The hieroglyphs below convey some key ideas that come from the Center for Information Systems Research (CISR) at MIT: Dimensions for Transformation, Four Pathways to Future Ready, and Explosions to Manage. The dimensions, on the far left, convey the difference between the “Digitization” underneath operational excellence and the customer-focused innovation of “Digital”. This theme also includes symbols from sessions on Cybersecurity, Digital Disruption, Threat Landscapes, Decision Rights, Data Assets, Data Monetization, and Data Liquidity. 

This drawing highlights the 'Four Pathways to Capturing Digital Value' and was part of a week-long custom program including AI, Cybersecurity, Operations, and Systems Thinking. In considering digital value, participants were encouraged to choose their digital disruption threat level while assessing the skills and capabilities needed to be Future Ready. The drawing below originated on a dry-erase panel in the classroom. The picture below is from another program where the scribing occurred on large sustainable boards that could move around the space and be shipped back to client headquarters to share with others in the company. 

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
• Cybersecurity
• Leadership
• Operations
• Quantum Computing
• Sustainability
• Systems Thinking 

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