Have You Seen this Button? How to Create a Custom Background in Jamboard

Have you hosted a virtual meeting and felt like you knew people had really good ideas, they just weren’t speaking up? 

Regardless of whether the meeting is virtual or in person, not everyone feels comfortable speaking in front of a group. Add unmuting, raising hand, distractions, etc. in virtual spaces…and it’s easy to just not say anything.

One of the simplest ways I’ve seen engagement and energy skyrocket in a virtual meeting is to create space for people to add their ideas to the conversation in a virtual whiteboard. ­

Google Jamboard is free and doesn’t require folks to log in to access it, however I was really frustrated with Jamboard because I couldn’t “lock” anything down.

Until I noticed a button and discovered a simple solution.

Now I can create custom visual templates for breakout groups and embed them as the background so participants don’t accidentally move it around and confuse the group:

Here’s how you can embed your own image to create a branded, beautiful, or curated experience in Jamboard:

Step 1: Find the Set Background button.

Step 2: Select your own image. 

It’s. That. Easy! 

Okay, but maybe you’re thinking “Yeah, great Karina, you can draw up a template and embed it. What about someone who doesn’t want to/have that skill?”

I’m so glad you asked! You can embed any image as your background – your logo in the corner or an inspiring scene. It’s easy to do a Google image search right in the Set background tool. Then, once your background image is set, you can create shapes as boxes for text, and add a fill color to make them pop over the image, like this: 

Once you’ve created the shape from the toolbar on the left, click on it so it’s highlighted. Then, this toolbar will appear at the top, and you can choose a fill color, like so:

And, of course, if you DO want a custom visual experience for your next virtual meeting, you know where to find me. 

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?

iMasons Global Member Summit: This year the iMasons focused on gender parity in the datacenter field, exploring equity vs. equality, how to foster inclusive spaces, and how having a more diverse workforce is better for your business.

Client Spotlight: Check out how the National Parks Conservation Association leveraged the graphics created during a Zero Landfill Initiative retreat a few weeks ago! Major round of applause to Karen at NPCA for her creative communication for “the best meeting notes I’ve ever seen!” according to one participant. See the entire report here. 

Zoom, obvi: March 20th is International Day of Happiness, and Zoom asked me to illustrate what their employees (they call themselves Zoomies, which I love), said makes them happy. Here’s the image I created, and you can see the time-lapse on Zoom’s Insta and Twitter feeds!

Pacific Northwest Fire Science Symposium: I’m currently in the midst of co-facilitating a three-day workshop with training sessions and building a deeper network in this community working on resilient landscapes across the region.

Standing for Love

I was all ready to share some insights from last week with you, as I spent five days with thousands of people from all over the world graphic recording their discussions on climate solutions. 

In the midst of this hopeful and action-oriented virtual conference, the violent insurrectionist* attack on the US Capitol unfolded. It feels heavy, and also disingenuous not to acknowledge what is happening and denounce it in no uncertain terms.

I stand for equity. 

I stand with the Earth. 

I am learning to be anti-racist. 

I am for accessibility.

I stand with science. 

I stand with Love. 

*Originally, I used the language “domestic terrorist attack” here. I’m learning about how the word “terrorist” has been used in the past referring to violence committed by White people (the Oklahoma City bombing), and the resulting policy has been used largely against marginalized communities instead. I’m still forming an opinion, but my takeaway is this: moving toward anti-racism means critical thinking about language I use.

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

NCSE + Drawdown 2021: The Global Council for Science and the Environment and Project Drawdown co-hosted a beautiful and powerful virtual conference to connect research with action for global climate solutions. Here is a snapshot of the Miro Board visual synthesis I created over the course of the five-day event distilling key ideas and actions from participants. Click here to explore the board in more detail.

Accessibility Widget on the Website: I’m excited to have discovered the User Way Accessibility Widget thanks to Drawing Change. This widget supports front and back-end accessibility for people with differing abilities to ensure any website is ADA compliant. Check it out here!

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,