Honoring the Notorious RBG

Photo Credit:: Time

We’ve lost a giant this week. A woman who, with grace, dignity, tenacity, and courage has unflinchingly pushed for women’s rights for her entire career. She showed us that you don’t have to agree with someone to have a respectful friendship with Justice Scalia. She was a mom, a trailblazer, and a relentless advocate for equality. Her accomplishments are too numerous to list and the ripple effect she's had on the lives of others is indelible. 

This week I’d like to take a moment to honor the life, work, and heart of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Thank you for everything. 

To learn more about her life and accomplishments, you can stream the following movies online: 

• RBG – the documentary about her on Hulu and Amazon

• On the Basis of Sex – biopic written by her nephew on Sling or Amazon

• And, for some levity, Stephen Colbert on RBG and trying her workout. Skip ahead to 1:10 to get to the interview, and to 3:42 get to the workout. 

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Words from Block Bias after working together on their anti-racism session last month:

Karina, your rendering of our event and programming is engaging and informative and provides the appropriate levels of detail in all the right places. It captures the moment beautifully. In addition, your professionalism was stellar and your creativity and enthusiasm were contagious! Our deepest and sincerest appreciation and thanks to you for your collaboration and support.

I’ve Joined ShapingEDU as the Visual Storyteller in Residence! For the next year, I’ll be supporting the Innovators in Residence and collaborators behind ShapingEDU to help tell stories and share what we’re up to. If you’re interested in EdTech or higher education, check out what we’re up to and get involved!

Technical Content? Here’s How to Turn Any Idea into a Story

If you’re a scientist, researcher, or someone who works with technical ideas, this one’s for you. 

My wheelhouse is working with scientific and technical teams working with complex ideas and systems.  And almost every single amazing, brilliant, technical client I’ve ever worked with have all struggled with the same thing: 

How to tell their story. 

And why would we expect someone who excels in their technical field to ALSO excel at communicating it to non-experts? I have faith that anyone can become a good storyteller, it just takes practice. And most researchers I’ve met want to work on their research, not figuring out how to tell a compelling story. 

However, the point of much of this research IS to help people make decisions, and those folks often aren’t experts in the technical stuff.

So what’s a scientist to do? 

In July, I had the honor of presenting a workshop to other visual practitioners at our annual (virtual) conference. The title? Talk Nerdy to Me. And it was all about how to best support and work with scientific and technical clients.  

Although we covered all sorts of things, and the participants also shared their experiences generously, I wanted to share one clear, simple strategy to help anyone practice telling their story. 

It’s called the Feynman Technique, and it goes a little something like this: 

1. Identify a subject

2. Teach it to a child

   1. Speak in plain terms

   2. Be brief (Quick like a bunny)

3. Identify your knowledge gaps (yes, yes, more research is needed…)

4. Organize + simplify + tell a story

   1. Practice reading your story out loud. Pretend to tell the story to a classroom of students. That way, you’ll hear where language stops being simple. Stumbles could indicate incomplete thoughts, or cumbersome language.

   2. Use analogies and simple sentences to strengthen your understanding of the story, like this example from F-diggity himself:

“All things are made of atoms — little particles that move around in perpetual motion, attracting each other when they are a little distance apart, but repelling upon being squeezed into one another.”

How do YOU tell good stories? Share your strategies and ideas!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

CSU Vet Medicine Research: Capturing the first framing class for the renowned researcher Sue VandeWoude for her Vet Med Research course. What a way to launch the semester!

Children with Medical Complexity: Continuing in the 7th virtual site visit reflecting on accomplishments, challenges, and where teams want to take their work serving these children and their families.

Strategic Planning: With a consortium of financial folks as they began planning for the future and how to better work together - but I can’t share any of the drawings.

IFVP 2020 – What A Virtual Conference Meant for the Field of Visual Practitioners

In a time of physical distance, connecting with friends and those in our professional field is more important than ever. That’s why I am SO deeply appreciative to the IFVP conference planning team, for putting in the immense lift to host not one, but THREE days of virtual workshops and learning over the course of the summer. 

This year felt pivotal for our community – not only was it the 25th Anniversary of the IFVP, it was also the first fully virtual conference. Because of the remote platform and significantly reduced cost, people from all over the world were able to attend.  

The workshops and conversations that emerged reflected that diversity. We heard more open and honest discussions about structures and systems of power and equity, and stories about resilience. Sitting with not knowing, feeling our whole selves (physically, mentally, emotionally), and how we bring ourselves and biases to the work. 

