Some frames are so obvious that most people tend to see the world through these lenses in the first place. An exhibition on food will most likely be framed by 'how the food is made' and 'how the food tastes'. But there are also less obvious frames that may result in a more interesting exhibition. Why not framing it as ‘our daily bread’ showing and tasting what ordinary people eat all around the world? Or, consider controversial frames, like ‘the mechanisms of obesity’, showing, for example, how marketing is luring us into eating too much. 

By becoming aware of the obviousness of certain frames and actively developing more creative or controversial ones, a richer and more varied landscape of possibilities arises. Ask yourself what opposes your existing viewpoints on the problematic situation and what frame shapes this line of reasoning. Imagine, for example, that you are old; how would you look at it? Or, imagine having no experience with the topic at hand.

Multiple frames hanging on a wall

Exercise: framing.

Consider a project you are working on now, or you may be working on in the near future. Write down how you frame this project in a few sentences. Now you are aware of your frame. What other frames can you consider? Which one is less obvious, or even controversial? Can you come up with an even more controversial one? Write the frame down and compare it with your first initial frame.