I enjoy strategic visioning.  It brings me a lot of joy to unroll a clean sheet of paper, pull out my markers, and use my listening, drawing, and improv skills to help a group see their future more clearly. 

Recently, I was asked to speak at the 1st Annual Northern Arizona Center for Nonprofit Entrepreneurship Conference, which was hosted by Northern Arizona University, Moonshot, and your Part Time Controller.  It was attended by dozens of nonprofit leaders, so I used this as an opportunity to share my love of working visually with a talented audience. 

Sometimes the most effective tools are the simplest, which is why I keep coming back to visual timelines for strategic planning.  Visual timelines allow a groups to see where they have been and envision where they are going.  They allow a team to celebrate their recent successes and study recent failures, so they can set realistic goals for the next few years.  Visual timelines are a valuable map of the orgnizational landscape that meeting participants refer to throughout the planning process.

After we draw a historical timelines during a strategic planning session, I like to ask the meeting participants to describe the future of their organization for me.  This is a bluesky conversation. A brainstorming session.  Then I draw their vision as quickly as they speak, so they see their ideas unfold.  Once we have a sketch of the future, we discuss the big ideas and set priorities.  Future priorities become future goals and an  implementation plan.  For some organizations the implementation plan is a concrete, step-by-step plan and others it is just a promise to follow the vibe that takes them towards their goals. 

What are the steps to create a visual timeline?

1. Start with a very big blank sheet of paper (or whiteboard).  Draw a timeline along the bottom. It works well to have this timeline match the length of your planning horizon (i.e. if you are doing a 5-year strategic plan, look back over the past 5 years for this exercise).
   
2. Set out post it notes, notecards or scrap paper at each set along with markers.
3. Ask participants to reflect on the past X years and make notes on paper at their seat of the significant events (5-10 minutes).
4. A recorder will draw / write / stick key ideas on the timeline as people report out. It works well to have each person report their best idea first.  Then go around the room again for the second best ideas.
   
5. Processing: The visual can be used for discussion, people can vote on significant accomplishments, or take this away from the meeting to foster discussions with stakeholders.

Note: If the thought of drawing in front of a group scares you, you can always pre-print clip art or bring magazines that are relevant to your organization.  Use scissors and glue to have fun creating a timeline collage. 

Of course, you are also welcome to email me for support.  I love to draw and have assistance available for non-profit organizations who can't otherwise afford my services.

I attended a Local First AZ workshop last week in Tucson that was partially an excuse to drive deep into the Sonoran Desert during wildflower season and partially a great opportunity to meet local business people.  Who knew that sitting in a furniture showroom for two hours with strangers could change my perspective on capitalism?  Let me explain...

The event was focused on Conscious Capitalism, which is a business philosophy that was articulated by John Mackey (the founder of Whole Foods Market) and Raj Sisodia in a book of the same name.  In my words, Conscious Capitalism is the idea that free trade is good for communities, individuals, and the planet when it exists to serve a higher purpose - such as helping people eat better foods or supporting local communities or making the world a more creative place - not just to make money for shareholders.  Conscious Capitalism proposes that business should seek a higher purpose and consider how business decisions impact all STAKEholders (customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, mama earth), NOT just corporate SHAREholders.  The book is a quick and interesting read.

As an entrepreneur with a background in ecology and 10+ years teaching university students about sustainability, Conscious Capitalism seems like the kind of business philosophy that I would have taught if it had occurred to me to teach about business at the university (maybe I'll go back and do that in a few years :).  While I had not articulated a clear philosophy for my business, I find myself moving towards more conscious business decisions as I become more profitable.  I'm giving away my time through the Contagious Creativity Awards. I try to treat my best customers like dear friends.  I use the most environmentally- and human-friendly markers that I can find (refillable Neuland markers) and draw on recyclable surfaces whenever possible. 

I am planning to attend several Conscious Capitalism meetings in Arizona over the next month and I look forward to learning more!  If you are curious about this philosophy - and the people who are turning it into a movement - you can watch this TEDx talk by Adam Goodman and attend the international conference in Phoenix at the end of April.

Visual notes help a listener remember what a speaker says and also seem to help an audience track the flow of a presentation (more on this in an online workshop I am developing now).  Drawing visual notes is a first step to developing a visual practice.  When people see me work live, they often ask what materials I use for visual note-taking and graphic facilitation.  This is a quick resource for people getting started with visual notes.

I love taking visual notes in a sketchbook or journal while I watch TED talks online, listen to live lectures, or have coffee with friends.  I typically write text and draw doodles in black marker and then add splashes of color here and there.  My style and materials are constantly evolving as I gain practice and learn what works, but this is what I am doing now.

Black outlines. I go back and forth between several black markers. I haven't found the best ink-nib combination, so I oscillate among four types of markers.

• My favorite black marker for sketch notes is the Marvy Memories Artist Pigmented Marker (bullet nib) by Uchida.  You can find it at Michaels stores or order it directly from Uchida.  It also comes in a calligraphy nib.  The Zig Memory System Writer is similar.  Both are pigment-based markers with different size nibs on either end.  These markers don't smear when I color over them with water-based ink.  However, the nibs get flat spots and dry out even before the marker is out of ink.
• My second favorite is the Neuland Outliner.  I love the Outliner ink.  I don't love the 1.0 mm nib on the small Outliner marker.  So I sometimes get empty markers (0.8 mm nib) and fill them with Outliner ink.  The Outliner ink also sometimes dries out and gets flat spots on the nibs.
• Sharpies work well (last a long time, don't get flat spots, and don't smear) but I think they are too toxic to use in public or anywhere except outdoors. 

