Crackerjack Visual Thinking

Category: Storytelling

Creating a vision rich picture for Project 4 Learning Lab

Crackerjack Visual Thinking recently worked with Project 4 Learning Lab (P4L) to create a rich picture of their vision for the future.

P4L help organisations find their flow; delivering products to market faster, accelerating flow of knowledge work and accelerating flow of product. They work with organisations including Rolls-Royce, Astra Zeneca, Alstom and Infosys.

Crackerjack ran a half-day visioning workshop with the team using the Crackerjack Visioning Process™ and then created the rich picture based on the outputs from the process:

Click on the image to see the full size PDF version of the rich picture.

Click HERE to see the animated build version of the image.

Keith Howells, P4L CEO, shares his experience of the process…

Why did you want to visualise your vision?

We were looking for a way to communicate our vision and the work that our organisation does in a holistic way that was both multi-dimensional and engaging at the same time. We also wanted to ensure that as a team we were absolutely aligned in what we do, how we do it and why that is important to us and our stakeholders.

How did you find the visioning process (both the workshop and the image development process)?

The visioning process was exciting and really easy for us all to engage in. It gave us a structure to have conversations to help us align as a team without it ever feeling constraining. It was really interesting to see how the process engaged everyone involved and allowed them to express their thoughts and opinions in a slightly different way to how we might in a “normal day”.

We found the visioning workshop really energising and by the end we felt good that we were in agreement of around 80 or 90% of the inputs that went into the generation of the final picture.

The image development process was straightforward too because it was staged around the definition of a high level concept and supporting layout before focusing on the details of the imagery and the finer points of the text.

John was very open to change (whilst also guiding us towards something that was coherent) as we asked for one thing and then decided that we needed something different! It was a really good experience.

How do you intend to use the finalised rich picture?

We plan to use it in two main areas…firstly, to explain to potential new clients about the work we do, how we do it and the difference it typically makes to our clients, and secondly, to support the onboarding of new team members by providing a foundation so that they can become really effective really quickly.

Find out more…

Find out more about Project 4 Learning Lab at https://www.p4learninglab.com

To find out more about the Crackerjack Visioning Process™ and our work, visit https://www.crackerjackvisualthinking.com

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August 19, 2025
Delighted to welcome our new client Project 4 Learning Lab (P4L)

We’re delighted to welcome our new client Project 4 Learning Lab (P4L).

P4L believe in the untapped potential of humanity. Their vision is to unleash human value and accelerate progress towards a thriving, inclusive, and sustainable world for generations to come. Working with clients including Rolls-Royce, P4L harness the power of collaboration, empower organisations to open the valve, make work flow, and release their potential for positive impact in a fast-changing world. Find out more about their work here: https://www.p4learninglab.com/

Excitingly, as well being a client of Crackerjack, we will also be working together to combine the power of visual thinking with P4L’s ability to help organisations ‘find their flow’. More information on this over the next few weeks!

project4learninglab p4L crackerjack visualthinking simplifycomplexity communication visualthinking agile

June 24, 2025
Visual thinking: Helping simplify complexity in UK power generation

Creating a future-proof power generation system for the UK is a hugely complex and costly task (as todays announcement of the UK Governments £14.2bn investment in Sizewell C shows).

Here at Crackerjack, I’ve been working with a client to help them simplify complexity and visualise how they can help increase the speed and efficiency of three of these major infrastructure construction projects: Sizewell C, Hinkley Point C and the STEP fusion energy project.

In each case, I’ve been able to create visual rich pictures that have facilitated a deeper and clearer understanding of my clients work for the project teams from each of these construction projects. This also works in reverse, with the creation of the rich pictures enhancing my clients understanding of how they can best support these vital construction projects.

In one case, the rich picture I originally produced for my client is now being used by a senior exec member of one of the infrastructure construction project teams as a key element of their keynote presentations to key stakeholders (including to the UK Government).

The more complex a project becomes, the more important it is to simplify complexity in order to engage people with your work and ensure they understand the role you can play in it. Visual thinking and rich pictures can be the bridge between complexity, and simplicity and understanding.

Find out more about my work here on our website or contact me to explore simplifying your complex project.

John

Crackerjack visualthinking communication engagement understanding powergeneration sizewellc hinkleypointC HPC SZC STEP fusionenergy simplifycomplexity

June 10, 2025
Great feedback from Domestic & General

Really pleased to receive the following feedback from Mathew Scoines, Programme Director at Domestic & General, about a rich picture project recently completed for him:

Crackerjack was brought into Domestic and General to help us visually represent an extremely complex new platform via an easily consumable and readable ‘rich picture’. The process was led by John from Crackerjack who achieved this remit and delivered a service and outcome beyond our expectations. The method by which Crackerjack engaged with us and elicited the information required to shape this visual output was extremely well crafted and fascinating to be part of.

John guided us patiently and professionally throughout the process and helped us articulate and break down the key aspects of our new platform solution supporting stakeholder and subject matter expert discussions to elicit the right information at the right level of detail. John listened carefully and focussed on genuinely understanding our business and the context for this task. This resulted in a rich picture which skilfully encapsulates a very complex solution and presents it in a format which is easily consumable by and useful to both seasoned experts in our business as well as the layperson.

