I've always thought the idea of context was interesting. Johanna Rothman thinks so too, What's Your Context:
We all start from our own contexts.
We are a sum of our experiences. In writing, we are a sum of what we have written, what we like to read, and where we feel comfortable.
It’s the same in our projects and our lives.
For me, I often notice this when listening and learning new ideas. I draw connections in one book, based on an article or book I have just read. I see things that I wouldn't have seen if I hadn't had some prior experience. That's the whole idea of context - each of us bring our own experiences to a situation.
The harder part is that we often don't recognize that we are doing it. But when I listen to other people make claims, I often wonder what their assumptions are - why do they believe that XYZ is possible (or not)? What makes them approach the world from that angle? What makes me think about a situation the way I do.
Bringing these things into light helps me and friendly colleagues check assumptions and do things differently. Check the context indeed.