Graphic Recording: The Evidence-Based Case for Skeptics

When I get to work with scientists like CSU veterinarians, I’ll often get some skeptical looks when people first walk in. I love this because, with a background in science communication, it’s an opportunity for participants to experience their own ideas visualized to support deep thinking in a beautiful way.

I’ve written about the science behind graphic recording before, and have a list of publications and books on my Resources page. Today, I’m back with some recent publications examining graphic recording through the lens of cognitive science and neurological research.

The memory benefits of using visual thinking are quantifiable. A study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology found that participants encouraged to doodle during information intake recalled 29% more content in subsequent testing [1]. This aligns with one of my favorites - Dual Coding Theory[2]- which demonstrates that information presented both visually and verbally creates stronger, more accessible memory traces than either modality alone.

Visual thinking is hardwired into our brains, and neuroscience research from 2023 confirms this extends beyond simple visual processing—the visual cortex is central in memory formation, language processing, and how we represent abstract concepts[3]. All of which are augmented with graphic recording.

Research in organizational psychology confirms these individual benefits scale for groups too. Recent studies on collaborative visualization (2022) demonstrate that visual tools significantly enhance team engagement and cross-cultural communication, particularly in virtual environments[4]. IEEE research from 2022 explores graphic facilitation adoption specifically in engineering workflows—demonstrating its value in rigorous technical contexts[5]. Technical content? Count me in.

So, if you thought visual facilitation was just about aesthetics, think again. It's about leveraging cognitive science to enhance collaborative thinking and to make the most of your team’s valuable time and energy. Psst…here’s a post for how to explain the value to decision-makers.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

[1] Andrade, J. (2010). "What does doodling do?" Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24(1), 100-106.

[2] Paivio, A. (1971). Imagery and Verbal Processes. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

[3] Bracci, S., & Op de Beeck, H. (2023). "Understanding Human Object Vision: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Representations." Annual Review of Psychology, 74, 113-135.

[4] Osipovskaya, E., & Lukač, D. (2022). "Collaborative visualization supports cross-cultural communication and student engagement." Educational Technology Research.

[5] Govindarajan, U. H., et al. (2022). "Graphic Facilitation in the Engineering Workflow." IEEE Engineering Management Review, 50(3).

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

ConverSketch is 14:  Thank you for over a decade of making meetings and events better through visual thinking! I couldn’t do it without you, and I’m so proud to have the privilege to partner with clients like you!

Hatun Tinkuy Video: In December 2024, I had the joyful privilege of traveling to Huaraz, Peru to support a collective of indigenous people from different mountain communities around the world, as well as researchers working in human and environmental mountain communities. The group produced this video highlighting some of the work and experiences we shared together.  

IEP Video Series is Complete: All seven (!) videos exploring the why, what, and who behind high-quality Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities. You can watch them all here.

We CANDO This!

Last week I had the pleasure of supporting the CANDO (pronounced “can due”) during their inaugural meeting. This group of veterinarians and researchers are creating a network of researchers and practitioners a cross the US to address canine osteoarthritis with the goal of eventually applied what’s learned to help people with arthritis as well.

During an initial scoping call, the client wasn’t sure if graphic recording was a good fit for a dry meeting focused on organizational purpose, governance, and operating procedures. How could fun drawings come from that kind of content?

During an initial scoping call, the client and I had an exchange that went a little like this:

Client: This is going to be a pretty boring meeting. I’m not sure we need graphic recording.

Me: You may not. I’ve found that even when you’re working through the dry stuff, a visual map for everyone to follow along keeps the group focused, they see where there’s cohesion or disagreement. For new groups, it’s really helpful to create a clear shared understanding of purpose and goals. That way, as you grow, you’ll be able to get everyone on the same page quickly and easily.

Client: Okay, let’s give it a try!

We did, and it was a blast. Instead of drawing speakers, I got to draw their pets! I can’t wait to see the positive impact CANDO has for dogs and people.

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 Collins, CO: Here are a couple more close-ups from CANDO. To learn more or support their work, please contact Felix Duerr.

In the Studio: Food Policy Wins. This project with the Colorado Health Foundation was a challenge! We started off with a list of chronological policy wins between 2019 and 2024, and together we refined it to get this map of the food policy ecosystem in Colorado. Well done Provecho Collective!

