Weaving Connections for Brilliant ideas with the Red Thread Thinking Technique
Red Thread Thinking is a technique that helps people make connections between ideas and events to create a compelling case for change. It can be used to create better products and services, or to improve an organization.
In certain Eastern philosophies, the “red thread of fate” (or sometimes, the “red thread of destiny”) refers to an invisible red thread that connects you with others. Some believe it ties you to your romantic soul mate. Others apply that connection more broadly, like between a child and their adoptive parents.
Either way, people believe that the thread “may stretch or tangle,” but it never breaks.
The Red Thread of Fate is tied together to represent a connection with other people. It is the case or connection between your audience’s question and the answer that represents your idea, product or service.
Your aim, of course, is to keep that thread whole and untangled and your focus tied constantly to your audience.
How it works
- Identify a goal: Establish what the audience wants
- Identify a problem: Find a problem that the audience didn’t know they had
- Identify a truth: Reveal a truth that makes the problem impossible to ignore
- Define a change: Identify the change that needs to happen to achieve the goal
- Describe an action: Identify the action that will create the change
Red Thread Thinking in practice
- Red Thread Thinking can be used to create a business case
- It can be used to create a compelling story that drives action
- It can be used to create a consistent theme or palette in interior design
