The ICLE Framework: A Multidisciplinary Lens Methodology for Structured Idea Evolution

The ICLE Framework (Idea Concept Lens Evolution) is a multidisciplinary methodology for structured idea generation and evolution. The framework proposes that ideas can be developed and deepened by examining them through a sequence of conceptual lenses spanning multiple domains of knowledge, including structural systems, living systems, human systems, meaning systems, and long-horizon futures.

ICLE introduces three integrated components: a taxonomy of conceptual lenses, the ICLE Evolutionary Ladder (a staged pathway through domains of increasing conceptual depth), and the ICLE Complexity Scale, a maturity model for assessing how ideas evolve across these domains.

Drawing on research in creativity studies, systems thinking, design theory, and futures studies, the framework applies the metaphor of conceptual refraction: an idea seed passes through a prism of lenses, generating a spectrum of structured insights that can be recombined through synthesis. The result is a method for transforming initial concepts into more robust, multidimensional innovations.

The ICLE Framework is intended for use in innovation strategy, interdisciplinary research, design practice, and education, particularly in contexts involving complex or “wicked” problems that require perspectives beyond a single disciplinary lens.