Learn with Big Little Thinking

Domains for BLT refer to the focus or context of the topic and problem under discussion. BLT identifies three ways to identify and frame a domain:

1. Scope
2. Scale
3. Significance

Using these ways helps to clarify the boundaries and limits of a discussion about problems and solutions.

Scope refers to the extent, breadth, range or spread of a domain. The big picture expands the domain or a problem. The little picture reduces the domain of a problem. By analogy, the size of a net is the scope of a problem.

Scale represents the level of differentiation, detail, resolution or gradation used to measure or observe a domain. It reminds us that thinking is always ‘by degree’ and comparative. Large is ‘larger than than'. Small is 'smaller than’.

By analogy, scale is the size of the mesh used within the net.

Significance represents the relevance or value of a thing observed within a domain. It reminds us that different levels of importance may be ascribed to the ‘same’ thing.

By analogy, it is the importance or value ascribed to what is caught in the net.