The genesis of my practice, graphic facilitation, is a discipline that deliberately pursues what is in the mind’s eye and brings it into public view for everyone’s benefit where new insights are often found.
What does that really mean?
Whether it is me, or someone in my talented network, a skilled graphic facilitator will bring the conversation to life on a large format mural in real time. Using words and images the conversation is illustrated, including what is not said, i.e. the white space. The images on our pages often allow people to see, understand and make connections that they may not be able to hear.
When do I use it?
Any challenge can benefit from visual thinking, however, the process must designed to support it.
Why would I use it?
Our high tech world delivers tremendous amounts of information to us everyday and stimulates a lot of new thought. The bi-product of this huge intellectual pipeline is that it has become much more difficult to sustain focus on any one thought long enough to really understand it or expand on it.
Graphic facilitation, through creativity, accesses another type of intelligence, one that is rooted in the visual and the intuitive. Sometimes it is this creativity that allows us to find our way out of whatever intellectual knot we’re in that’s slowing us down or impeding us altogether.
What can I expect to be different about my session?
The creativity of the graphics professional will raise the creative energy of the whole session and foster a learning environment.
The “dog with a bone” dynamic is largely eliminated because people feel heard.
Group process is accelerated because they can see their progress or lack thereof.
A synthesis of the group’s best thinking, not a transcription.
Increased participation.
Creation of a shared memory.
Capture of what would otherwise dissipate as the last participant left the room…
For the best real time example of what this work is about please see this video clip by my friend and colleague, Stephanie Crowley of Chysalis Studios.
