Author: John Ashton

  • RNLI Flags and Visual Thinking

    RNLI Flags and Visual Thinking

    RNLI Flags and Visual Thinking


    RNLI Flags

    Hello!

    Hope you are having a good summer. I’ve been on holiday (in fair weather and foul here in the UK!) and was sat on the beach the other day when I started thinking about how visual thinking even plays a part in our summer holidays.

    The RNLI lifeguards (who do such a great job keeping us safe in the water) use a system of flags to indicate where you can safely go in the water and when you should stay out of the sea due to dangerous conditions. Whilst the flags have no specific imagery on them, the colour combinations seem to be generally well understood by beach-goers. This could be due to word-of-mouth, effective communication initiatives from the RNLI and more detailed signage being available at the entrances to the beaches.

    In terms of visually communicating important information rapidly and clearly, the RNLI flag system is a great example of visual communication.

    What other great examples of visual thinking and visual communication have you seen on your holidays? Feel free to share in the comments below!

    John

    Picture credit: The RNLI website.

    #RNLI #flags #watersafety #visualthinking #visualcommunication


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  • Visual Vision and Strategy Sessions for SME Business Owners​

    Visual Vision and Strategy Sessions for SME Business Owners​

    New 1:1 Visual Vision and Strategy Sessions for SME and Micro-Business Owners

    Vision and Strategy Sessions

    Really excited to launch my new 1:1 Visual Vision and Strategy Sessions for SME and Micro-Business Owners!!!

    I’ve taken the learning’s from numerous visual visioning project’s I’ve undertaken with larger organisations (including Rolls Royce, Dassault Systemes and Travelodge) and tailored the process to create a cost-effective experience for SME’s and micro-businesses that includes:

    – A 3 hour online session to help SME and micro-business owners get real clarity on their vision and strategy using my 1:1 Crackerjack Visual Vision and Strategy Mapping Process™

    – A unique Vision and Strategy Map rich picture illustration to help people literally ‘see’ their vision and strategy.

    – An Action Checklist to confirm the next step people need to take to work towards achieving their vision.

    – A 1 hour online review session three months after the initial session to reflect upon progress and plan next steps towards achieving their vision.

    Working through the 1:1 Crackerjack Visual Vision and Strategy Mapping Process™ and receiving the ‘Vision and Strategy Map’ and ‘Action Checklist’ will provide people with valuable knowledge, insight and understanding of their business, enabling them to:

    – Keep focused on implementing their strategy and working towards their vision.
    – Share their vision and strategy with others (team members, stakeholders, partners etc).
    – Measure their progress against their strategy.

    1:1 Visual Vision and Strategy Sessions are available from mid-August onwards. Find out more information here: https://lnkd.in/eb-4_snG

    Also, if you know any SME or micro-business owners who you think may benefit from the 1:1 Visual Vision and Strategy Sessions, I’d be really grateful if you could share this post with them. Thank you! 🙂

    #sme #microbusiness #vision #strategy #visualthinking #communicate#clarity #smallbusiness #action #online #crackerjackvisualthinking


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    Our other services: Visual Meeting Facilitation | Strategic Vision Rich Pictures | Vision and Values Workshops | Whiteboard Animation | Graphic Recording | Visual Skills Online Training

    Contact Us to book your Crackerjack 1:1 Visual Vision and Strategy Session for SME Business Owners!

    Please use the form below to contact us or call us on +44 (0)115 6483381 to discuss getting started with the 1:1 Crackerjack Visual Vision and Strategy Mapping Process™ (or with any questions you may have about the process).

  • How visual thinking can help

    How visual thinking can help

    How visual thinking can help

    Visual thinking toolkit

    Visual thinking can be a powerful toolkit in the workplace, here are 7 ways visual thinking can be beneficial:

    1. Communication: Visual thinking allows for clear and effective communication, especially when dealing with complex information or abstract concepts. Visuals, such as diagrams, charts, and infographics, can simplify and convey information more easily, reducing misunderstandings and enhancing overall understanding among team members.

    2. Problem-solving: Visual thinking can aid in problem-solving by helping individuals and teams to analyse and break down complex problems into manageable components. Visual tools like mind maps, flowcharts, and diagrams can facilitate brainstorming, organization of ideas, and identification of connections, leading to innovative solutions.

    3. Collaboration: Visual thinking promotes collaboration and enhances team dynamics. By visually representing ideas and concepts, team members can better share their perspectives, provide feedback, and engage in meaningful discussions. Visuals serve as a common ground, fostering creativity, consensus building, and alignment among team members.

    4. Planning and strategy: Visual thinking supports strategic planning and goal setting by providing a visual framework for organising and prioritising tasks, milestones, and objectives. Tools like Gantt charts and visual timelines help teams visualise timelines, dependencies, and resource allocation, enabling more efficient planning and execution of projects.

