On my early morning walk around the block with the pooch this morning, I was reminded how essential it is to remain calm, even when things seem to be going crazy around us. We happened to surprise a flock of mourning doves having their morning breakfast in someone's driveway. The flutter of wings and noisy arc of their collective flight from ground to roof startled me, and also reminded me of Visuals for Learning for two reasons.
First, the birds' dark shapes organized into a cool pattern in flight. Second, two birds sat silhouetted against the light blue sky, already settled calmly on the roof. They seemed to observe the event without ruffling a feather.
When you are digesting a lot of complex information, such as when you are taking a class, listening to a panel discussion or participating in a large group meeting, how can you stay calm and organize your thoughts so that your visual notes will help you make sense of things later? This is where visual thinking can really help.
The times I get most flustered when using visuals are when there is a LOT of information being presented that is just beyond my understanding, and when it is really important to me to retain this information toward some purpose.
For example, I took notes during a panel discussion about the intersections between local life science companies and the community. I used thick orange lettering for headers, narrow, black text, and soft, yellow lines for icons, arrows and highlights. Choosing a limited number of tools and colors helped me focus more on what was being said.
When you are preparing to take visual notes, planning ahead is ideal, but not always possible. Whether you are taking notes on paper or digitally, developing your "go-to" toolbox and practicing in advance can help you get organized, and add to a sense of calm.
Once you have your toolbox ready with HOW you will take notes, WHAT will you capture and how will you arrange the information on the page? Try starting with a simple mind map.
A mind map is an intuitive diagram that organizes information into main themes with subordinate information branching off in a non-linear fashion.
Listen to a 10- or 15-minute podcast, lesson or talk. Before you begin, ready your toolbox and review the mind map tips above.
For me, taking notes during the life sciences panel discussion helped me digest a lot of complex information. I think the mourning doves have more to teach me, too. I plan to do a little research. Here are my questions.
If I find the answers to these questions, you can bet I'll use a mind map to stay calm and organize them.