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 design protocol for nonlinear creativity. 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 protocol that helps you cut through noise, turn raw ideas into clear outcomes, and build momentum without losing vision.

It didn’t come from a whiteboard or a 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 a survival instinct became something repeatable, adaptable, and usable across nonlinear creative work.

SWARM isn’t a step-by-step system. It is a protocol for nonlinear creativity, a way of moving through complexity while staying open to intuition, emergence, and new signals.

Here’s the core loop:

SWARM = Spot → Weigh → Arrange → Refine → Make

Each phase plays a role, but it’s not a rigid sequence. You loop, remix, or jump between phases as the work shifts or as your energy changes.

• 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 rather than a rulebook, giving you a way to work fast with less chaos while keeping the spark that makes your work unique.

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.

• Authentic: Design works best when it reflects your values, not just trends.
• Reduction: Clarity comes from cutting what isn’t essential.
• Nonlinear: Great ideas emerge through loops, jumps, and connections.
• Emergent: The best systems evolve from real use, not rigid plans.
• Modular: Reusable parts make big things flexible, adaptable, and fast to change.

The goal isn’t to lock you into a system. This protocol is here to support you, not contain you. Take what works. Leave what doesn’t.

SWARM isn’t something to master. It is a practice built on repetition, reduction, and exploration. Each return brings a little more clarity.

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