TALE: A Possible Theme of “Scalable Focus”
Finding Your Primary Theme and Other Strategic Objects
TALE: A Possible Theme of “Scalable Focus”
Finding Your Primary Theme and Other Strategic Objects
On March 14, 2025, I published an article titled *Thematic Space Theory: Exploring Creative Thematic Spaces with the Knowledge Discovery Canvas*.
At the end of the article, I introduced a theme called Scalable Focus.
The theme of “Scalable Focus” was born on January 12, 2025. However, I didn’t write about it for the first time until March 14, 2025.
To further develop this theme, I created the thematic card above. This article aims to give the theme an independent URL (uniform resource locator) on the web.
Below is the original section introducing the theme, focusing solely on the Primary Creative Theme.
In future versions, I will expand Scalable Focus into a broader category: strategic objects.
Starting from the basic model of Thematic Space, moving to the Knowledge Discovery Canvas, and expanding into the nine thematic areas surrounding the canvas, we observe a scalable focus.
Last month, I created a multi-layered knowledge map to represent the landscape of knowledge engagement.
The map is composed of four types of knowledge elements:
- Layer 1: The Knowledge Discovery Canvas (2022)
- Layer 2: The Grasping the Concept Model (2023)
- Layer 3: The Kinds of Concept-related Knowledge Engagement Model (2024)
- Layer 4: A curated set of related creative themes (2025)
Two days ago, I connected the “Exploring Creative Thematic Spaces” practice with the map and replaced the old Layer 4 with a set of thematic spaces. See the diagram below.
In the old version, I used my recent narrative themes as examples of layer 4.
In the new version, I used layer 4 to represent a structured typology of thematic spaces.
The new typology includes a total of 16 thematic areas.
This multi-layer structure offers a way to turn a favorite theme into a scalable focus.
The development of tacit knowledge around a favorite theme will eventually lead to the development of a knowledge system.
My journey of building Thematic Space Theory itself is a real example of this path.
In January 2022, I created the “Thematic Space Canvas” to study the development of tacit knowledge. The theme of “Thematic Spaces” was used to name an instrument. In 2023, the theme of “Thematic Space” transformed from a theme into a theoretical concept. In 2024, it grew into an independent theory, separate from the Curativity Theory.
On October 5, 2024, I conducted a case study of the development of the Thematic Space Theory. See the diagram below.
The map above highlights the following strategic moves within the creative journey:
1A — The Theme of “Thematic Spaces”
1B — The Set of “Thematic Space” Canvases
2A — The Notion of “Moving between Thematic Spaces”
2B/3A/4A — The Theme of “Mental Moves”
3B — The “Container [Configuration (Mental Elements)]” Model
4B/5A/11A — The Theme of “Social Moves”
5B — The “TST” Framework
6A — The Theme of “Creative Life Curation”
6B/7A — Diagrams-based “Creative Diagramming”
7B — Exploring “Potential Thematic Spaces”
7C — “Thematic Triangles”
8A — The Theme of “Strategic Moves”
8B/9A — The “House” Set as Thematic Maps
9B — The “Mapping Strategic Moves” Method
10A — The Social Landscape Framework
10B/11B — “Thematic Space Theory”
More details can be found in *Mapping Strategic Moves #13: The Journey of Building Thematic Space Theory*.
If you want to explore the full set of 12 practices for turning a theme into a knowledge enterprise, see *Strategic Life Narrative: Telling the Story of Intellectual Adventures* (book, v1, 2025).
By applying the “*Exploring Creative Thematic Spaces*” practice, you can turn a favorite theme into a scalable focus. Through focused exploration, tacit knowledge and insights gradually develop, evolving into a broader and more strategic body of knowledge.
In 2025, TALE is proud to collaborate with Possible Press to launch an exciting series of Thematic Cards.
Support Oliver Ding’s exploration of the “Scalable Focus” theme and help him take the next step toward creating a Possible Book! You can purchase the Thematic Card directly from Possible Press:
Related links
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- 2026-07-08 02:40:31
