The idea
Something can be small at one interface and large inside the system—or technically difficult while almost irrelevant to the user.
Worked example · illustrative
Moving a meeting by one hour
Situation. Someone suggests moving a regular meeting from 4 PM to 5 PM. It’s a small shift on the shared calendar, but one person asks to keep the original time.
The tempting conclusion. It’s only an hour. Surely we can make that work.
What changes the view. They explain that finishing later would mean missing their usual train and being late for childcare pickup. On the meeting calendar, you’re moving one box. In their day, you’re changing how they get home and who picks up their child. Someone with a free evening might barely notice the change.
What this supports. Looking at the meeting alongside the rest of the day gives everyone a clearer picture of what moving it would mean. A shorter meeting or a different day might work better. There may still be competing needs, but “only an hour” no longer tells the whole story.
Useful when
Watch for
A more complicated representation isn't automatically the more relevant one. Ask which representation matters for the decision.
Where this came from
Engineering, Product work