You already know how to speak a visual language. When you were a small person, you recognized faces before you knew names.  Then later, you probably started drawing before you wrote letters and words.  Now you are able to fluently read faces, facial expressions, icons, logos, maps, and a thousand other types of visual language without thinking too much about it.  As I just said, you are already a visual communicator.

However, many adults feel that they have lost touch with their ability to speak a visual language because somewhere along the way they were forced to make a choice between being an "artist" or not being one.  Most of us chose the second option.

Visual communication conveys the essence of your message in drawings, sketches, icons, or clip art.  If you've ever played the game Pictionary, you know that the drawings don't have to be pretty to get your message across!  If you want to learn to work visually, you must set aside your inner art critic - or send her to the Met to critique works by the masters. ;)

When you are starting to work visually, the most important thing you can train yourself to do is find the essential points of a story.  Once you have these points, you can determine how you'll visualize them and where you need to add lines and arrows to help your audience follow your thought train.  After you have those basics down on paper, you can make the presentation a bit prettier by adding color and flair.

Smearability.  I like to draw black outlines and then quickly add shadows and color fills.  Because I like to work quickly, the black outlines are not always dry when I add color.  If I add yellow on top of black, I can sometimes get some wicked smears that make everything look murky.  There are several types of black markers, but a few common ones are alcohol-based ink, water-based ink, and pigment ink.  My experience is that the alcohol-based ink (i.e. Sharpie, Bic Marking Pen, Prismacolor, Copic markers) smear the least, water-based markers smear the most, and pigment-based markers are in the middle.  I did an extensive black pen test to find the least smeary black marker.

Toxicity.  While the alcohol-based markers are fantastic in the variety of nibs and non-smear categories, they are terribly stinky and feel toxic to me.  They also bleed through the page.  I occasionally use Sharpies to draw sketch notes, but not often because they make me nauseous after about 15 minutes.  I gave all of my Prismacolor markers away because I couldn’t even tolerate them for 10 minutes.   If you can tolerate the stink (or work in a well-ventilated space), graphic designers and illustrators LOVE Copics and Prismacolor markers.
 
Sustainability.  Most markers are disposable.  You throw them away when they run low.  Some markers are refillable, but these are rare.  Water-based markers are probably the most environmentally friendly option because they are non-toxic.  The downside of water-based inks is that they are not as archival as other markers (they fade in sunlight). 
 
Cost.  If you are drawing sketch notes, you probably won’t go through markers so fast that cost is going to be a big issue.  I draw about 50 square feet of sketch notes each month and I go through about 1 black marker and 1 color marker each month (on average).  However, if you draw a lot of large wall charts, it adds up.  You can shop around to find the best deals on markers and pens (because different places have different sales at different times).  I buy markers at my local art stores and also shop at DickBlick.com JetPens.com Neuland.com and Amazon.com. 

Black outlines. My go-to markers for black lines on wall charts are Neuland Outliners. Period.  They are just amazing markers.  I love that they are refillable and non-toxic and don't smear.  Honestly, I do not know how they do it, but the Outliner ink is amazing. It reminds me of India Ink (and may be!).

• FineOne Outliner.  This has a 1.0 mm nib and I use it rarely on wall charts. Sometimes I use it to write commentary in small letters. I also occasionally use it to add fine details. 
  
• NoOne Outliner.  The "number one" comes in a few nibs.  I like the wedge / chisel nib for writing text.  I use the round (bullet) nib for drawing doodles.  Sometimes I mix it up and use both.
  
• BigOne Outliner.  This is a huge marker and great for titles and borders.  I also use colorful BigOnes for shadows and coloring in large block letters.
  

Colorful markers.  I alternate among a few types of markers for wall charts, but will only discuss a few here.  If you don't want to order fancy markers, you can get a lot done with three types of water-based markers that are available at most office supply stores: Crayola Multicultural Markers (for coloring people), Sharpie Flip Chart Markers, and Mr. Sketch (a.k.a. smelly markers).  The Sharpies and Mr. Sketch are easy to find in bullet nibs, but search for chisel nibs because I have seen them.

• Charter Markers from the Grove (red marker in back below).  These markers are water-based, have big wedge nibs, and are juicy!  The ink flows from these guys like no other marker I've found.  They are relatively expensive and the black ink smears like crazy, but I love them for times when I am writing in color.  They are also great for coloring large swaths of paper.
  
• Neuland markers.  I like the ArtMarkers best for coloring in sections of a chart, but the BigOnes are also handy for drawing shadows, connectors, boxes.  I don't use my colorful NoOnes that much (red marker in front below), but other visual practitioners love them.  As far as the colors go, I would start by ordering a few basic colors (either red, blue, green, gray OR turquoise, pink, lime, yellow, gray) and seeing how you like them.  I bought a color set (#6) as soon as I got started, and I have never refilled most of the markers.  We all have our favorite color palettes and it might take you a little while to find yours. 
  

Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to art and office supplies.  Try a few things out and let me know how it goes!