1. Imagine a random scattering of hundreds of dots. You might notice certain clumpings, but otherwise patterns may be difficult to discern

2. Now imagine you can see various lines of connections between the dots. Now something like a skeleton or wire-frame graphic emerges, with some dots “hosting” more connections than others, with potentially some surprises that spatially distant dots may have stronger connections than those in close proximity.

3. Now imagine surfaces appearing over the wireframe/skeleton network. Now, these different “boundaries” reflect yet another dimension of relationship, of surface and differentiation not captured by either the dots or the networked connections alone.

Each of these stages provides more information, at increasing density, but also reveals a stronger sense of differentiation in the context of the whole.

I haven’t kept up with graphic programs, but I do remember working with the early versions of Illustrator, following exactly this journey from simple elements, to wireframe connections to multi-dimensional surfaces, with complex rendering capabilities based on simple instructions (e.g., radial or graduated color or intensity).

Now imagine we could better master the integration of information from all our senses to better grasp the wholeness of the reality we are inspecting (while we ourselves are integrally interwoven into the same reality).

This is one way in which scenarios or early prototypes help to inform the direction of innovation. When you can see, touch, taste, feel, manipulate the prototype, you immediately sense what’s missing or what works surprisingly well.