Problem Framing: Use Physical and Operational Boundaries
- JD Solomon
- 1 minute ago
- 2 min read
Every system has a boundary, even when nobody has drawn it on a map. Systems engineers rely on boundaries to separate a system from its surrounding environment. That discipline works just as well for facilitating a team through problem and communication framing.
Two Types of Boundaries
Two kinds of boundaries matter. A geospatial, or physical, boundary marks where a system ends and its physical environment begins.
An operational boundary marks where a system ends and its operating environment begins. It is often larger than people expect. An industrial plant’s fence line is the obvious physical boundary, but its operational boundary stretches into the supply chain and into processes happening at other facilities before materials arrive on site.
Two Examples
A purchasing system’s physical boundary might be the office where orders are placed, while its operational boundary reaches into offsite computer systems, cloud storage, and vendors several steps removed.
The same pattern holds for a stadium event, where the geospatial boundary is the venue and the operational boundary stretches to hotels, transportation, and other supporting logistics.
Facilitating It
Boundaries, like frames, are in the eye of the beholder. Put them in front of the team rather than deciding them alone.
I normally ask the group to sketch the physical boundary first, since it is the more familiar concept. We then push into the operational boundary.
Be sure to document the boundary once the team settles on it. Someone will ask why something was left out later, and the record answers for you.
The Tip
The tip is to frame using the physical boundary (i.e., the fenceline) and then expand to include the operational boundary,
The F in FINESSE stands for Frame, and system boundaries are one of four techniques I reach for depending on the group and the problem.
JD Solomon champions practical communication skills that help technical professionals convey complex ideas clearly and confidently. Learn more at www.jdsolomonsolutions.com and www.communicatingwithfinesse.com.
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