Together, we created a virtual web to catch one another as we explored in vulnerable ways, thought critically, and danced forward into uncertainty. Literally. We had the best dance parties.

If you’re curious about what happens at a graphic recorder conference, you can register retroactively and get access to all the session recordings. 

That includes my session called Talk Nerdy to Me: Tips for Success Capturing Scientific and Technical Content. (I like talking nerdy. If you do too, here’s a post I wrote about the science behind graphic recording and visual communication.)

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, 

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Working on several longer-term projects focused on reflecting, learning, and iterating pilot programs. The two teams I’ve worked with are very different…Health care teams to better support children with medical complexity, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

One Thing You Can Do for More Successful Remote Meetings and Classes

In one form or another, many of us have found ourselves settling into the realization that we’re going to be working and learning remotely for a while longer.

As research and experience reveal that virtual meetings are hard for humans, let’s be honest. How many times have you been in an in-person meeting and felt exhausted and bored? Regardless of platform, I’d like to take a moment to remind us:

We CAN take ownership of how we design meetings for impact and energy!

There are incredible tools and tech out there to support remote work and learning, and it’s easy to narrow our focus to the technology, or fixate on not being able to work together in person.

I love the way So You Want to Host a Web Meeting reframes: Remote meetings are SUPPORTED by technology, but they are not ABOUT the technology. So start with the PURPOSE, then add the tech!

Here’s the question I like to ask myself or my clients: What is the IDEAL OUTCOME for this meeting/event/class? At first, don’t even think about the how – just let yourselves imagine.

Once the purpose or outcome is clear, THEN you can think creatively about HOW. What tools or mindsets do we have now we didn’t utilize before? How might we leverage tech in new ways to create experiences that delight participants or students and ignite creativity and collaboration?

Exhibit A: Here’s what a wonderful, authentic client had to say after a virtual session we designed together and I graphic recorded remotely last week:

What a rich and rewarding session, Karina. Thank you. The excellence that ensued, in large measure, was brought about by your presence, your skills, and your work in making this strategic brainstorm session “not just another Zoom meeting.” Your services and final output, coupled with the willingness of our student leaders to engage, dream big, and plan a great Fall 2020, left us in a really good place to move forward with executing their ideas.

- Adam J. Herman, Jones Graduate School of Business, Rice University

So, what can YOU make possible?

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

iBlockBias: Last week I was honored to tune into a session hosted by Block Bias – a non-profit dedicated to facilitating important conversations and giving folks tools to work toward anti-racism. In 2 hours, these women built an environment where people got vulnerable, honest, and left feeling empowered!

Zoom Academy: Zoom Education hosted a two-day free training for teachers, school support, and administrators on how to learn and use their platform for more engaging and effective learning. Panels of experts and hands-on workshops left participants feeling better equipped for a very VUCA future.

Rice University: Working with the fine students representing the Jones Graduate School of Business to imagine what student life could look like this fall.

Windows to the Future of Learning, or, “I Had S’More Fun at Camp with You!”

Did you ever go to summer camp? Remember those late nights filled with laughter, quiet early mornings to reflect, tight friendships, and learning about yourself?

This past week I was Camp Art Director at Learning[hu]Man, aka “Summer camp for weird adults”, aka the best virtual non-conference I’ve ever attended.

Once again, Arizona State University’s ShapingEDU community brought together Dreamers, Doers, and Drivers – “a global community of education changemakers – to push the creative envelope for how we serve students and advance learner success”.

As the Camp Art Director, I had the delightful job of listening and digitally graphic recording more than 20 live sessions over the course of the week. Then, from key ideas submitted by presenters, participants, and what I’d illustrated, I created a Synthesis Map summarizing themes and important ideas from across Learning[hu]Man.

Some of the most salient themes that emerged were recognizing the technology are tools that allow for us to be creative, playful, and curate learning environments which welcome the whole person. To build a space like that, educators can leverage the power of storytelling in learning, which helps build connections and community, even in virtual spaces. These connections become networks capable of creating change at scale, which is imperative to get at the root of challenges EdTech has been fighting for years: power, access, and equity.

Here are some snapshots of a few of the sessions I illustrated. To see the full gallery, check out the LearningArtist page. I also have been posting them on Twitter and Instagram.

If you missed Learning[hu]Man last week, don’t worry! All the sessions were recorded and are being shared on the ShapingEDU YouTube channel, and there are plenty of ways to connect - join us on Slack!

