With the pace of business as fast as it is, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Demands and deadlines stack up quickly and the way forward gets quickly obscured. It can be paralyzing. In those moments, a new perspective can feel like a breath of fresh air, which is why we created this guidebook to help you envision clear business goals with an architected approach. If you're interested in approaching your work with an architect mindset, reach out to us at connect@oxygenexp.com or oxygenexp.com/contact/

1. A visual brief designed by Oxygen
Thinking Like An Architect:
Principles for thinking and working in a new way

2. Introduction
The idea of “thinking like an architect” may
seem frivolous. Who has time, in the hectic
world of work, to think about anything other
than “getting stuff done?”
At Oxygen, we’ve found that the way you approach the
complexity of your business, and your customers, matters
a lot. It’s not just what you do to lead change; it’s how you
do it. And the first step in that journey is all about having
a design mindset: much like an architect would. The
Louvre wouldn’t be standing today if it weren’t for the
architect’s design. When we see Human Capital leaders
apply architectural thinking to their business problems,
great things happen that stand up to the test of time.

3. How Work
Gets Done
To: CROSS-FUNCTIONAL
ENDEAVORS
To: INFORMATION AGEFrom: INDUSTRIAL AGE
From: SILOED EFFORTS
Type of
Work
The World of Work Has Shifted

4. SHIFT FROM
TRAINING TO ENABLEMENT
SHIFT FROM
DELIVERABLES TO SERVICES
The Challenge: Doing More With Less
SHIFT FROM
“ORDERS” TO PROBLEMS
1 2 3
SHIFT FROM
BUDGETS TO IMPACT
Budget
Impact

5. In order to be successful in tackling complex
problems it’s critical to establish core
principles for working in new ways.
WHY?
These new ways are important to the success of any cross-functional
teaming initiative. People need clarity. Teams need help.

6. How do you know if you…
Think Like An Architect?

7. If you answered YES to three or more of these questions, you are thinking like an architect. Please move on to the next exercise!
If you answered NO to three or more of these questions, you might need to take a different approach.
Try developing a new perspective and click up to a more strategic view in your work.
Do You Think Like an Architect?
ANSWER KEY
Here’s a quick snap-shot analysis. Answer the following 5 questions below to see if you’re thinking like an architect.
1
Are you involved in an initiative where you are asked to lead and define the team’s approach to
working and creating value?
Yes | No
2 Do you create whitespace to spend 30 minutes per day to just think? Yes | No
3
Do you tend to conceptualize something and draw it out prior to defining the
details and executing?
Yes | No
4
When considering a problem, do you think through how to factor in as many variables as possible?
(For example: people, risks, processes, measures)
Yes | No
5
Do you often seek out someone else with whom you can discuss new ideas or different approaches to
doing more with less?
Yes | No

8. Strongly Disagree (1) Strongly Agree (5)
How did you score?
• 10-20: You’re not ready yet. But check out the recommended reading list to get prepared!
• 21–30: You’re definitely on the right track. Now you need to pick a project and a scope to make it real.
• 31-50: What’s holding you up? Define your charter and get the support you need to have an impact, now!
Are You Ready to BE an Architect?
A I realize I don’t have all the answers, and I can get there with the input of others.
B I believe content is best built in a group setting.
C I can link my work to the business strategy.
D I think in terms of business results more than deliverables.
E I define quality as my internal customers do.
F I view my scope as being connected with other groups outside of my team and department.
G
I can engage sales / service teams in business centric conversation about growth, and understand their day in the
life.
H I am able to map out a path for learners to take.
I I engage internal customers consistently and often throughout the process of creating something.
J I think problems can have many different causes or contributing factors.

9. Different activities that might help you Think Like an Architect
Reading List:
• The Chaos Imperative by Ori Brafman (great
view on “whitespace”)
• A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink (creativity
and design thinking in today’s world)
• Being Wrong by Kathryn Schultz (the idea of
being consultative by “being wrong”)
Find a peer and discuss the following questions:
• Do we know what business outcomes we are
helping to drive?
• Can we list out five things about our audience
that we could do to make learning easy for
them?
• Do we know what a week looks like for the roles
we support?
Some videos that could be useful:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzDaBzBlL0 (thinking like an architect might
make you feel this way!)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJaN643ri7s (how does Pixar creation relate to
thinking like an architect?)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmHoGicPQQQ (how a house architect perceives
the work he does – how does this relate to your work for people?)

10. Always lead with the problem
Great team members are great problem solvers. Find and define the
problem; make sure EVERYONE understands and agrees; then solve
Find the time to think
AND the time to build
There is a difference between figuring stuff out (FSO) and getting stuff
done (GSD). Take the time for both. Think things through –and fight the
urge to just “do.”
Design thinking
Start with the goal (future state) and work backwards.
Identify and investigate all aspects of the current situation in order to
discover hidden parameters and open alternative paths which may lead
to the goal. Design thinking is iterative, therefore intermediate ‘solutions’
are starting points of alternative paths
Think Like an Architect: Tips and Tricks

11. Who are we engaging
with internally?
What are we
communicating to execs?
What outcomes can internal customers
expect from me and my team?
How do we explain the impact we
create?
How do we build relevant outputs
quickly and consistently?
How do we ensure that our deliverables
are valuable for our audience?
How will we deliver value to internal
leaders and teams?
What do leaders and teams need
from us?
Think like an Architect: Engage the Business with a
Strategic Approach

12. We must unlearn the Constellations
to see the stars.
(Jack Gilbert)

13. Oxygen helps your people keep up with rapid change in business.
oxygenexp.com