Sketchnote Lab Live Replay: April 2026 - Visual Problem Solving w/ Mauro Toselli (Free Replay)

Sketchnotes and a full video replay (FREE) from this month's Sketchnote Lab Live, where Mauro Toselli introduced his Meta-Problem framework, and we worked through real problems together.

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This video is free to watch because Mauro and I felt it was too valuable to hide behind a paywall! Enjoy!

Mauro Toselli brought his Visual Problem Solving methodology to the session, opening with the Meta-Problem — the idea that we often build up a wall of justifications and deflections that buries the real problem we need to solve.

While Mauro laid out the concepts, I sketched his ideas live at my desk, and then we worked through three hands-on drawing exercises together.

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The exercises we did together offered a framework to apply immediately:

1. Mapping the gap between where you are and where you want to be

2. Sketching the wall of obstacles blocking your path

3. Identifying a concrete first step forward.

Here is Mauro’s original Flat Tire Meta-Problem sketchnote with my notes added live:

Sketchnotes from the session

Below are my sketchnotes from the session, showing how the Meta-Problem framework comes together visually.

1. Mauro’s Problem Statement and Reversal Concept

First, Mauro offered an example of a meta-problem and shared how reversing the thinking can help break down the meta-problem:

2. The 2x2 Matrix of Meta-Problems

Then Mauro talked about his love for 2x2 matrices, offering this one to help identify where a meta-problem falls within the four quadrants:

3. Drwing the Gap

Here is a sketchnote of me drawing gap between my current state (no illustration page or case studies on my website) and my goal state (create a new illustration page and case study pages for my work).

We talked about how the gap is harder to face than it looks:

4. The Meta-Problem Wall

I created a sketchnote map of the Meta-Problem itself: the wall of justifications, deflections, and derivative problems that stack up and bury the real issue you need to solve. Black numbers relate to sketchnote 5 below:

5. The First Step Map

This sketchnote connects ideas for solving meta-bricks in the wall, showing how getting past the wall leads directly to first actions you can take right now:

6. Tools to help with Meta-Problems

Here are some of the tools we discussed to help solve Meta-Problems, like asking 5 Why’s, Doing a Root Cause Analysis, and working with others to avoid blind spots:

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Resources

Here are some resources related to this session:

• Mauro Toselli (xLontrax)

• Keep the Creative Juices Flowing Substack

• Mauro’s Meta-Problem Post

• The xLontrax Theory of Sketchnote — Mauro’s flagship book; handwritten and hand-drawn, landscape-oriented. Explores his philosophy and definition of sketchnoting as “notes enriched with meaningful visual elements, open to sharing and creating new opportunities for human connections.

• 100+1 Drawing Ideas for Sketchnoters and Doodlers — A practical tutorial book of simple drawing techniques for sketchnoters.

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— Mike

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