And if you want to read more reflections on Learning[hu]Man, I highly recommend checking out the series of “letters home” from Paul Signorelli and this blog post from Tom Haymes, two of ShapingEDU’s Storytellers in Residence.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Camp LearningHuman: From morning gatherings Around the Flagpole to evenings by the Campfire, LearningHuman was anything but typical, in the best way possible! Did I mention there was a 3D VIRTUAL CAMPUS with a graphic recording gallery!? Check out the VirBELA platform - it blew my mind!

Children with Medical Complexity: Continuing the series of virtual site visits with universities and health campuses across the country, these graphics capture lessons learned, accomplishments, and where teams can focus in the future to support families and children in their health.

USB Implementers Forum: The annual updates got a visual spin this year – from marketing to compliance to the future of USB connections.

Let’s talk about how to level-up your virtual event with visuals and artistic experiences!

My Favorite Ways to Harvest Ideas

It’s high summer, which means making the most of long days, and heaps of veggies coming from the garden. This weekend we hung garlic to dry, shelled peas, and stemmed gooseberries to freeze for making jam later.

Sometimes I look around and realize I’ve completely missed harvesting something before it’s gotten too old or overripe (How did all the cilantro bolt already?).

The same can happen in meetings or conferences – raise your hand if you’ve ever been on a call which was supposed to be interactive, then with 10 minutes left, the speakers finally relinquish the floor and you only have a few minutes to try to work together?

Without intention, the time can fly by without truly making the most of the opportunity to cross-pollinate ideas together.

Working with my clients as a virtual graphic facilitator, I delight in partnering together to harvest ideas, show systems, and create shared understanding for deeper, more effective, and long-lasting work.

Here are a handful of my favorite ways to harvest ideas in virtual meetings:

• Using the “rename” function to include first name and one-word response to a warm-up question such as “How are you feeling right now?” to “One word we should to carry forward from this meeting”

• Creating a visual template to guide report outs and upload to a shared platform for future use

• A facilitated go-round where each person shares their response to a prompt, giving air time to everyone

• Using a Google Doc template with tables and visuals to work synchronously and include more detailed notes

• Have everyone write down a word or phrase on a sticky note or paper on their desk and hold it up to the camera – then take a screen shot! These images can be incorporated into a report or summary web page

• Working with a graphic recorder or facilitator to synthesize key ideas and energy into a visual summary

What are your favorite ways to harvest ideas in virtual spaces?

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Wild places are a blessing I am privileged to experience and enjoy – our trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon was one for the books – here’s a watercolor I painted one evening while waiting for dinner.

Preparing for ShapingEDU’s Learning(Hu)Man -- a virtual hands-on summer “camp” for dreamers, doers, and drivers in higher education focusing on best practices in learning design, edtech tools and development, and the art of the possible to support students’ success.

Wrapping up a studio project for my local county department of health and environment I can’t quite reveal yet…stay tuned!

What Time Is It? River Time!

I hope this finds you and your loved ones healthy and happy.

I’m out of the office on a seven-day rafting trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho – here’s a photo from when we got to run this same river three years ago:

This means I’ll be without access to phone or internet June 28 - July 8th – so thank you for your patience if you’ve tried to get in touch lately. I’ll look forward to connecting!

For my ruminations on what I’ve learned about entrepreneurship from whitewater, check out this post.

To read about how I fuel my graphic recorder creativity tank, click here.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

On the river 😊

Celebrating a New Chapter with Future Earth Fellows as the Leopold Leadership Program transitioned its’ own leadership and partnership with Future Earth.

Continuing Work with ARS’ Water Research Vision as these scientists from across the country and disciplines continue to work astonishingly well in a remote setting to co-create a shared water research vision and roadmap for the future.

Scribing Leadership Stories with folks working to end the HIV epidemic in Arizona. These health care leaders shared values they wanted to cultivate carrying their work forward.

Interested in collaborating to make YOUR next virtual meeting next level?

Toward Equity in Meetings: Making Space to Include All Voices

These past weeks have been a time to sink in to the discomfort of learning, listening, reflecting on the systems of oppression that many of us are reexamining and questioning.

As graphic facilitators, we are in a position of power to design a process that helps our groups move toward their goals and work more cohesively as a team. We have an opportunity to design ways of understanding one another and to create spaces in which different ideas are valued and disagreements can happen in a safe and healthy way.

This can be especially complex to do authentically in a virtual space, so here are some strategies to create space for all the voices in (and outside of) the room.

