These four hieroglyphs are part of the Operations theme in the E66 suite. Reading right to left: 1) measuring work in progress, 2) working hard/push and collapse versus working smart/pause to improve, 3) human-centered design where customers, employees, investors all win, and 4) ‘Hidden Factories’—individualized workarounds that have become institutionalized over time, eroding performance. Hidden Factories become evident when a system is under pressure; addressing them requires improving trust and communication, which stabilizes the system and supports incremental fixes.  

“Agile Operations” was the overall theme of this drawing, created as part of a 5-day custom program on Cybersecurity that also included topics of Systems Thinking, Intelligent AI, and Quantum Technologies. The photograph below shows participants engaged in the “Penny Game”, where Professor John Carrier invited teams to learn about lean manufacturing principles through a hands-on simulation. Focusing on the interrelation of parts over time, with quick feedback loops, strengthens system response.

Scribing—visually representing ideas while people talk—is a distinct social art form that facilitates group learning and cultural memory. Scribed images enhance the learning experience by mapping ideas as they emerge, aiding both decision-making and information retention. Scribes listen on multiple levels—factually, with empathy, and for emerging possibility—to simplify complex concepts and make them accessible. By providing a visual representation of the program's content, participants can revisit and reflect on key insights, ensuring that knowledge gained becomes both memorable and actionable. 

At MIT, scribing takes on additional depth through the deliberate integration of systems thinking and conceptual frameworks. Scribed drawings function as layered narratives, representing both specific stories and examples while simultaneously mapping interconnected ideas across domains. In the physical classrooms and in online digital experiences, participants can scan the visuals to discern key themes from faculty presentations alongside the related threads through an entire program. This transforms scribing from simple recording into a tool for systemic understanding and collective sense-making. 

The sequence of hieroglyphs that are on display around the E66 Suite each represent a theme within Custom and Open Enrollment Program designs. While just a sampling of the overall range of topics, the images on display represent:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Corporate Finance
• Digital Solutions
• Leadership
• Operations
• Quantum Computing
• Sustainability
• Systems Thinking 

We encourage you to find the other themes throughout the space.