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map_makr55

User Profile Image map_makr55
Member since : May-30-2009 (Verified)
0 Ideas, 1 Comments, 5 Votes

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map_makr55 9 months ago
So cancycreates Visual Recording proposal is good, although simply recording what is expressed only goes so far.

I use a somewhat similar approach to nancy's - except that I'm not just recording, I've moved on into "modeling". Traditional system modeling (data models, process models for example) tend to be "boxes and arrows" kind of displays, boring and rather incomprehensible to those who don't know the modeling notation scheme.

However I've found that a model built using Visual Language (pictures/words, cartoonist notation to depict dynamic motion and all) allows a disparate group of people to fabricate an image that describes a solution to a situation (a concept of operation, or a system model, a vision) in the form of a BIG PICTURE, that anyone can read ,understand and comment intelligently on.

Modeling with pictures goes a step beyond just recording in that it stimulates a group to work together, allows divergent views to be tried, tested and connected in appropriate ways, and when people "see" what they say, quite often they discover there is more to the story, that the person they argue with might not be as "all wet" as they generally suspect, and the discussion goes a lot deeper.

So I guess I'm "for" nancy's suggestion, but I want to go further with it...

Recording is a starting place. There's a LOT of communication going on. I don't think MORE is necessarily all that helpful (just more noise). Rather there needs to be ways to arrive at understanding, leading to consensus, and actual action that produces results.

When I work with groups to deliver these visual "models", they move from just some people in a room who may have some general interest in a given subject, to becoming fully engaged, invested and excited to go from the "talking" stage into the "doing" stage. It's the "doing" that makes the difference. So if graphic recording gets us there, cool! but I think there needs to be that "more" that results in action.