The Peerview Story

Peerview is inspired by Oblique Strategies. This legendary set of cards was developed in 1975 by Brian Eno and Gunther Schmidt for artists to overcome creative blocks. They use abstract, non-obvious, sometimes paradoxical statements to trigger novel ways of thinking. These design principles act as a catalyst for impactful self-reflection and peer coaching.

 

While the original cards are focused on the creative process, the design principles match complex behavioural contexts such as leadership and collaboration. In this field, solutions are usually highly contextual. There are no recipes that work always and everywhere. Therefore there is no point in detailed suggestions about what to do. Abstract statements, on the other hand, trigger the user’s own thinking and nudge them to contextualise to the specific situation. Paradoxical and humorous statements help create a healthy distance to the issue. Offering hundreds of statements acknowledges the fact that most of them are not relevant right now. 

 

The Oblique Strategies developed for Peerview have been used and tested in coachings, trainings, and team development workshops.