Before designing the process, ask questions like who will be there? Is English a second language for anyone? Are there different cultures (workplace or other) that should be considered when designing? For example, how does staying on time resonate with different groups attending? Is it rude to run over time, or rude to cut off a respected speaker before they’re finished?

Create opportunities for different ways to process information -- time for people to write or sketch ideas before speaking, or working in pairs.

Do a Circle Check In – call on each person so they each have an opportunity to speak.

Co-create Group Agreements to share the air: Three Before Me is a new favorite that indicates everyone should wait until at least 3 others have spoken before they speak again – to create space for others to speak.

Ask yourselves “Who isn’t here that should be?” What might they say? Challenge the group to think outside of who’s present to seek inclusive paths forward.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Let’s design a process together for your team.

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Heads Up! I’ll be on the river June 28-July 7 and will not have access to phone or internet during that time. Thanks for your patience and I’ll look forward to connecting with you before or after.

Children with Medical Complexity: In the first of a series of virtual reflections with universities and health campuses across the country, the graphics will capture lessons learned, accomplishments, and where these teams can focus in the future to support families and children in their health.

New Hand Painted Video: Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida is in danger from sea level rise. The newest Drawing Connections video for the National Park Service will focus on the colorful history and what millions of tiny shells can teach us about resilience. You can see the other videos we’ve created here.

Education NC: Supporting Teachers in North Carolina in the Time of COVID as they move through a design thinking sprint process this summer to think holistically about how to support their students and families in remote learning situations.

Black Lives Matter

The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and George Floyd, which is only a snapshot in time of what Black and Brown people have experienced throughout the history of this country, is heartbreaking and horrifying.

These events compel all of us to ask whether we are doing enough, as individuals and as a community, to change the systems that are producing these patterns.

Where can we start? With ourselves and with our own communities.

By asking rather than assuming, and truly listening.

By practicing empathy, especially when it’s difficult.

By holding ourselves accountable to learn, unlearn, relearn.

There are so many resources out there, and so many people who are ready to share now that more folks are ready to listen. Where I’ve started:

• 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice.

• This post from Barack Obama.

• Reading up on my local police department’s policies, trainings, and culture.

Learning from and with each other is what I want to do. If you want to dialog, process, share perspectives or resources that you’ve found useful, please reach out.

The world, systems, and challenges we face are complex and uncertain.

What I do know is we are stronger together, and this is an opportunity to learn and be better.

Respectfully,

Look Like A Pro in Your Next Remote Meeting with This Undercover Tool

You know when you think you’ve got a good hold on a tool? You’re proficient and use it all the time, feeling pretty good, then BAM! Someone shows you a simple trick that makes it WAY better! Like Instagram filters or no-knead bread.

Well, this week I had the pleasure of learning from Brian Tarallo and Lauren Green of Lizard Brain and they showed me with style and wit that I was missing out on the major potential of one little tool and what it can do for online collaboration: Google Docs.

Here’s what I love about Google Docs:

• This tool is free.

• It’s easy to use! If you know how to use Word, you know how to use it.

• With a great workshop or meeting design, Docs supports highly interactive, relationship-building, actionable meetings.

Here are three take-aways I’m putting into action with my Google Docs right away:

Use Format tools to make navigation easy. Using headers for each section so participants can click on the navigation bar on the left and be able to quickly find and jump to any section. Set the background color to make tables and other images pop out.

Use Add-Ons. Not into drawing but into visuals? Check out the Noun Project for icons and Pixabay for stunning photos. Having trouble staying on time? Use the Meeting Timer to herd your cats and keep things moving. Want to quickly pull themes from text? Try Word Cloud Generator – drop it in and ask for reactions from your group.

No Google Account? No Problem! When sharing your Doc with the group, click “Get Sharable Link” and be sure to set access to “Anyone with the link can edit” -- no need to create an account to join!

Bonus tip: Send people the link ahead of time and ask them to spend 15 minutes familiarizing themselves. That way, you can all jump right in during the meeting!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Graphic recording for ARS and the Water Research vision for agriculture and sustainability. This is the third remote collaboration workshop we’ve held with over 40 researchers tuning in from all over the country to co-create the future!

Visual coaching and vision mapping with a local start-up focused on facilitating access to local, healthy food that supports equity and disrupts the current industrial food system. Front Range locals, ping me to learn more!

You and your team deserve to make the most of your time. Let’s talk about designing a meeting or workshop that leaves you energized and clear on how to continue moving forward!