“Hi Christina, I’m so glad I found your blog. Been learning quite a bit. I’m a software professional. I’m good with ideas, writing poetry etc, connecting things etc but not good with drawing. I’d like to learn graphic facilitation, where should I start? Are there any courses? I’m planning to take up the creativity course in Buffalo univ next year. Just would like to have your advice on it. Thanks so much, Vijay.”
A. Hi Vijay. Thanks for getting in touch. Let me begin with a couple of a definitions. There is ‘graphic recording’ and then there is ‘graphic facilitation’ … both are activities that are done live in group settings.
Graphic recording is where a speaker, presenter or group situation is happening – and someone (a graphic recorder) does their best to summarize the key points into a graphically pleasing summary (usually done on a large wall size display of some sort … big paper, foam core board, whiteboard, etc). This person is usually off on the side and is silently doing their best to create the documentation as the live activity unfolds.
On the other hand, there is graphic facilitation. This use of the medium is much more interactive. A facilitator and a graphic recorder (and sometimes it is one person doing both roles), work together WITH a group, to co-create information displays as they go. Instead of silent scribing off on the side, the graphic materials are front and center … and are built by everyone in a highly facilitated manner. There is a lot of structured group process involved … and people are guided to do their thinking on specific topics and often in a certain order. For example, strategic planning and visioning forums are a natural for the graphic facilitation medium. The graphic facilitation team helps groups think (and record their thinking) about their past, their present and their desired future. Then figures out steps to bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be.
For a more detailed explanation of the four main applications of graphic work (custom chart work, graphic recording, graphic facilitation and graphic coaching), you can read my article on the subject here: https://www.shift-it-coach.com/2011/10/the-four-ways-to-work-visually/
For yourself, as a software professional, I’m going to guess that you will probably start with custom chart work and graphic recording and perhaps move more into graphic facilitation eventually, especially if you are involved in different kinds of groups that need to do thinking together (software design groups, client collaborations, process mapping of info flows, etc).
Now, onto your questions about training. First off, my company is one of few places that one can currently get training in these wonderful skills. However, this is the last year I will be doing so (my SHIFT-IT / graphic coaching work is going like gangbusters … so I’ve decided to wrap up my skill trainings in graphic recording and graphic facilitation). My fall workshops series (Meeting Graphics 101 and The Graphic Bootcamp) is currently SOLD OUT with a waiting list being taken. However, I am still doing private graphic skills trainings until the end of the year, and there are still a few opportunities left for the right people.
As a software professional, you might be interested to know of the VizThink Conferences, which have popped up in the last year or so … geared more towards industry and digital type applications of this work, supported I think in large part by Dave Gray and his Xwave company.
My roots are in the much more grassroots graphic recording community and our association called The Int’l Forum of Visual Practitioners. There is an annual conference and gathering each year. This year its in Chicago, just a few weeks away. See: www.ifvp.org Also, check out their geographical directory … to find practitioners in your area. That is how many people enter this field – by making mentor/mentee relationships with seasoned practitioneers. There is usually an additional training component that is offered at each conference.
Also, check out Peter Durand’s wonderful blog at alphachimp.com/. He’s got a great geographical directory too.
And, if you are in the San Francisco Bay area … my old employers, The Grove Consultants Int’l, also offer different kinds of training. I highly recommend their Strategic Visioning Process.
Okay Vijay. I hope i have given you and others some good leads here …. so you can continue your interest in and exploration of the visual application world. I really encourage you to keep going! It such a fun, effective and creative way to work that also sustains us as practitioners too. I wish you all the best in your development journey.
Yours in SHIFTing IT,
Christina Merkley
The SHIFT-IT Coach
[tags]Christina Merkley, SHIFT-IT Coach, SHIFT-IT, graphic recording, graphic facilitation, The Grove Consultants, The Grove, Peter Durand, International Forum of Visual Practitioners, IFVP, VizThink Conference, VizThink[/tags]