In the Studio: Great Expectations. In the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado, accessing services when you’re expecting a baby or have a newborn isn’t always easy. Geographically disparate, lots of mountains, and seasonal weather can all make an already difficult time for a family even more challenging. Great Expectations provides home visits and supports for ALL families in the Valley, supporting new parents and their children.

Five Breaths Before You Facilitate

Keynote from Dr. Kandace Thomas, ED of First 8 Memphis

If you're a parent, you might know the term "co-regulation": that moment when you use your own calm energy to help settle a child who's overwhelmed. Guess what? This isn't just for parents and kids.

As a facilitator or meeting host, you're doing this all the time, whether you realize it or not.

When you're anxious before a big session, greeting people at the door with your shoulders up around your ears? That tension spreads. But when you're grounded and present? That flows outward too.

Which room would you rather walk into?

One of the simplest ways to shift your nervous system is to take five deep breaths. Sounds almost too simple, right? But it works – and there's science behind it.

When you slow your breathing, you're activating your parasympathetic nervous system, the part of you designed to calm down and rest. Researchers at Harvard found that even short periods of focused breathing can alter your body's stress response. And a  neuroscience study this year showed that people who practiced slow breathing for just a few weeks became measurably less anxious and fearful.

Five breaths. That's all it takes to set the energy in the room, starting with yourself.

If you need a breathing buddy, here's a GIF I made during the pandemic when we all needed a little extra help finding our calm:

Last month in Memphis, I had the privilege of working with a group of early childhood educators. Their Executive Director opened with a powerful keynote about co-regulation and how pivotal it is for young children, especially in those early years. She wove together research and heart in a way that reminded all of us: the energy we bring matters. Whether you're caring for a toddler or facilitating a boardroom, you're shaping the space with your presence.

So before your next meeting, maybe take some deep breaths. Your brain, and your group, will thank you!

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Memphis, TN: With First 8 Memphis, a convener and support organization for early childhood educators and caregivers. They treated participants right – starting with a female DJ to hype the group and a viral comedian as an emcee…and of course a graphic recorder to capture ideas and keynotes. These ladies are contributing ideas to a Knowledge Wall which I took and synthesized into an illustration by the end of the day (see second image)!

Fully synthesized Knowledge Wall completed over the course of one day.

Virtual with CU Anschutz: Supporting conversations about the Low-Grade Glioma (LGG) Registry and encouraging people to participate to expand research toward treating LGGs.

Digital graphic recording from 45 minute conversation.

How Do I Know What to Draw? The Art of Listening Lenses

"But how do you know what to capture?"

It's one of the most common questions I get asked about graphic recording. People watch me work and wonder: How do I decide what goes on the wall and what doesn't? How do I know which moment matters?

The answer? I'm listening at different levels.

Kelvy Bird, a thought leader and author of Generative Scribing: A Social Art of the 21st Century, teaches about listening lenses through her four levels of scribing. Each level corresponds to a different way of listening:

• Level 1: writing down what people say word-for-word

• Level 2: listening for facts and connections

• Level 3: empathic listening that picks up on emotional undercurrents

• Level 4: what she calls "generative listening" - tuning into the emerging potential in the room

These listening lenses are a foundational part of my work and core to how I approach supporting you before, during, and even after an event.

Sometimes a meeting needs Level One or Two—accurate data capture, clear facts, who said what when. Those lightning-fast conversations where we need to track the complex information as it flies by to refer to or build on in the future. Other times, though, something deeper is happening. The container has been created for deeper work. There's an energy shift in the room. Someone says something that makes everyone lean forward. A theme that's been circling finally lands. That's when I move into those deeper levels of listening.

Here's what I've learned over the years: my body tells me what level we're in before my mind catches up. If I'm feeling impatient or confused, that's information. If I notice everyone has gone quiet, that's a signal. The room has its own wisdom, and part of my job is to sense it.

Kelvy describes this beautifully: "The less you can hold, the faster you have to go. The more you can hold, the more you can slow down." When I'm newer to a topic or a group's culture, I'm drawing fast, trying to keep up. But when I can hold the complexity—the multiple threads, the undercurrents, the patterns—I have the patience and confidence wait for the right moment to capture what matters.

But here's something important: this listening work really starts before the meeting even begins. Having a clear understanding of your goals for the event help me begin thinking about what might best serve the group through imagery, layout, and amount of detail.

