Untacit.

Process shows how; metaphor shows what it is like

A process explains steps, decisions, and feedback. A visual metaphor maps an abstract concept onto familiar space.

Find five things in a process

  1. the starting state
  2. the person taking action
  3. the decision point
  4. the retry or return path
  5. the observable change at the end

Use rounded boxes for actions, a fork or diamond for a decision, and a returning arrow for a retry. Keep background implementation detail out of the main path.

Six hand-drawn visual metaphors: path, bridge, iceberg, funnel, mountain, and backpack
Visual metaphors · 01A path suggests a journey, a bridge closes a gap, an iceberg separates visible from hidden, a funnel filters, a mountain shows challenge, and a backpack carries resources or burden.

Choose an abstract word such as trust, growth, technical debt, or transformation. Define it concretely, choose one metaphor, and label what each part represents.