Visual storytelling is a powerful technique to communicate and enhance meetings and workshops. Visuals help capture thoughts, ideas, and processes in an interactive and engaging way.
What are the benefits of including visual storytelling in a meeting?
In this increasingly visual age, images speak louder than words - "A picture is worth a thousand words"
Mental imagery impacts the cognitive processes in the brain including attention, perception, planning, and memory. Practising mental imagery enhances motivation, builds confidence, and improves motor skills which are all key factors in success. Studies show that images also help people think and problem solve. Drawing helps to open creative pathways, inspires self expression, and strengthens focus.
“When you draw an object, the mind becomes deeply, intensely attentive,” says the designer Milton Glaser, an author of a 2008 monograph titled Drawing Is Thinking. “And it’s that act of attention that allows you to really grasp something, to become fully conscious of it."
Visuals can help your next meeting be more engaging, enjoyable, and memorable!
Using visuals to support the facilitation of a meeting allow you and your team the benefit of integrating both sides of the brain. Watch your ideas come to life in real-time!
If you are a small business owner, not-for-profit executive director, or part of the management team in any organization, you know that meetings are an essential part of growing and effectively managing day-to-day operations. With increasing performance demands, and limited time and resources, getting the most out of each meeting means ensuring people attend, offer valuable input during the meeting, and have a clear understanding of the actionable items.
Visuals can help your next meeting be more engaging, enjoyable, and memorable. People learn, assimilate data and solve problems in a variety of ways. Customize the meeting to meet the unique cognitive and engagement style of your group.
Encourage participants to be part of the visual / graphic creation process. Have them contribute to the discussion and engagement through visual exercises, encouraging them to create unique and visual notes. Remember your days of kindergarten? It was fun to draw pictures, build lego castles, and design forts.
Using a combination of kinaesthetic, visual and auditory techniques, as well as tools and materials will encourage whole-brain thinking.
Consider both computer generated and hand-drawn materials for visual storytelling techniques. You don't need to be an artist to visually convey a message. Some materials that can be used are slide decks, attendee package inserts (i.e. agendas, backgrounder, survey results), large white paper graphics, flip charts, newsletters, surveys, creativity hand-outs, and summary report.
What types of meetings and workshops benefit from graphic facilitation techniques?
- Stakeholder engagement exercises
- Customer Journey Exercise
- Management & Operations
- Communications Strategies
- Designing Campaigns & Programs
- Developing the scope of a project
Create a visual illustration of meeting notes
Enhance a workshop or meeting report with a visual illustration of the meeting notes or report already taken. As well, graphic recording services can include being a part of your workshop/meeting to record the notes and then provide a visual illustration upon completion.