Why is it worth it to develop your visual thinkings skills?
What can you actually do with the diagrams and drawings that I’m always harping on about?
Quite a lot, as it turns out…
Visual Thinking as a Learning Tool
When you sketch out what you’re learning, you transition from passive consumption to active creation. By engaging both verbal and visual processing, you form stronger connections in your brain, leading to better retention and understanding.
Visual Thinking as a Problem-Solving Tool
Sketching out ideas helps you identify variables, explore options, and chart a clear path forward. It allows for cognitive offloading, extending your brain’s capacity by creating external representations of complex problems. This “back-talk of sketches” enables you to have a conversation with your ideas and discover new insights.
Visual Thinking as a Communication Tool
Sketching out your thoughts leads to clearer communication and shared understanding. It reduces confusion and keeps everyone on the same page. As Oliver Caviglioli describes in his book “Dual Coding with Teachers,” this trio of you, your audience, and the sketch fosters more efficient and engaging exchanges.
My favorite phrase to sum up the power of visual thinking?
Sketch it out.
Don’t overthink it or worry about creating a perfect drawing. Focus on getting your ideas onto the page, where you can explore and develop them further.
If you’re excited about the potential of visual thinking, I invite you to check out the programs I’ve developed to help individuals, teams, and schools harness these skills:
Sketch Instinct: For individuals who want to make sketching second nature and use it for lifelong learning and problem-solving.
Sketch Strategy: For teams looking to improve performance through better communication and collaboration.
Sketch Ed.: For schools, helping students develop visual thinking skills while supporting teachers in curriculum design and delivery.
I’d love to connect with you and support you on your visual thinking journey.
To chat about any of those programs, send me a note – doug@verbaltovisual.com.
Cheers,
-Doug