This is why I always arrive early to your meetings. I'm not just setting up paper and testing markers. I'm tuning in. What's the container we're creating together? What's does the space feel like? Sometimes I'll sit with a blank wall for a while before anyone speaks, sensing what is emerging.

And here's the thing: I get it wrong sometimes. I capture something that turns out to be a side trail, or I miss a nuance in the moment. But that's part of the practice too. The drawing isn't meant to be a perfect court transcript. It's meant to reflect back the essence of what's happening so the group can see their own thinking, feel their own energy, and move forward together.

When someone asks me how I know what to draw, what I'm really hearing is: "Can I trust you to see what matters?"

And my answer is yes. Because I'm not just listening with my ears, I'm listening with my whole being, attuned to the field of energy and connection in the room, to what's said and unsaid, to what wants to become visible.

That's the gift of this work. We get to help groups see themselves.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Denver, CO: Supporting a community listening session focused on how health care providers and organizations can better support communities with access to fewer health resources with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

In the Studio: Working on the next installment of the Individualized Education Programs video series, focused on transition plans once students graduate high school. Here’s a still from the storyboard, the final video will be published soon!

Transform Your Meetings: Two Essential Follow-Up Steps That Actually Work

You know that feeling when you leave a meeting energized? Ideas were flowing, people were doing deep thinking, and there was this sense that something meaningful was happening.

Then two weeks later... crickets.

I came across this research that breaks it down to two essential follow-up actions that can completely change your meeting game:

1. Send meeting notes within 24 hours

Send one page that captures:

• Each topic you discussed

• The key takeaways

• Specific actions with names and deadlines attached

Send notes out ASAP, definitely within 24 hours while the energy and details are still fresh in everyone's minds.

2. Follow up relentlessly

Here's what HBR found: talented, committed people do not always do what they say they will do. And we shouldn't be surprised when they don't; everyone's pulled in different directions with overflowing inboxes and competing priorities. Great leaders help their teams by following up and supporting folks to do what they said they would.

How Graphic Recording Changes Everything

These two ideas are simple, but simple is not necessarily easy. Working with a graphic recorder during your meeting helps take the big lift off your plate for both follow-up essentials:

📋 The meeting notes write themselves. Those key takeaways, action items, and commitments? They're already captured visually in real-time. No scrambling to remember who said what or trying to decipher hastily scribbled notes later.

🔍 Accountability becomes visible. When someone's name is connected to an action item on a big visual map that everyone can see, there's this natural sense of ownership that happens. It's not about pressure – it's about clarity.

💡 People actually remember. We process visual information 60,000 times faster than text. When ideas are captured visually, people can remember them better – then act on them.

📤 Following up feels natural. Instead of sending another text-heavy email that might get skimmed, you can share a photo of the graphic. Everything is right there – the context, the connections, the next steps. Use it in follow up meetings, slack messages, or one-on-ones to help your team get what matters most done.

Your Next Steps

1. Try the 24-hour rule: Send meeting summaries the same day

2. Build in follow-up: Schedule check-ins when you make commitments

3. Consider graphic recording: For your most important meetings, capture decisions visually for clearer follow-through

Curious about bringing graphic recording to your next strategic meeting? I'd love to hear what you're working on.

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Missoula, Montana: Working with the Blackfeet Nation to map out their needs and priorities for funding, then presenting to and connecting with funders and partners to continue the work after the meeting.

In the Studio: Working on videos for High Quality Individual Education Programs. You can see finished videos in the series here.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

One Surefire Ingredient to Help Anyone Thrive: What We Learned at the Ute Mountain Housing Workshop

No matter who you are, having a safe place to call home makes everything a little easier. Recovering from illness or addiction, finding a stable job, raising a family, taking time to process an emotional experience, or taking the first steps toward a healthier life by getting enough sleep or cooking a meal – each of these things is easier when you have a place to call home.

At the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Housing Workshop convened by Santicola & Co., Tribal Leadership and partners shared resources, case studies, and funding mechanisms, then created a strategic roadmap toward more resilient and abundant housing on the reservation.

The Tribe used graphic recording to synthesize a day and a half of presentations, then selected priorities and began creating a strategic plan for the following months to achieve the goals. The visuals play a key role in the summary document from the Santicola grant-writing team and will help the Tribe share their vision with Council and Tribal Members to garner more support.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Durango, Colorado: With the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, who I’ve had the honor of working with for the past 10 years.

Denver x 3: Farm labor economics, aging and HIV, and student housing management brought me to the big city to create visual stories of science, lived experience, and best practices.

