Research to Action: What Any Sector Can Learn from GCSE+Drawdown

Why, yes, you CAN have an interactive and participatory virtual conference with over 3,000 participants from all over the world!

Earlier this month, the Global Council for Science and the Environment (GCSE), and Project Drawdown brought together researchers, leaders, and community members to learn, share, and create solutions for people and planet.  

Some of the most powerful insights can be translated to any sector, so no matter who you are, here are a few snapshots from graphics showing what resonated most with the participants over the course of the week: 

Effective communication is more important than ever. To do so, we need to meet people where they are. 

Listening to and elevating diverse voices we haven’t in the past. At GCSE+Drawdown, there were several Indigenous presenters who openly shared their research and perspectives.

Networks and partnerships are needed do the incredible things we are called to do. Working together we can fill in one another’s gaps, offer new perspectives, and share resources.

Complex challenges require creative solutions, which means looking for systems and across disciplines.

GCSE always does an excellent job leveraging the graphics I create with them. Last year they created a stunning Global Sights and Sounds page to share the graphics and highlights from the conference. This year we collaborated to create visuals for social media posts before, during, and after the conference. I also made a massive Conference Synthesis map created over the course of the five-day conference. Scroll to the right and zoom out to see the entire thing! 

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?

Middle School: Facilitating a series of professional development sessions on using Adobe Fresco with their students as a creative thinking tool. 

US Fish and Wildlife Service:  Graphically facilitating a session with regional leaders to analyze how to create an internship system that is inclusive and supports hiring a more diverse and representative workforce. The outcomes will be refined into a strategic illustration which can be used in tandem with the Hiring Barriers and Biases illustration I created last year. 

Strategic Planning:  With a non-profit focused on supporting our democratic process through data-driven approaches. I can’t share the whole graphic, but here’s a snapshot of the title of a session that really elevated the energy levels during a remote retreat. Remember to celebrate accomplishments and share kudos for your team! 

Your WFH Refresh

By now, you’re all WFH (Work From Home) pros, figuring out systems that work for you. Kid/dog busts in during a zoom meeting? You’ve got a virtual background for that. Video call fatigue? You’ve got a stockpile of great questions to reenergize the group in breakout rooms. 

That being said, covid is testing our limits, and it’s challenging. As the northern hemisphere is heading into winter with longer nights and more time indoors, the struggle can most definitely be real. 

Lately, I’ve been digging back into these tips to help myself stay focused when I need to, and remind myself to take breaks to maintain my sanity.

So it’s a Graphic Facilitator’s WFH Tips remix this week! The timer has been especially clutch to help me back away slowly from news websites and drop into a focused space to work on what matters – projects with you all! 

Click through the gallery to see each image larger.

What are your best tips for working from home? If you don’t see yours below, send me a note and it might make it into Part III!

And remember, most of all, no matter what, you’re doing it. You’re a bright and valued person, you are loved, and you are doing the best you can. Thank you for what you do to make this world a better place!

Cheers, 

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe: Mapping out the priorities, needs, and opportunities of the Tribal Council.

Denver Housing Authority: Visually facilitating the first of three virtual retreat meetings focused on creating connections and a shared vision while working remotely. We mapped the team on the Enneagram circle using Google Jamboard to work collaboratively in real-time to reflect and learn about each other!

Studio Reveal: Hiring Barriers and Biases. Over the past few weeks, I collaborated with a team at the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to visually map the challenges to BIPOC in applying for and getting hired at the agency. I’m looking forward to seeing how the shifts this team identified can create a more welcoming and inclusive environment!

Brighten your Day with an Appreciation Map

This time of year in the US many of us think about what we appreciate as the holiday season begins. Even with covid, especially with covid, I have found that cultivating a practice of appreciation boosts my mood and energy.

Appreciation helps me put things into perspective, remember my privilege, and slow down to recognize all the beautiful things happening around us every day. 

To really cement this practice, shockingly, I like to map out visually what I appreciate. 

Even if you’re not “artistic” – there are simple ways to use size, color, and layout to make your notes more visual.

Last week I gave a brief overview of these tips in my Digital Visual Notes workshop as a “watch party” from the session hosted at ShapingEDU’s LearningHuman last summer. 

Here’s the link to the free one-hour session packed with ideas and tips to make your digital and analog notes more visual!

Why take the extra visual step? To boost memory, helping manage overwhelm, create deeper understanding, and for seeing patterns.

So, I encourage you to take 5 minutes and doodle out what you appreciate. Just write or doodle what comes to mind when you ask yourself: 

What do I appreciate today? 

Not keen on grappling with a blank sheet of paper? You can use this template. And if you want to learn to draw a turkey, click right there – both links take you to more resources on appreciation and gratitude.

I APPRECIATE YOU! 

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?

Currently in the midst of UNICON 2020: A global Executive MBA conference hosted by Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management. Here’s a snapshot of a Miro board I designed for an interactive session for over 400 participants!

