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Take A New Look At Insight: Think like an..... Architect

This 'take a new look series' investigates how other professions can teach us some valuable lessons. This month, we take a look at what we can learn from architects.

Architecture is one of a number of professions where the intricate details and skills involved aren’t fully appreciated by the client. Although almost all clients are primarily interested in how the final building looks, the architect also has to consider many other factors – such as the structural design; the load-bearing capacity of walls; the depth of foundations needed etc. All of these details are vital, as they will affect the final stability and strength of the building.
 
Judging by appearances
However, when the customer – and anyone else who looks at the building – makes a judgment about it, they nearly always do so on an aesthetic basis. This concerns the part of the brain that makes those decisions. The rational mind will tend to consider fitness for purpose, but most decisions about buildings are based more upon feelings: how the style of the structure appeals to the eye.
 
The same basic principles can also be applied to insight. Insight teams might spend a lot of time on the details of a project, making sure that their findings are robust and will stand up to scrutiny. However, customers may be blissfully unaware of all this hard work. They are more likely to make a judgment about the strength of the final results based on how they feel about them.
 
Aesthetically pleasing results
This means that when communicating results, aesthetics should be a highly important aspect of our approach. We need to sell our findings through powerful and visual presentations. This can be achieved in several ways: 
  • The use of imaginative images or videos to get your message across
  • The use of flattery, or appealing to someone’s pet likes
  • If there’s a hidden agenda, addressing these needs in your presentation
Ultimately, people will respond more positively to your results if the solution you’re proposing makes them feel good (if it backs up their own ideas; strengthens their position; or at the very least, doesn’t threaten them).
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