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Remote: Supporting a team from construction and architecture firms during client listening sessions as they put together a bid for a creative arts building.

Camping in the high country: Getting ourselves and the kids out for a few nights under the stars and among the wildflowers! Nothing says Type 2 Fun like camping with two-year-olds…but the small wonders and smiles are worth it.

Make Your Press Release Pop with Graphic Recording

Let's be honest – when was the last time you got genuinely excited reading a press release? If you're scratching your head, you're not alone. Most press releases aren’t visually appealing, which is a shame because they're often sharing amazing things.

Take this story celebrating a grant win from my recent client, the University of Kentucky. The REACH (Research Evaluation and Analytics Capacity Hub) program will use AI and data to help smaller colleges and universities access more research funding.

This is where graphic recording can shine: Instead of expecting people to wade through dense text, we can create welcoming visual stories that invite everyone in. The graphic for this story is particularly special as it encapsulates the most important ideas shared from summit participants over the course of three days. Suddenly, that dense press release becomes a story you want to share with your friends.

Here's the secret sauce: graphic recording helps you to think like a storyteller. As we collaborate to plan visuals for your event, we guide you toward the core questions to find out what matters most to your participants and where you can make the biggest difference. When we're creating visuals, we naturally think about impact and connection rather than getting lost in technical details.

If you’re ready to follow up your event with visuals that will delight, you might partner with a graphic recorder after the event to create visual summaries alongside your written materials, or invite visual storytellers to capture the essence of your events in real-time.

The goal isn't to oversimplify – it's to honor both the complexity of your work and the diverse ways people prefer to receive information. When we make our stories more accessible, we're really saying we want everyone to be part of the conversation.

Because every important story deserves to be understood and appreciated by the people it's meant to serve.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Denver, Colorado: Supporting leaders and innovators in the fashion industry as they imagined what a regenerative, circular economy could look like.

Los Angeles, California: Back for the second year with the Irresistible Conference, which focused on using AI tools to support HR professionals and the organizations they serve.

Remote: Capturing a technology advisory council meeting for the Allen Institute, a leader in research and discovery around some of the biggest questions in bioscience. Here’s a snippet from the larger conversation.

Spring Into Action: A Garden-Inspired Guide to Goal Setting

Earlier this year, I reflected that in the heart of winter, goal-setting felt less aligned with the energy of resting, going inward, and moving slowly.

Here in Colorado, spring has arrived, and with it my energy for new ideas, goals, and exploration. I updated my Garden-Inspired Guide to Goal Setting worksheet for you, as well as some goal gardening tips. Feel free to download this one or use it as inspiration to create your own (please snap a photo and share it with me if you do!).

Start by preparing your soil: think about your resources, time, and energy. What has been waiting for the right moment to bloom?

Plant diversity is key: Include big ambitious goals AND quick-win projects, like plants that grow and bloom early and those that take longer to come to fruition.

Tend your garden: Check back with your goals and adjust as necessary based on what you’re observing and feeling. As the year progresses, some goals will flourish while others might need pruning or extra attention. By harvest time later this year, you’ll be ready to enjoy the fruits of your effort!

Keep reading for more detailed goal setting/planning prompts:

Start with reflection, and be as specific as you can:

• Take stock of the previous year's achievements and setbacks

• Identify what worked well and what patterns held you back

• Consider which goals still resonate and which need adjusting

• Reflection prompts:

  • What were my top 3 proudest moments of last year?

  • Which goals did I abandon and why?

  • When did I feel most energized and fulfilled?

Use the SMART framework:

• Specific: Define exactly what you want to accomplish

• Measurable: Include concrete ways to track progress

• Achievable: Keep goals challenging but realistic

• Relevant: Align with your values and broader life direction

• Time-bound: Set clear deadlines and milestones

  • Example: Instead of "Get healthier" try something like "Complete 30 minutes of exercise 3 times per week, tracking in my fitness app."

Break down long-term goals:

• Divide annual goals into quarterly objectives

• Create monthly action items

• Set weekly tasks that build toward bigger targets

Build in accountability:

• Share goals with a trusted friend or mentor

• Schedule regular check-ins to review progress

• Use a tracking system that works for you (digital tools, journal, etc.)