    5. Learning and training: Visuals aid in learning and training processes by enhancing comprehension and retention of information. Complex concepts can be simplified and made more accessible through visual representations, improving knowledge transfer and facilitating skill development. Visual thinking techniques, such as sketch-noting, can also help individuals better understand and remember presentations, lectures, or training sessions.

    6. Innovation and creativity: Visual thinking encourages innovative thinking and creativity by stimulating different parts of the brain and promoting new connections. Visuals allow individuals to think beyond linear or textual constraints, facilitating the exploration of alternative ideas, perspectives, and solutions. Visual techniques like mind mapping or design thinking can inspire novel approaches and help uncover hidden insights.

    7. Problem comprehension: Visual thinking aids in understanding complex problems by providing a holistic view and identifying patterns or relationships that may not be immediately apparent. Visuals help individuals grasp the big picture, identify root causes, and recognise key interdependencies, leading to more effective problem analysis and decision-making.

    #innovation #creativity #communication #learning #planning #strategy#work #visualthinking


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  • Visualising linkages and connections in your organisation

    Visualising linkages and connections in your organisation

    Visualising linkages and connections in your organisation

    https://videos.files.wordpress.com/fwP4HKgo/linkages.mp4

    In this short video, Rob Parkinson, CEO of LOROS Hospice, shares his thoughts about how using drawing as part of the strategic visioning process can help reveal linkages and connections that may not be visualised using other more conventional methods used to create an organisational vision and strategy.

    You can also hear Rob’s top tips for visualising your vision here:

    https://lnkd.in/eSDniKfv

    #LOROS #visualthinking #creativity #visioning #future #change #transformation  #vision #strategy #insights #engagement #inclusivity #storytelling #richpicture #CEO #leadership #crackerjackvisualthinking


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  • Include and engage people using visual thinking in the strategic planning process

    Include and engage people using visual thinking in the strategic planning process

    Include and engage people using visual thinking in the strategic planning process

    Another extract from my conversation with Rob Parkinson, CEO of LOROS Hospice, where he shares his thoughts on how the creative and inclusive nature of the visual thinking approach can include and engage everyone in the strategic visioning process.

    You can also hear Rob’s top tips for visualising your vision here.

    #LOROS #visualthinking #creativity#visioning #future #vision #strategy #insights #engagement #inclusivity #storytelling #richpicture #CEO #leadership #crackerjackvisualthinking

    https://videos.files.wordpress.com/W4M5XTb7/rp-loros-consultative-approach.mp4

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  • A CEO’s top tips on visualising your vision

    A CEO’s top tips on visualising your vision

    A CEO’s top tips on visualising your vision

    Pleased to share small part of conversation I had with Rob Parkinson, CEO of LOROS Hospice, where he shares his top tips for those people wanting to share a vision, strategy or story across their organisation in an inclusive, insightful, engaging and visual way.

    I’ll be sharing the full conversation over the next couple of weeks.

    #LOROS #visualthinking #visioning #future #vision #strategy #insights #engagement #inclusivity #storytelling #richpicture #CEO #leadership #crackerjackvisualthinking

    https://videos.files.wordpress.com/xInIZGqK/a-ceos-top-tips.mp4

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  • Visualising your vision: a CEO’s thoughts…

    Visualising your vision: a CEO’s thoughts…

    Visualising your vision: a CEO’s thoughts…

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    Great talking with Rob Parkinson, CEO of LOROS Hospice, about the visual visioning and rich picture process I’ve designed and facilitated for the organisation over the last few months and how it’s helped him and his colleagues to create a future vision and strategy for the organisation.

    I’ll be sharing the whole discussion over the next couple of weeks, starting tomorrow (23/6) with short clip where Rob shares his top tips for those people wanting to share a vision, strategy or story across their organisation in an inclusive, insightful, engaging and visual way.

    #LOROS #visualthinking #visioning #future #vision #strategy #insights#engagement #inclusivity #storytelling #richpicture #CEO #leadership


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  • How film director Christopher Nolan uses visual thinking

    How film director Christopher Nolan uses visual thinking

    How film director Christopher Nolan uses visual thinking

    Just read a great post from Nathan Baugh on LinkedIn describing how Christopher Nolan (Film Director) used #visualthinking to help plan his film Inception. It shows that it’s not all about ‘pretty pictures’, but using the right visual approach (in this case a quick sketch) to help get ideas out of your head and into a format that you can share and discuss with others.

    Click on the link below to read the full article:


    Nolan Sketch

    So, have a go at sketching your ideas out today and see if you can turn it into a multi-million dollar revenue generating film (or maybe more realistically your next great business idea!). And if you want a bit of help doing that, feel free to contact us using the details below!


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