A System Born from Chaos

I didn’t set out to build a system. I set out to survive the chaos.

Like a lot of designers, I was drowning in complexity: bloated tools, rigid frameworks, ideas scattered across sticky notes and half-finished files. The more I tried to fit into other people’s systems, the more disconnected I felt from how I actually work. My brain doesn’t move in straight lines; it swarms.

So I built something that moves with it. SWARM is a creative practice for nonlinear thinkers. It is a modular approach you can shape around the way you work. It is not about changing how you think. It is about channelling the way your brain naturally works into focus and carrying ideas through to something real.

So What Is SWARM?

SWARM is a five-phase creative practice designed to help nonlinear thinkers move from raw idea to real outcome without losing their spark along the way.

It didn’t come from a whiteboard or a framework deck. It emerged from inside the fog and slowly took shape through journaling, reflection, and dozens of co-designed sessions with ChatGPT. What started as survival instinct became something repeatable, adaptable, and clear.

Here’s the core loop:

SWARM = Spot → Weigh → Arrange → Refine → Make

Each phase plays a role, but it’s not a rigid sequence. You can loop, remix, or jump between phases depending on the shape of your work or the energy you’re bringing that day.

• Spot: Notice what’s showing up. Ideas, patterns, sparks. Stay curious.
• Weigh: Pause and reflect. What’s worth pursuing? What feels alive?
• Arrange: Group and shape. Find patterns. Let structure begin to emerge naturally.
• Refine: Focus on the core. Keep what resonates, evolve what wants to grow.
• Make: Act on your ideas. Build, shape, and release when ready.

SWARM is lightweight by design. It’s a rhythm more than a rulebook.

Something to return to, not something to complete.

Co-Designing the Practice (With AI)

SWARM wasn’t built all at once. It emerged through dozens of conversations. I reflected, asked questions, and noticed patterns. ChatGPT became a thought partner, not leading or replacing, just helping me see what was already there.

The act of shaping the system mirrored its own rhythm. Ideas clustered, phases surfaced, and clarity grew from the fog. SWARM didn’t arrive fully formed. It unfolded naturally, like the work it was meant to support.

The Principles Behind SWARM

SWARM isn’t just a sequence. It’s a philosophy.

It’s built on a few deeply held principles—anchors to cut through the noise and keep you moving:

• Clarity over complexity: Focus on what matters and cut what doesn’t.
• Energy is data: If it feels alive, follow it. If not, let it go.
• Movement precedes meaning: You can’t think your way to clarity. Start moving.
• Your brain is the user: Built for nonlinear thinkers, flexible for all.
• Constraints create freedom: Fewer parts. More clarity. More room to breathe.
• Tools should be modular: Take what you need. Leave what you don’t.

The goal isn’t to lock you into a system. It’s to give you tools you can reach for when the moment feels right. Take what works. Leave what doesn’t.

This isn’t a framework to master. It’s a practice of repetition and exploration, where each return deepens your craft.

Thank you for being here. Now take it, bend it, and make it your own