• Consider joining a mastermind group or finding an accountability partner

Plan for obstacles:

• Anticipate potential challenges

• Develop contingency plans

• Build in flexibility for unexpected changes

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Denver, Colorado: Crafting a vision for international opportunities with senior leadership for the Colorado State Global System at the CSU Spur. It was inspiring to hear CSU President Amy Parsons sharing that international collaboration and inclusivity for student success are very much priorities for the University and listen to ideas for systems perspective problem solving from the gathered group. And this week the Chancellor of the CSU System sent an email about the work including the graphic recordings from the session!

Albuquerque, New Mexico: Supporting a dedicated, compassionate, driven, and intelligent group of research data analysts from universities and libraries across the globe discussing how to best support learning in the age of artificial intelligence. Here is a synthesis wall of key take-aways created over two-days. Thanks to Lizard Brain for the opportunity to represent you with this love group!

How the City of Boulder Made the Most of Working with A Graphic Recorder…And You Can Too!

When you all bring ideas to me that are creative, I always want to share them back so others can use them. This story from Boulder's Recreation Centers demonstrates how integrating graphic recording throughout the entire process - before, during, and after - created deeper and more varied community involvement.

Pre-Event: Strategic Visual Design

Boulder's team envisioned gathering community input through a playful board game format, where residents could prioritize recreation center improvements using feature cards. Rather than settling for a generic design, we collaborated to create a custom game board that reflected the rec centers’ unique character. This pre-event visualization set the tone for engagement and created anticipation among participants.

Other ways to use visuals before your event are creating custom drawings to share via email, website or social media so people know what to expect. And we can turn your typical typed agenda into an engaging visual journey that gets people pumped about attending.

Event Day: Dynamic Engagement

During the session, live graphic recording via projected iPad screen transformed abstract discussions into tangible ideas. This real-time visualization served as a shared reference point, deepening participant engagement and maintaining high energy levels throughout the discussions. Watching ideas take shape visually encouraged more meaningful contributions and created a collaborative atmosphere.

Post-Event: Extended Impact

The team maximized the visual assets' potential by displaying large prints in each Boulder recreation center with interactive sticker voting for ongoing community input. This thoughtful approach extended the conversation beyond the initial session, allowing broader community participation through both the physical displays and a survey sent by email.

The result? A cohesive, engaging process that transformed standard community feedback sessions into a memorable, productive experience that continued to gather valuable input after the initial event concluded.

Want more? Here’s another case study of leveraging graphics throughout the entire event lifecycle with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

San Francisco, California: With the National Parks Conservation Association as they continue a long-term collaboration to reduce single-use plastics in parks - here’s a snap from last year. This year we’re also discussing strategies to support visitors and parks with electric vehicles. Fighting the good fight.

Houston, Texas: Right now I’m with Houston Methodist as they lead the effort to bridge disciplines and approaches in neuroregeneration research and practice. I’ve been delighted to support their work since 2019, even through the pandemic and having the twins. Here’s a shirt design I created for them this year, stay tuned for images of finished graphics in the next email.

Happy 13th Birthday ConverSketch!

ConverSketch turns 13 this week!

Solidly in the teenage years, it’s high time to use some Gen Z slang: getting to do this work with you all is lit, no cap (Translation: I seriously really love getting to do this work with you all). Thank you. 

To celebrate, here’s a photo of me with my very first live graphic recording from 2011* in Florida during graduate school. We held a series of workshops with National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges around the country about telling stories of climate change in their specific place to their visitors. Later in my career, I got to work on a series of creative climate change videos with one of the people I met while creating this graphic! See more climate action work here and here.

Do you have a story about how your ConverSketch graphic made a difference in your work? Please consider sending it my way and I’ll share a couple in the next email.

*I started practicing graphic recording in 2011, however ConverSketch wasn’t officially founded until 2012.

Thank you for your collaboration, humor, and what you do to make the world a better place.

Cheers,

Where in the Virtual World is ConverSketch?

Bailey and Golden, Colorado: Supporting a series of workshops with Jeffco Public School principals as they reflect on a challenging few years and create the future they want.

Virtual Workshop: Remotely supporting the Federation of American Scientists and Institute of Education Sciences as they explore whether a Living Evidence approach could work for the research and best practices IES produces and disseminates.  

Huaraz, Perú: I’m delighted to share a write-up from Abriti Moktan, a graduate student who attended Hatun Tinkuy in December. You can see photos of the graphics in action, as well as our day in the field in the Cordillera Blanca.