By facing reality, we can find solutions.

• There are moments when it's no longer time to ponder. It's time to act, to make, to realize, and perhaps to fail.
• Fear can walk ahead of us and get all the glory, leaving us pondering and restless for more, more, more.
• Confronting your fears and knowing what is real is an important part of making sense of a mess.
• In this chapter, we'll discuss rabbit holes of reality you are likely to have to explore as well as some diagrammatic techniques.
• I have to warn you of the many opportunities ahead to lose faith in yourself as you climb through and understand the details of your reality.

Reality involves many players.

• As you go through the mess, you'll encounter several types of players:
• Current users: People who interact with whatever you're making.Potential users: People you hope to reach.Stakeholders: People who care about the outcome of what you're making.Competitors: People who share your current or potential users.Distractors: People that could take attention away from your intent.
• You may play several of these roles yourself. Be aware of potential conflicts there.
• If you believe your users are like you but they're not, there's more room for incorrect assumptions and miscommunications.

Reality involves many factors.

• No matter what you're making, you probably need to consider several of these factors:
• Time: "I only have _____________________."Resources: "I have _____________________."Skillset: "I know how to ________________ , but I don't know how to ______________ yet."Environment: "I'm working in a ___________."Personality: "I want this work to say _________ about me."Politics: "Others want this work to say _________________ about ____________."Ethics: "I want this work to do right by the world by __________________."Integrity: "I want to be proud of the results of my work, which means _____________."

Reality happens across channels and contexts.

• A channel transmits information. A commercial on TV and YouTube is accessible on two channels.
• A similar message could show up in your email inbox, on a billboard, on the radio, or in the mail.
• It's common to see someone using a smartphone while sitting in front of a computer screen, or reading a magazine while watching TV.
• Our context is always unique to us and can't be relied upon to hold steady.

Reality has many intersections.