When people commission visual thinking projects (e.g. creating graphic recording, rich pictures, organisational storyboards, animations etc…), it can be very easy for them to focus first on the content, size, shape, style, layout and colours of the visual being produced.
However, often people forget to really think about how the visual is going to drive meaningful conversations in their organisation. Before taking on a piece of work, we always ask clients how they think the visuals we produce are going to engage people, enable understanding and even drive change in their organisation.
So, before you commission a piece of visual thinking work, really consider the effect you want the visual to have. This in turn will inform the design of the visual including the type of content, the size, shape, style, layout and colours etc. Remember, a pretty picture is not always the most informative picture!
Visual thinking it not just about the picture itself, it’s about the effect that is created when people view the image and discuss it with their colleagues. These are the conversations that can drive change in an organisation!