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:
Mapping the gap between where you are and where you want to be
Sketching the wall of obstacles blocking your path
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:
Resources
Here are some resources related to this session:
Keep the Creative Juices Flowing Substack
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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