I would recommend both the use of a rich picture to convey complexity in a form which is easy to read and understand and most certainly recommend Crackerjack as the organisation to help achieve this.

We have commissioned Crackerjack now to take the rich picture and build a story based animation and narration around it – this is going extremely well and I have no doubt will turn out great with John’s guidance and expertise.

Mathew Scoines

Programme Director

Domestic and General

May 9, 2024
Create a SHARED UNDERSTANDING of your business
How rich pictures create a SHARED UNDERSTANDING of your business

Creating a shared understanding of your business across your people, partners and customers creates opportunities for discussion, cooperation and new ideas that will benefit everyone

The benefit of using a rich picture to create a shared understanding…

The example image above shows how a single rich picture image can create a shared understanding of your business for your people, partners and customers.

The example image visualises the following elements to help achieve this understanding:
- Current business issues.
- How effective Knowledge Management will resolve these issues.
- How data will flow around the business.
- How suppliers will be linked in with the new knowledge management process and data flow.
- The benefits of the Knowledge Management process for customers.
This shared understanding of your business results in:
- Your people understanding how their role fits into the business helps drive it forward.
- Your partners understand how they link with your business and can support it effectively.
- Your customers understand your business and the benefits to them of working with you.
This shared understanding of your business across these key groups of people creates opportunities for discussion, cooperation and new ideas that will benefit everyone.

Why rich pictures work so well for creating a shared understanding…

Having a single visual overview of the various elements of your business allows people to see connections and linkages that may otherwise not be apparent. This builds on the brains ability to process visual data extremely effectively and creatively (which is based on the way the brain itself connects information via its neural pathways).

In addition, the visual impact and engagement a rich picture creates encourages people to want to look at the picture and understand the key messages it’s trying to communicate.

Find out more…

If you would like to find out more about how we can help you create a shared understanding of your vision for your business, please contact us by calling us on +44 (0)115 6483381 or using the contact form below.

You can also find out more about rich pictures on our Strategic Visioning Rich Picture page.

Our other services for individuals: SEE Your Future™ Visual Goal Setting | Personal Vision Rich Pictures | Visual Coaching

Our other services for teams and organisations: Visual Meeting Facilitation | Strategic Vision Rich Pictures | Whiteboard Animation | Live Scribing

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Please use the form below to contact us or call us on +44 (0)115 6483381 for a FREE consultation to discuss how we can help you.
February 1, 2022
Engage your customers during the sales process with a Rich Picture
Over the last couple of years, Crackerjack Visual Thinking has been working with clients to support their sales processes by creating bespoke rich pictures showing how their products and services align with their existing and potential customers needs.

Rich pictures help customers ‘see’ how our clients products and services fit into their customers world (with its complexity, challenges and opportunities) and will help them achieve their aims and objectives. This results in:
- Customers understanding how my clients products and services will benefit their business.
- More effective conversations between my clients and their customers due to having a rich picture image to talk through and explore together.
- Customers appreciating the investment and time my clients have taken in preparing the bespoke rich picture for the sales meeting. It demonstrates my clients commitment to wanting to understand their customers needs on a deeper level.
Following successful sales outcomes with their customers, the multiple benefits of rich pictures during the sales process have led clients to adapt this visual thinking approach into their sales processes. We look forward to continuing to support them in achieving successful sales over the coming years.

John Ashton – Crackerjack Visual Thinking

We’d love to talk about your ideas and see if we can help you visualise them!

Click on the button below and let’s start a conversation…

CONTACT US
November 17, 2021
Whiteboard Animation – 1 minute overview
STORIES SHARED…

Whiteboard animation is ideal for bringing extra energy and impact to communicating ideas and stories to your people.

Eastlight Community Homes Value for Money Whiteboard Animation
Deliberately simple in their approach, yet highly impactful, whiteboard animations build-up stories and guide people around the narrative at a pace that enables understanding and maintains engagement. Voiceovers, music, sound effects and motion add further layers of engagement to the experience.

WHAT THE PROCESS INCLUDES:

Scoping session.
Storyboarding.
An iterative design process.
Music and VoiceOver (where required).
Full feedback and sense-checking phase with stakeholders and a cross-section of your target audience.

RESULT: You have an impactful animation that be shared across your multi-media channels including websites and social media feeds.
We’d love to talk about your ideas and see if we can help you visualise them!

Click on the button below and let’s start a conversation…

CONTACT US
October 28, 2021
Organisational Vision Rich Pictures – 1 minute overview
Organisational Vision Rich Pictures increase engagement with your organisations teams, partners and customers and help you share complex stories and messages in easy to understand and impactful ways.

Used standalone or as part of planned communication and engagement initiative, rich pictures can be shared on-line or in print formats including posters, murals, large format displays and interactive business games.

The rich picture process includes:
- Scoping sessions.
- An iterative design process.
- Full feedback and sense-checking phase with stakeholders and a cross-section of your target audience.
RESULT: Teams, partners and customers are engaged with your organisations vision.

We’d love to talk about your ideas and see if we can help you visualise them!

Click on the button below and let’s start a conversation…

CONTACT US
October 21, 2021