We zoom in to look at the details and zoom out to see the broader context.
- Temporal. This means zooming in and out with time, which can give us both short-term and long-term perspectives on the situation.
Zooming Out Spatially allows us to see the economies, societies, and even social-ecological systems in which they exist. Through this process, we can spot trends that may affect our organization, identify the underlying causes of problems, and examine the interconnections between problems.
Zooming In Spatially gives us a way to explore elements and relationships within the boundaries of our own organization, such as ideas, teams, or individuals. This can help us understand how issues at the individual level can lead to higher-level ones within the organization. For example, we may notice our organization isn’t serving female customers well or has trouble recruiting women to executive roles. By zooming in, we are able to see there is implicit gender bias among individuals in the organization.
Temporal Zooming in and out places more of the past and future into view. It considers a longer time horizon and allows us to picture desirable futures for our organization. When zooming back into the here and now, we can identify actions that move our organization from the present toward those envisioned futures.
Zooming-out and Zooming-in are most successful when applied together, as a balanced approach, rather than individually. Temporal zooming out puts more of the past and future into view. Zooming out considers a longer time horizon and allows for the envisioning of desirable futures. When zooming back in to the here and now, organizations can identify interventions and actions that move them from the present towards their envisioned futures. A balanced approach provides a clear view of the future to help executives reduce vulnerability to near-term disruptions, and it can guide their business decisions.
Why Zoom In and Out?
It helps us see new things. Western science and business encourage us to “deconstruct” problems, but that can obscure the big picture. By zooming out, we start to see the wider landscape in which issues are embedded. There are many examples of failed businesses because executives failed to zoom out and spot systems trends. This dynamic is often called the “Kodak Moment” referring to Kodak’s failure in the 1980s to prepare for the digital revolution. Similarly, in 2000 Blockbuster turned down the chance to buy Netflix.
It helps us focus on what’s important. By zooming out, we can see in a wider context the pieces we are exploring and the questions we are asking. We can then decide if we are even focusing on the right part of the problem and asking the right questions.
It increases efficiencies. Zooming out and seeing what the relevant problem is will prevent us from wasting time and resources focusing on the wrong thing. For example, when Volkswagen saw the overall trend of people demanding electric vehicles, it decided to stop spending time innovating its combustion engines.
It helps us mitigate risks. By zooming out, we bring into view larger forces—and consequences—that we may have missed. For instance, reinsurance companies, which occupy a zoomed-out position, have long been aware of the impacts of climate change, while real-estate developers are still building structures that are not climate-resilient. Conversely, by zooming in, we can see the details of the system that were invisible from farther out. A zoomed-in realtor, for example, might have seen that mortgages were being given to unqualified borrowers and anticipated the 2008 financial crash.
