The Power of Visualisation – Complex Relationships Explained with “Bubbles and Intersections.”

I live in Sydney, Australia; however, I originate from a little known place called the Isle of Man. 

Don't worry; you are not alone if you have never heard of it.

It is a magical place "famous" for cats with no tails (Manx Cats), one of the largest waterwheels ever built (Laxey Wheel), where adults talk to "fairies" (The Fairy Bridge), and a crazy motorcycle race called the T.T. (Isle of Man Tourist Trophy).

At this point, I usually get asked a few questions. Firstly, "Where the heck is it?"

Answer: "It's a tiny island in between England and Ireland in the middle of the Irish Sea." 

Once past this question, I often get asked, "Is it part of Great Britain or the United Kingdom?" 

Answer: Neither.

If I try to explain it verbally, it can take hundreds of words. Even after going through all this trouble, did the person genuinely understand, or are they just nodding and wishing they had never asked in the first place? If I have a pen and paper to hand, I usually draw a simple diagram, so much easier. 

How often do you use words to explain concepts, ideas, instructions and assume that the recipient has understood you?

Do you wish you could draw it but don't, as you think you are "rubbish at drawing"?

You don't have to be an artist to use visuals to help you communicate, yet if you use visuals, they can be powerful! 

So, please allow me to use this example to show you just how powerful visuals can be.Back to that second question: Is the Isle of Man part of the U.K. or Great Britain?

With just a few words (actually 25), some colour and simple lines, I can not only show you that it is not part of Great Britain or the U.K. I can also show you what makes up Great Britain, the United Kingdom, the relationship between the U.K. and Ireland, the Crown Dependencies, the places that make up The British Isles AND how they relate to the European Union since Brexit.

Powerful stuff.

If you are not using visuals to help you in your day to day work, you are missing out and sadly, so may the people around you. 

Incredibly, you don't even need to create meaningful drawings to benefit from visualisation; let me introduce you to the world of doodling. 

Doodle: "to draw pictures or patterns while thinking about something else or when you are bored." - Cambridge Dictionary

Doodling and Memory Retention

Back in 2009 British psychologist, Jackie Andrade ran an experiment with forty people. She asked them to monitor a short, dull and rambling voice mail message. Half the group were instructed to doodle during the exercise (colour in a shape), and the other half asked to listen. Both groups were unaware that their memory recall would be tested after the exercise. Surprisingly, the half that doodled were able to recall 29% more of the information.

Imagine what happens when you use visuals that relate to the content!

Citations

J Andrade - Applied Cognitive Psychology: The Official Journal of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition - Published by Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Special Thanks: The diagram has been used with the express permission of the author Martin Haussmann and the incredible team at bikablo H.Q. – Cologne. Thank you, Martin!

The original diagram is from Page 98 of bikablo? publication “UZMO – Thinking With Your Pen.” - Bikablo Publications