Crackerjack Visual Thinking

Category: Engaging your people

  • Open an ‘art gallery’ to drive #innovation in your organisation!

    If you’re looking for an effective way to increase innovation, creativity and communication in your organisation, here’s a plan:

    1. Buy enough coloured marker pens and large sheets of paper for everyone in your business!
    2. Give them the confidence and skills (via appropriate visual thinking training) to be able to sketch/scribble/draw their thoughts, ideas and moments of genius.
    3. Encourage them to share their sketches with others in the business.
    4. Encourage people to (constructively!) add to, amend, change and develop each other’s sketches.
    5. Set up an ‘art gallery’ (real or virtual) and display everyone’s sketches and masterpieces.
    6. Arrange for everyone to visit the gallery and ask everyone to show which sketches they would buy (i.e. which thoughts/ideas they think have most potential to move the organisation forward) by either ticking the sketch or sticking a post-it to it.
    7. Identify the top three most popular sketches/ideas in your art gallery.
    8. TAKE ACTION! Try and implement the top three idea/s in your organisation! After all, a good idea that isn’t actioned remains just an idea!

    Visit www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com to learn more about how visual thinking can be used to drive innovation and creativity in your organisation.

  • For the latest news and ideas on #visualthinking read the new ‘Crackerjack Visual Thinking Daily’

    For ideas and inspiration about all things Visual Thinking, subscribe to the new free Crackerjack Visual Thinking Daily.

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    To receive a daily alert when the Crackerjack Visual Thinking Daily is published, and for other updates from Crackerjack, follow us on Twitter at @JohnAshtonCPD.

  • A pen and paper – one of the most powerful business and thinking tools available… #visualthinking

    Crackerjack Visual Thinking believes that the combination of a pen and a piece of paper is one of the most powerful business and thinking tools available.

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    The visual thinking approach is fundamentally based on using these simple tools (or their iPad style equivalents!) to create visual images that communicate ideas, facilitate discussion, engage thinking and provide a catalyst for co-creation between people.

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    The visual thinking approach enables organisations to experience increased creativity and innovation – ultimately leading to growth and success.

    To find out more about visual thinking please visit www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com or call John Ashton on +44 (0) 775 282 6227.

  • Graphic recording from AndPartnership’s 10 Year Anniversary Event #communication #graphic recording #andpartnership

    AndPartnership 10th Anniversary Scan Small Click on the image above to see the graphic recording I created live during the AndPartnership’s 10 Year Anniversary Event in London.

    AndPartnership is an organisation development consultancy, specialising in the human side of change. They pride ourselves in creating customised solutions to organisational change issues, whilst building valued relationships with our clients. You can find out more about AndPartnership by visiting www.andpartnership.com

    To find out more about Crackerjack Visual Thinking and graphic recording, please visit www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com

  • How a drawing can help increase your profits #visualthinking #roi #bizitalk

    Click on the sketch below to see how helping you develop and sketch out your big ideas can enable your team members to work more effectively and generate increased profits for your business.

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    To find out more about how Crackerjack can help you visualise your next idea, please contact us on +44 (0)775 282 6227 or visit www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com

  • A unique graphic record of the CIPD Midlands Centenary Celebration!!! #CIPD100

    Crackerjack Visual Thinking was pleased to be able to provide the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) with a graphic recording of their Centenary Celebration event that took place just outside Leicester on the 14th September 2013.

    Here’s the graphic that was produced live during the event (on a wall with a bend in it!):

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    Great feedback was received from delegates and the event organisers which was great to hear!

    To find out more please contact John Ashton on +44 (0)775 282 6227 or visit our website by clicking here.

  • HOW GRAPHIC RECORDING HELPED SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY (IN THEIR OWN WORDS)…

    Here’s one of the latest pieces of feedback we’ve received about our graphic recording work from Charli Buxton (Executive Assistant to the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Sheffield Hallam University):

    “John attended our All Staff conference which focused on our new University strategy. It was important to us that we had visual record of the day as it panned out and of the initial feedback which the strategy received.

    John attended workshops and plenary sessions, he visited stands and stalls in our Market Place, constantly picking up themes and information to include in the final visual. John worked on the visual throughout the day in the main entrance to the University where people passing by were able to see his work in progress.

    By the end of the day we had a fantastic visual record of the day, brilliantly incorporating the feel of the conference, the architecture of the university and, most importantly, the engagement with and initial feedback from staff to the strategy.

    We now have the original visual and an electronic version which we will display around the University for those people who were unable to attend on the day.”

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  • How graphic visualisation helped one of our clients (in their own words)…

    Crackerjack Visual Thinking is very happy to share this latest testimonial from one of our clients:

    “We all know that one of the key pillars for effective change management is to have good communication.  We have tried many different ways of getting key messages to our workforce and are always looking for new and innovative ways of engaging with them.

    The important thing for us was not only to achieve effective communication but also to gain buy in of the direction in which the business was heading, the future challenges we faced and their part in this. We wanted to make it real and for them to feel part of the journey.

    Working with John Ashton at Crackerjack Visual Thinking, we were able to put the corporate message across along with employees views and opinions in a unique imaginative style. We have found that this really makes people want to understand what has already been achieved and ultimately where we would like to go.

    Within a very short period of time we had a communication tool that makes people want to engage and be part of it.  A very effective approach and one we will again consider in the future.”

    Factory Manager – Major UK Food Producer

    To find out more about our work and how we could help you and your business, please visit www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com

    #visualthinking #visualisaton #graphicrecording #communication

  • Graphic recording from Sheffield Hallam University’s ‘All Staff Conference’

    Here’s the graphic recording I created yesterday during Sheffield Hallam University’s ‘All Staff Conference’ to provide a visual summary of the key themes emerging from the event:

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    To find out more about how Crackerjack can create an engaging visual record of your meeting, event or conference, visit http://www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com or call us on +44 (0)775 282 6227. You can also click here to contact us.

    #graphicrecording #visualthinking #communication #tomorrowsSHU #SHU