Queer Student Panel: This intimate and authentic panel of students in the LGBTQ+ community at Regis University was by students, for students. They curated a space where new connections were made and stories were shared honestly and humbly.  

The Newest Drawing Connections illustrated video is out for the National Park Service! Take a journey through the history of Castillo de San Marcos in Florida and find out how it is affected by climate change.

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!

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.

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!

YOU Can Prevent Your Coworkers from Becoming Zoom Zombies!

Alright folks, time for some real talk.

We’re likely all experiencing the mixed blessing that is remote video meeting platforms. I mean, according to the company, Zoom’s daily users grew to more than 200 million in March from a previous maximum total of 10 million!

Here’s a personal example: One of my friends who happens to be a bosswoman told me she had 34 meetings scheduled last week. That’s pretty much 7 meetings a day for 5 days!

Let’s let that sink in.

On top of the other stresses each of us is figuring out how to navigate (I’m looking at you, Uncertainty!), all of a sudden, our days are filled with video calls which are exhausting. Tell me they’re less exhausting than a normal meeting. Go on.

Jocelyn K. Glei frames a solution in a simple mindset shift: If we think of the time in our calendar that is scheduled as the productive time, we find our calendars filled up with meetings and calls. HOWEVER, to do the creative, meaningful work we want to, we must preserve time outside of meetings. She calls this applying white space to the calendar. And here’s my take on how to practice inviting in white space in various ways.

White Space in Your Calendar to Get Stuff Done: Simple in concept, difficult in practice.

So, what tools do we have to create space and help us avoid Meeting Overload, and these days, Zoom Zombiedom? In classic facilitator fashion, have I got some questions for you!

Here are 3 questions to ask yourself to help you decide if you REALLY do need a meeting:

• Is there a key person I can call to have this conversation/make a decision instead of holding a meeting?

• Does the meeting have clear goals? If not, create them or don’t have it! Clear goals allows for more action, and more time between follow-up meetings.

• Do your goals require real-time conversation to achieve? What other tools could you use to share or receive the same information?

And for those of you who have cancelled or rescheduled a larger event, here are some process questions(from So You Want to Host a Web Meeting to help your planning team make the best decision about whether to take your event online.

Larger Event (or smaller one too if you’

• The meeting is important to the work, life, and interests of the people interested. We know this because ______. (Give evidence. Is it important because it’s mission critical? Because someone in charge said so? Be specific and concrete! Take participants’ perspectives into account)

• By the end of the meeting we (conveners and participants) will have ______. (Describe what will have happened in as much detail as possible, using STRONG action verbs - “heard” is not one!)

• The reasons this meeting should be held online is ______. (Probably because of COVID-19. Be clear why it is a good or not so good option.)

• If we didn’t have this meeting, _______ will happen. (If there isn’t a good reason for the meeting, don’t have it!)

My final bonus recommendation for those meetings you DO decide are absolutely necessary: Take pauses regularly to breathe, even if it’s just for 30 seconds.

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 World is ConverSketch? At home! I hope you are too :)

This digital real-time graphic is from Arizona State University’s Public Service Academy’s Virtual Design Conference last week. Leadership shared how the program prepares the next generation of public service professionals for real-world solution seeking.

I’m partnering with USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) on a series of virtual meetings leading up to an in-person event. This diverse team of researchers is co-creating a vision for agricultural water resources for the next 30 years.

I got to collaborate with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in February on their social science summit, and the folks I worked with liked my Work From Home tips so much, they asked to share them on their internal site! Can you spot the ConverSketches above?

If you’re also finding yourself on more video calls than ever before and need a way to keep participants focused and anchored to their shared story, let’s explore how to leverage digital graphic recording or remote facilitation for you!

How to Manage Uncertainty and Adapt on the Fly: Five Remote Meeting Strategies You Can Implement Today

How are you all doing? I hope this email finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy, and making time for a few deep breaths. Be gentle with yourselves, have as much fun as you can, and let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you as we navigate this wild time.

Speaking of wild, it’s hard to imagine that a month ago, I was at the third annual ShapingEDU Unconference at Arizona State University. We all know how rapidly the COVID situation has been evolving, and though we had initially expected over 200 invite-only participants to join us at ASU, around 50 folks made it in person with many more joining remotely from around the world.

Karina graphic recording in person at Arizona State University - ShapingEDU Day 1

However, after first full day the organizing team made some difficult decisions. Ultimately, they decided to shift to a fully remote meeting for the final half day of the Unconference.  

That’s right: On Thursday the Unconference was blended in-person and online, and on Friday morning, all participants were fully remote. Without missing a beat, this remarkable group kept co-creating together – we weren’t going to lose the opportunity!

Screen sharing in Zoom, graphic recording on my iPad (behind my shoulder) - ShapingEDU Day 2

So, what made it possible for this group to pivot and adapt so quickly? How can your team learn from ShapingEDU?

Here are five observations as to what enabled this agile Unconference to remain successful despite unprecedented hurdles, that you can learn from and implement today!

1. The group was already used to blended learning – we meet regularly for webinars throughout the year between Unconferences to keep the work going.

