9. The writing's on the wall
Career stage: Only after 5 years of military experience, and 10 years into my IT career, did I become confident enough to jump into action on the whiteboard. In fact, it almost became the only way I could have a technical conversation because I wanted to ensure my audience (1 person or many) were on the same page of understanding and could follow along with my train of thoughts. There are many other tools you can turn to; it all depends on the situation and the type of message you need to convey.
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Challenge: There are a few reasons why I favor the simple diagram over long complex text in a document:
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As we have covered in this series so far, and will do in the next few posts, a good diagram can be the difference between successful communication and complete misunderstanding. Over time I have experimented with many ways to draw, I'm no artist, but there is something tactile about the act of putting a few marks together and starting to reveal something that was only in your imagination. I encourage you to try a few of these options and see what works for you:
Surface Laptop Studio is portable and the screen tilts and allows use of the built-in pen to draw and sketch at an agronomical angle.
Surface Studio 2+ is a desktop system with a much larger screen for professional graphics designers, but just as useful for a novice like us.
Surface Hub 2 is a wall mounted, or portable stand mounted, large screen interactive display that allows you to write directly on as if it were a large whiteboard.
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领英推荐
Microsoft PowerPoint is a great documentation tool, it is not limited to only creating the kinds of inspirational presentations you might see on a TED talk, or the most boring list of bullet-points and small text you might find in your next business meeting. PowerPoint not only has most of the components needed to create great diagrams and animation, but it can be worked on by multiple people, easily shared internally and externally, and eventually may end up on a projector as the backdrop to your own TED talk.
There are alot of choices, and within a given week I probably use a bit of each one. Here is an example of how one of my diagrams started and ended:
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Step 1: I recently thought about how the integration of OpenAI will be used in the near future, especially its use to enhance security capabilities for expert defenders. I started by using my sketch pad to map out the key areas that would be included in explaining this to someone else:
Step 2: With this quick idea mapped out, I moved into PowerPoint to create a better structure of the key points. It is a bit of a longer process but a nicer finish and an easier way to include text (my handwriting has never been a strong skill). Instead of using straight square edges, I opted for a unique style to keep it looking like it might have been hand drawn. In this version of the diagram, I started to think about the major components I need to communicate, which all centered around the human expert at the center of the conversation:
Step 3: Whilst the first and second versions of the diagram don't look the same, it’s the thought process that mattered. The real story I was exploring is just how and where AI could be implemented to provide new insights, context, and learning opportunities:
Since drawing this diagram, Microsoft has announced their plans to create the Microsoft Security Copilot. The details in my diagram have nothing to do with this, but it will be interesting to see how close or far off I was between my thinking and the result of the product as it takes shape.
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What I Learnt: Whilst not every audience will immediately get the point of your diagram, it is easier to talk about it in more detail and gain mutual understanding, than using words alone. Once you gain feedback on what you have drawn, you can make iterative changes to improve and incorporate new messaging.
Regardless of your artistic capabilities, have a go and start creating. Use the tools that work best for you, and if you can enlist the help of an expert, your ideas will give them a head start to create something even better.
Join me next time for a much less technical conversation about email, would you like to get your "Inbox 2 Zero?"
Group Product Manager | Microsoft Security - Credentialed Career and Executive Coach - LivingWorks Suicide Prevention Skills Instructor
1 年The power of pictures to aide in understanding cannot be underestimated. Good reminder that you don't have to be an artist to get your point across! ?? I use a similar process to draw out my brainstorming sessions before moving to another medium to share. Seeing my idea come together helps me to see what I'm missing, if that makes sense. I highly recommend Dan Roam's books (Back of the Napkin, etc.) for those that want to build the skills to tell stories through drawing/whiteboarding. They are funny and amazing.