Become a Quick Draw: Let images guide you to new understanding

In every program I present, I advocate the use of images in addition to words to facilitate communication. Last weekend at the 19th Annual Nothwest Dispute Resolution Conference, that advocacy was taken to whole new level because I was fortunate to have Nancy White graphically record my presentation. Take a look at her masterpiece above (click to enlarge). It is obvious why she is one of the world's top gurus of the processes of graphic recording and graphic facilitation!

Coincidentally, today Globe and Mail published a fine article on using images and the visual components of thinking. From "For polished presentations, think visually":

Visual thinking is an approach that uses art to develop critical thinking, communication and visual literacy skills. Incorporating sketching and visual note-taking skills for meeting facilitation in real time instead of using PowerPoint presentations is an effective way to solve problems, articulate ideas and communicate with clients and team members.

Here are ten things about visual thinking that will help you to facilitate a highly interactive, productive and enjoyable meeting.

Click to read the rest.

To read why the brain likes images, take a look at

• Opening the Mind's Eye: How Images and Language Teach Us How To See
• The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

And here are a couple of past blog posts about the value of images in communication and conflict resolution:

• Images can help you paint a bright resolution to conflict
• Are you involved in half-brained mediations? Let's promote full-brained conflict resolution

Now get out your utensils—chalks, pencils, crayolas, pens, whatever—and draw. Doing so will take you to new places in your brain, new solutions and resolutions, new ways of seeing.

Note (added May 9, 2012): Recent post at idealawg: Another way to incorporate images, pictures, drawings in conflict resolution.

Note (added May 10, 2012): New post here: How do you listen attentively? Well, first you grab a paint brush, a pencil, or a piece of chalk.

Comments

[Nancy White]

Wow, thanks, Stephanie, but I must first demure... I am a LEARNER in this field, not a leader. At least in the sense of experience. I DO like to jump off the cliff of learning, however!

It was a joy to record your talk. I'm already incorporating some of the things I have learned.

[Neil Denny]

Stephanie, I was at your workshop and really enjoyed the content and also the extra stimulus of watching the ideas be converted from audio to visual. A genius idea.

I am a big believer in the power of drawing to bypass limiting thoughts and also to introduce new stimulus to allow new thoughts to emerge.

I was fotunate enough to have attended a Doodle workshop by the wonderful Tom Fishburne at last autumn's Do lectures in Wales. That workshop changed how I take notes and prepare slide decks for talks.
http://tomfishburne.com (Tom blogs on that very workshop and features a doodle of mine here http://tomfishburne.com/2011/10/evolution-of-creativity.html

He, in turn, put me onto Sunni Brown and her book Gamestorming which explores the use of visuals in group activities such as training and facilitation - not a million miles away from mediation. http://sunnibrown.com/

I used doodling myself in my Grudgeology workshop at the NWDR and you can see the slides (from a previous presentation) here;
http://www.slideshare.net/NeilDenny/grudgeology-the-art-of-holding-a-grudge

I encourage anyone to get over themselves and the commonly shared notion that "I can't draw" and just try it. The childlike simplicity in doodling through the next lecture or workshop you go to can be invigorating!

Thank you Stephanie for your own workshop. I am going to add attnetion choreography to my learned skills and practice that as well!

[StephanieWestAllen]

Thanks, Neil. I was glad you came to my session.

The Doodle workshop looks like a lot of fun, and valuable too. Your doodle was excellent! I do have Sunni Browns book and have read it. I have a bunch of books I like on this topic in addition to the ones I mentioned in the workshop. For example, the Dan Roam books and YOUR ARTISTS BRAIN by Carl Purcell. Here are some others that Nancy White recommends:

https://astore.amazon.com/fullcircleassoci?_encoding=UTF8node=7

You may like this drawing exercise that Fredrike Bannink uses in mediations:

http://westallen.typepad.com/idealawg/2012/05/another-way-to-incorporate-images-in.html

Great to hear from you here on my blog. I am sure we will remain in touch.

My best,

Stephanie