The Cynefin Framework: Achieving Success With a Great Problem-Solving Process

“This decision making framework empowers us with the best way to approach & tackle problems. The Welsh word Cynefin, describes our experience & the many factors in our environment which influence us” [1]. “We can use this framework to categorise a problem or decision, & respond accordingly. It’s useful in areas such as product development, marketing & organisational strategy & can help us make better decisions in a crisis. It enables us to avoid using the same management style or decision-making approach in all situations (which can be costly to teams or organizations), as it encourages us to employ flexible decision making & adjust our management style to fit our circumstances” [2]

In this blog we examine the Cynefin (pronounced cunevin) framework, a first-class, issue-solving tool which enables us to put different scenarios into 5 “domains” which are characterised by cause-and-effect relationships.

This helps us evaluate our situation more closely, and thus react as appropriately as possible. Indeed, the Cynefin framework is designed to empower leaders and managers so they have the ability to determine how they perceive situations, and make sense of which actions are suited to a given context. In essence it is: “a sense-making device that asks what context are you in, and builds on the…