   What you can do: Take some time to make sure your people are comfortable with the platform you’re using and make support accessible. Practice often!

2. We had a killer tech team supporting the whole event – streaming multiple cameras to Zoom, using mics so remote participants could hear, and a team of people monitoring the chat and Slack channels to answer questions and help with technical issues.

   What you can do: Have someone designated to help you run your remote meeting and be clear on expectations and roles for the two of you. Who will guide the conversation? Keep time? Monitor the chat? Even if it’s just you, think about how you can set expectations and build in time during the call to check on the chat, answer questions, and provide support.

3. Organizers communicated changes clearly and transparently – they were swift to share updates and how to continue participating. They leveraged multiple avenues for sharing how and when to stay involved, and kept it simple.

   What you can do: Have templates prepared ahead of time for various scenarios that might emerge. Post language for different outlets in a Google Doc that’s shared so your team all has the same info, and have a plan for who will make sure it’s shared where.

4. Graphic facilitation was leveraged in-person and remotely to provide continuity and engagement – at ASU, we created towers with boards on-site and live-streamed visuals to remote participants, and when we moved remotely, we shifted to screen sharing digitally created graphic notes. Watching the literal shape of the report outs emerge kept participants interested and helps catch people back up on the most important ideas, even if they do need to step away for a bit.

   What you can do: Partner with a graphic recorder before your remote meeting to brainstorm ways to leverage visuals to minimize the temptation of multi-tasking, keep track of many ideas, and build a shared picture of the conversation.

5. There was continuity throughout and after the Unconference -- from live to online sessions to continuing to work remotely between Unconferences, the ShapingEDU team knows that the visuals provide a solid foundation for building on ideas over time. They were sure to make the most of the graphics created during the Unconference in a follow up email (see below) with a clear call to action for next steps sparked memories and kept the community engaged even afterwards.

   What you can do: Create a communication strategy with a clear summary of the event and next steps for action from participants. Work with your graphic recorder so you’ve got visually engaging content that helps transport participants back to the ideas shared during the meeting, and carries the key ideas forward.

The follow up email after ShapingEDU 2020.

While meeting online often means lowering expectations for what is doable, you don’t have to sacrifice everything. Let’s explore how to leverage digital graphic recording or remote facilitation for you!

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 World is ConverSketch?

Staying Home Even though live events have been cancelled for the next few weeks, I’m always impressed with how my clients adapt and innovate on the fly, and I’ve been digital graphic recording live for remote meetings.

How Can I Use the Graphics After an Event? In January I supported the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) during their annual conference in DC. They’ve just released the conference re-cap website packed with videos, Tweets, and highlighting interactive pieces of the conference. You can see how they wove in the graphics in multiple ways – here are the Sights and Sounds of NCSE, the Experience Wall in Engagement with Purpose, and a full Graphic Recording Gallery.

For another perspective on how ShapingEDU pivoted on the fly and a couple of shots of me working at ASU, you can read the one and only Paul Signorelli’s blog about it here.

Rooted in Green Practices: ConverSketch’s Sustainability Philosophy

Since I was a child, natural places have always been a core piece of who I am and what I value. It’s only natural (heh) that sustainability and environmentally-conscious decisions have permeated ConverSketch since it’s business childhood. Since the business was born while I was finishing my master’s degree in environmental communication focusing on climate change, I love that many of my clients are in the sustainability and natural resource field, with work that makes the world a better place.

So, I figured its high time I shared a few of the ways that I embody my value of sustainability in the work as a graphic recorder and facilitator. Workshops can be resource-intensive, and I’ve made some intentional choices about materials, medium, and travel to align with my values.

• Carbon Offsets: Each trip is calculated through Native Energy, a carbon offset company that’s approved of by the Sierra Club.

• Refillable Markers from Neuland mean I’ve had the same marker bodies since 2012 when ConverSketch began. You can even replace the tips to keep them fresh!

• Digital Graphic Recording: An option that means no paper products nor markers used – all drawings are captured via iPad and projected up on screens for participants to enjoy!

• Falconboard: Recyclable alternative to foam boards, these mean I can still provide “analog” graphic recording with markers and boards or responsibly-sourced paper.

• Reusable Wooden Stands (or Easels): To prop the boards up to be free-standing and easy to move.

• Everyday Lifestyle Choices: I always keep a set of reusable wooden utensils in my purse to avoid single-use plastic utensils, and when I can, I ride my bike to local meetings and events, as well as growing veggies in the summer and raising hens for fresh eggs. Boy, those birds are happy!

Want more tips on plastic-free living and good environmental news? Check out the wildly talented Sarah Uhl and sign up for her monthly newsletter for quality content!

Ready for some evergreen drawings to keep your ideas and planning sustainable long-term?

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 World is ConverSketch?

Fort Worth, Texas: At an eye care digital summit. We spent the week building relationships across a global team, clarifying goals, strategies, and how to differentiate in the market. Although I can’t share specific content, I was able to work in some sea life with extra-special vision.