The observable representation (OR) is an embedding of the space on which a stochastic dynamics is taking place into a low dimensional Euclidean space. The most significant feature of the OR is that it respects the dynamics. Examples are given in several areas: the definition of a phase transition (including metastable phases), random walks in which the OR recovers the original space, complex systems, systems in which the number of extrema exceed convenient viewing capacity, and systems in which successful features are displayed, but without the support of known theorems.