Visual Thinking

  • People are visual before verbal: visuals make more impact and memory
  • More inclusive for nonlinear thinkers, introverts, marginalized folks who might not speak up
  • When something is written during a meeting (like on a whiteboard) it helps people feel heard and seen
  • Visuals give space for complexity in a system, revealing a more accurate picture 
“I’m amazed you are able to put all of these things together –  you are so organized.”
-Nonprofit staffer

There are many fun photos in this section – click on the dots or arrows to see them!

Organizational Clarity

Simple, colorful drawings tend to shift overwhelming feelings, complex relationships and nuanced ideas into something more approachable. I often take what I hear from a group and bring it back in a new visual format.

Overview of an organization-wide visioning and culture change process.
The “layers and players” involved in a complex neighborhood decision-making process.
Drawing of a set of circles showing how the Equity Team of the organization sends representatives to the National Council, with other equity-related groups tying into the Equity Team
How a dynamic set of equity team players fit into an organization.
Closeup of a photo of an online whiteboard app showing my homemade Hollywood Squares game depicting aspects of the group's work
Zoomable games like Hollywood Squares can be a tool for reflective learning!
Photo of a computer screen with the left half showing an online white board app with the Hollywood Squares, and the right half showing the people in the meeting smiling and wearing costumes
The group dressed up for our reflection session. 🙂
Developing strategies to meet goals in a strategic planning process on Zoom.
Handouts for a workshop using visual-based activities to make personal visions for the coming year.
Four people sitting on the ground leaning into a large paper in front of them, where they are "dot voting" on a decision
Members of a “White Arts Leaders Confronting Racism” cohort plan how they want to format their time together.
Kids love visual drawing activities and can work alongside adults in meetings!
Closeup of a drawing I made for groups to explore strategies
Closeup of the large worksheet to explore strategies.
Closeup of the large worksheet to explore strategies.
In one activity, pictured here, we asked the group of 60+ people to visibilize their feelings on racism in the workplace. This was a jumping off point for a very dynamic conversation!
Photo of a Zoom meeting showing 6 people working on an online whiteboard app with sticky notes
I worked with each Department Team to develop their annual workplans based on our co-created Mission, Vision and Strategic Priorities.
Close up of a worksheet drawing of people's mind map of concerns
Worksheet the groups used to explore concerns.
Exploring concerns in an engaging way where people’s thoughts were shared visually on this wall-based activity.

Engaging Visual Activities in Meetings – even Zoom!

Engaging with simple drawings and colors has a magical ability to release anxiety from conversations: when people draw they tend to think/feel differently and transform emotional reactions into connective conversations. I integrate these tools into meetings in person and online (using a whiteboard app called Mural).

Concepts and Communications

In this world of fancy computer graphics, sometimes it’s refreshing to work with handmade drawings! Simple stick figures and bubbles go a long way in explaining a complex concept. 

One of my drawings to explain anti-racism concepts – adapted from Ijeoma Olus’s book So You Want To Talk About Race.
One of my drawings to explain anti-racism concepts – adapted from Ijeoma Olus’s book So You Want To Talk About Race.
One of my drawings to explain anti-racism concepts – adapted from Ijeoma Olus’s book So You Want To Talk About Race.
A drawing adapted from concepts in the Racial Healing Handbook by Anneliese Singh
Layers of our system of systems.
Reflecting on a year’s work with the leadership team of a company.
A pamphlet for a naturopathic doctor.
One version of an anti-racism journey.
Agenda for a strategic planning day.
The plan for a year-long strategic planning effort.
The plan for a year-long culture change effort. We often came back and added elements to this drawing to both reflect on what we had done and course correct as needed.
Handout of the plan for a series of 3 conversations.
Colorful circular agenda for a group meeting
Agenda for a strategic planning conversation.

Agendas

People like to know where they are going in a meeting, and having a colorful, playful agenda can bring new engagement and deeper understanding of the goals of the gathering.

Workshops

I teach leaders how to bring visual facilitation into their meetings. And I teach workshops based in visual thinking. Often these are reflection-based activities for personal or professional settings. For organizations we might map power dynamics, information flows, strategies or visions that can bring new insights and reveal blocks or places to focus. For personal learning, I lead people in mapping out their life stories, skills, lessons learned or visions.

Kids love making visual life maps, too!
Visual life mapping workshop!
Drawing that a participant made showing a circle in the middle with the words, "How does race show up in the arts?" and then many smaller circles of ideas coming from the center
I asked each participant to draw a map of how they see racism showing up in the Arts in Portland, OR.
Agenda for a workshop reflecting on 2020.
The “two hat game” for answering challenging questions.
Made during a workshop on creating engaging life processes like do lists!