I’ve read Dan Roam’s the back of the Napkin and I’m reading unfolding the Napkin. Both brilliant books about visual thinking. Visual thinking is all about using the right brain to solve problems or explain problems. If you want more theory about the right brain just buy the book The back of the napkin, Dan Roam explains it perfectly.
The reason I’m interested in this area, is that I believe it’s powerful to explain a client’s problem and solution in a single or a couple of pictures. If you’re able to pinpoint the problem, you will be hired for the job and the solution will be easier since you truly understand the problem. The other reason is that I give presentations quite a lot and I’m sick and tired of Powerpoint presentations with lots of bullet points.
The true power of the book is that it provides a framework to solving problems. A problem falls into one of six categories:
- who/what (portrait)
- how much (chart)
- where (map)
- when (timeline)
- how (flowchart)
- why (plot)
So in the end it’s all about choosing the right category and draw the perfect picture. You have to know, I’m not a brilliant sketch artist so this works perfect for me.
Tomorrow I’m having a one day course at Jam to learn more about visual thinking and I really can’t wait! For people who don’t have the luxury of being able to follow a course, just buy the books, you won’t regret it.
