Design Sprints work when the problem is defined. Lean works when you can measure. But what do you do when the ground shifts beneath your feet? This framework comes from practice, not theory. It's how I navigate design complexity when traditional methods fall short. In the document you'll find: • **NIGREDO** — the dissolution of certainties. Activities to challenge assumptions, concrete outputs, AI tools to accelerate. • **ALBEDO** — the purification of principles. How to separate signal from noise, define clear criteria, align the team. • **CITRINITAS** — imperfect experimentation. Ugly prototypes that teach, timeboxed experiments, learning logs. • **RUBEDO** — operational synthesis. Patterns to carry forward, knowledge transfer, setup for the next cycle. Each phase includes concrete activities, measurable outputs, AI accelerators, and a guiding question.