Full Circle Associates

Now for somethint completely offline. Last month a small group of us gathered to look at how we could use technology to support a global community of practice for people who use the World Cafe method. During the course of our gathering, I started a large drawing to capture some of the essense of what was said. I invited others to join me. Eventually, we shared the images on Flickr, which caused Dorine Rüter to ask me about the process. She agreed to let me post our email conversation, as we thought others may have additional insights to offer.

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Dear Nancy,


The other day you posted a flickr photo set from the collective visualization made at the Girl Geek event. Such drawing projects seem great, because of what they show when finished (e.g. to people that weren’t at the event or to participants that want to review a while after the event), but I can imagine working on a drawing must be a wonderful process as well and maybe even more important for the actual experience (the sharing and learning) among group members.

I wanted to know a little bit more about the group process of making such a visualization. Can you tell me something about this? E.g.:

Is it a planned thing (‘let’s make a drawing of what we feel we’ve learned today’) or always a more spontaneous happening? Can it be planned?

Is there a facilitator that gives some suggestions on what could be drawn. How concrete should these suggestions be?

How many people can be working on such a visualization together?

Is everyone crawling on the floor or walking alongside the wall to add something? Or are some just giving clues to other people drawing.

Are there people that don’t like to draw or are afraid to. Is this ok to leave it like that or should the group or a facilitator try to ‘break the ice’?

Are there tips for the participants on the use of shapes, colour? Is there a bit of theory explained as to how something can ‘best’ be visualized, or is this something that would force people too much in one direction?

I would love to hear a bit more from you on this. I once found the website of Nancy Magulies about her Mindscapes (http://www.nancymargulies.com/) , but it seems a somewhat different process where Nancy makes a visualization, and not the whole group. But maybe I am wrong? Any pointers to other people that are into this are very much appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance for even reading this.
Take care!
Dorine Rüter

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Hi Dorine

Great, great question. Sorry for my slow reply. I took the whole weekend off so did not do my customary email catch up until this morning!

I'm not sure I have articulated a conscious process for these collaborative drawings, but the are QUITE different from the sort of stuff graphic facilitators do. This is much less about recording the proceedings from an information standpoint and much more about capturing the experience. So here is my attempt at answering your great questions (maybe I should blog this??)

Is it a planned thing (‘let’s make a drawing of what we feel we’ve learned today’) or always a more spontaneous happening? Can it be planned?

For me it has always started as something I did personally. The invitation to others has emerged in the past year. One was at an event last summer called Seattle MindCamp where the large group did a "just three words" introduction. I captured all the words on a large page in different colors. Then we cut it up and made paper pieces that people could recombine into new words on another huge sheet of paper. It was a technology centric event so we called it Geek Poetry. People had fun with the hands on, recombination of words. They seemed pleased to be doing poetry in a tech setting. They were surprised.

The second part happened when working with Julie and Ted Leung - well, not working. Being at the same conferences. They always bring their three young daughters and often I would invite them to join me in making a picture of what we were listening to. Their fresh and open perspectives changed my pictures. They added a bit more literalness and much playfulness. I let go of some of my inner censor that was trying to "make something beautiful" and moved towards "making something together."

Is there a facilitator that gives some suggestions on what could be drawn. How concrete should these suggestions be?

Photo by Peggy I usually just sit down and start drawing, often on the floor with the pens scattered around me. When others look in, I invite them to add. Usually they say no at first. They worry that they are going to "ruin" my picture. But at some point they find it irresistible and they join in. That's when the magic happens as they realize they can't ruin the picture. People add something, then someone else adds to their work and it all changes again and again until the final picture emerges.

How many people can be working on such a visualization together?

Depends on how big the picture is and how big the people are. I have done it with 3 kids - about the limit and 2 adults. The thing is to have it easily available so people can come in, draw, and then leave easily. Back of the room. You don't want it to become a distraction to the proceedings. I've had that happen. So it doesn't work well in very formal settings.

Is everyone crawling on the floor or walking alongside the wall to add something? Or are some just giving clues to other people drawing.

I work on the floor mainly because my style is very detailed and I find that harder to do on the wall, but I've done it both ways. Larger paper on walls allows more participation, but that usually becomes more like a graffiti wall than a collective picture. Somehow the constraint of the page of flip chart paper feels about right for a day.

Are there people that don’t like to draw or are afraid to. Is this ok to leave it like that or should the group or a facilitator try to ‘break the ice’?

Yes, there are people who won't touch it. I never never force people, but I often have to "invite" people more than once. Sometimes when they sit beside me, I just hand them a pen. I also make sure I'm not always at the paper. This is not about me!

Are there tips for the participants on the use of shapes, colour? Is there a bit of theory explained as to how something can ‘best’ be visualized, or is this something that would force people too much in one direction?

My experience with my doodles is to NEVER plan it. Never think it through, but to let it happen. Sometimes someone will want to organize it and I say hey, organize this little corner. This is about experience, not literal communication of facts. That said, the conversation AFTER the picture is done is the best thing. People talk about what it says to them. How it felt to make it. That's the conversation.

I once found the website of Nancy Magulies about her Mindscapes ( http://www.nancymargulies.com/) , but it seems a somewhat different process where Nancy makes a visualization, and not the whole group.

Funny, but Nancy M was supposed to be at the gathering where our collective picture emerged. She was actually on the phone, making her own drawings, during part of the time. I have not worked with her F2F but I suspect she does work solo all the time, or perhaps with other trained artists. What I do is just having fun with pens and paper! :-)

Here is another rendering of the story.... http://bubbleshare.com/myalbum/23257.5388642ffa7/photoframe

Nancy

Tags: visualThinking, visual_thinking, visual