As part of the continuing development of our support to business change initiatives we are now able to provide a graphical facilitation service. 

If you have key issues to unravel or need to understand context in which your proposed business changes sit then Graphical Facilitation may be the route to clarification. 

What is Graphical Facilitation? 

Graphical facilitation uses BIG pictures, text and graphics to help organisations communicate more effectively. Graphics are more easily and quickly absorbed and understood than words alone. This way of problem solving enables us to communicate with large and diverse groups, including those with varied learning styles and diverse abilities.

A Graphical Facilitator uses large sheets of paper to map meetings visually, highlighting problems, possible solutions and provides participants with a visual dialogue. These drawings can then be scaled down into a more concise picture that can be used in future meetings to help make sense of the issues at hand. The images can also be used to map out possible solutions and the related implications.

The principle underlying the concept of using graphics to assist group problem-solving, relates to left brain and right brain roles.

Our left side of the brain is analytical, logical, and reliable and is therefore the side we use most in business. It is our decision-maker, our safe and trusted conventional thinker.

Our right side of the brain however is our creative gem, it is innovative, versatile, and it is great for helping us to solve problems, simplify tasks and save time.

Our left side of the brain relies upon conventional thought processes, verbal and written communication and methodical analysis. Our right side relies upon visual communication.

In order to unlock the potential of our right side of the brain, in order to assist the left side of our brains upon which we rely so much in the workplace, a visual dialogue is needed.

Drawings help us to connect our logical, rational analyses (left-brain) with an emotional and intuitive response (right-brain). This helps us to communicate more effectively and think more creatively, this helping us to solve problems and understand the whole picture.  

What can Graphical Facilitation do? 

• Creatively capture a concept for branding and presentation purposes:

• Present information which will stimulate, provide provocation and show connections

• Display ideas and key points thus helping to portray a powerful social memory

•  Structure the conversation to encourage participation, productivity and ownership

•  Define goals

•  Clarify differences

•  To aid creative ways around old problems

•  Allows others to construct new meaning and gain a new insight

•  Clarify and graphically depict strategies

•  Encourage strategic thinking

•  Provides participants with a sense of ownership

 How can Graphical Facilitation be used? 

• As a presentation tool

•  For interactive training purposes

•  As a meeting template (which will capture progress and decisions as they happen)

•  Big pictures can be scanned and used in reports and handouts

What we do 

Typically the right brain thinkers are artists and we employ a professional artist to help us use the right side of our brain.  An artist can assist the left brain thinkers to put their thoughts into pictures rather than words and the process of doing this stimulates debate and brings out new ideas, deeper understanding and brings a clarity to a complicated issue.

If you consider that a graphically facilitated workshop or meeting may be the way to understand an issue you are facing we will come and discuss it with you.  We will help you to arrange the workshop to exploit the benefits of the technique, run the whole or part of the workshop and provide a report (and a picture).  We can also support you in the post workshop activities.

To find out more contact: marie@grahamhartltd.co.uk

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