The Center for Graphic Facilitation

Why Wikis Rock

If you have been confused about the exact utility and function of wikis, take a look at this very fun and accessible video clip by CommonCraft.

I have be a what you might call a "power-user" of the project management sofeware Basecamp for several years now. And, of Blogger. Oh, and TypePad (which powers this site).

Plus I've sunk oodles of time and ca$h into designing the Web2.0 app for graphic facilitators, MissingLink. All of the aforementioned tools are essentially mutant forms of a wiki--as is the ever popular source of all knowledge, Wikipedia. Each one of these browser-based tools allows multiple users (aka. people) to create, edit and participate in on-line communities.

Crafting Great Stories

[ PHOTO: "Storyteller, Tibet Sera Monastery" by jordan1962 ]

In The Power of Myth, when the journalist Bill Moyers described his experience interviewing the great scholar of comparative religion and collector of ancient stories, Joseph Campbell, he said: "Campbell began his answer to my question as he often did.. with a story."

In the modern age, however, we tend to endure presentations more often than we engage in authentic storytelling.

As members of the human tribe, what we are moved by--what we condense our own experience and meaning into--involve stories. Today, we are swimming an tsunami of pent up stories enabled by the kaleidescope of new media storytelling medium and cheap, consumer-created content.

Graphic facilitators belong to a vast and diverse cosmology of visual storytellers. And the most valuable asset we have, as well as the greatest service we can render, is to illustrate the greater truth that hides beneath the words of our audience's stories.

The CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, Kevin Roberts, often quotes Rolf Jensen of the Dream Company that “the highest-paid person in the first half of the next century will be the storyteller.”  Roberts goes on, however, to emphasize the necessary ingredients in all great stories, beginning with the primary element: truth.

Master Your Beliefs, Master Your Emotions

Ever wish that you could reverse the unrelenting hands of time and take back something you said that really hurt someone's feelings?

Perhaps you find yourself yearning to react a bit more professionally and less emotionally in tense situations at work?

Or you may simply want to strangle someone over a stray comment or sideways glance?

Well then, if you are searching to become master of your emotions, start with this insightful article from the Neuland monthly newsletter, written by Steve Davis, master facilitator (and Chuck Norris look-alike!).

What are emotions and what is emotional mastery?
Emotions are often described as energy in motion. They become problems only when we judge them as wrong, bad, or inappropriate. When we let our emotions run us, we miss the message that they carry. When we repress them for fear of what they might cause us to do, they simply lie in wait to emerge with a vengeance later on. Emotional mastery is the ability to process our emotions so that we receive their message and use their energy for appropriate action. Read Full article>>

You can subscribe to Steve Davis' free weekly ezine for group leaders at www.MasterFacilitatorJournal.com and check out his virtual university, packed with information for group leaders and participants at www.FacilitatorU.com.

We're All in This Together

Master Facilitator, Steve Davis, describes what he has learned facilitating inter-cultural groups. To say the least, it requires alternate structures, methods, and processes.

He shares his experience teaching teleconferences to 45 people operating in the Pacific Rim for a large global corporation, focused on virtual meeting facilitation. Most of the participants on these calls were from Asian cultures for whom English was a second language.

Open Learning Tools

[ From new member Andi Roberts in Spain ]

The Open University, part of the OpenLearn story, has also allowed free access to part of their courses on "systems" courses which can be found at the bottom of this page for those who don't know how to map systems its a basic start.

They have many simple tutorials for educators and life-long learners on new web-based learning tools, for example:

FlashMeeting is a one-click video conferencing tool. It allows a dispersed group of people to meet from anywhere in the world with an internet connection, running in a standard web browser window, with the Adobe Flash 'plug in'. If you have a properly installed web cam and microphone you will be able to communicate with friends and colleagues anywhere they are.
See OU QuickGuide

Compendium is a software tool for visual thinking. You can use it to cluster and connect icons linked to ideas, concepts, arguments, websites and documents. Use it just for personal reflection as you study or work on a problem, or share your maps with others... your summary of a topic, or a learning path through the maze of the Web, might really help someone else!
See OU QuickGuide

77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better

There you have it! The best LifeHacks include graphic facilitation.

In the list of 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better MindMapping (aka Brainmapping) made #19 . It slid in right before Learn symbolism and semiotics (20) and right after Listen to music (15).

From the Online Education Database (http://oedb.org/):

Life-changing knowledge does typically require advanced learning techniques. In fact, it's been said that the average adult only uses 10% of his/her brain. Imagine what we may be capable of with more advanced learning techniques. Here are 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for self-starters, or those learning on their own.

See the list of productivity tips at: http://oedb.org/library/college-basics/hacking-knowledge

Periodic Table of Visualization Methods

This is it, kids! The single resource for all the tools and methods out there for making ideas visual. Everything from cartoons to strategy maps. The map allows the user to get a visual image of each method upon rollover with the mouse.

[from Deirdre Crowley, forwarded by Jody Lentz]

This Periodic Table of Visualization Methods was created in Switzerland by the Visual Literacy folks. I thought you would enjoy it too. I was happy to see Graphic Facilitation right there at the top (G)!

Be an Authentic Communicator

ABOVE: Neuland walls in action at an event held in a downtown Pittsburgh loft.

From an article in the December eNewsletter from Neuland North America, makers of portable walls for facilitators and educators:

Most of us dread speaking in public because we think we have to be someone we're not. When we operate from our authentic selves we discover connections to our audience and ourselves, and we express ourselves effortlessly. When you can agree to each of the following 10 questions, then public speaking will become one of your greatest joys.

Cleaning Digital Photos of Drawings

One of the big hits from the IFVP 2006 Conference was the Tech Session. There was quite a buzz about the Photoshop demonstration on "cleaning" photos of graphic recording artwork.

Click below for a step by step guide on how.

Adkins' Calligraphy Pens

Jan Adkins' workshop on letterforms introduced us to a fantastic set of calligraphy pens: Copic Markers.

They are refillable and affordable. Perfectly made for the human hand to hold super steady and produce large-scale letterforms.

Wide Set 12C
Price: $166.8