“If you’re going to San Francisco…”
Neuland at the international conference of Visual Practitioners
The "who's who" of the American visual practitioner scene meets annually at the international IFVP conference. This year, the conference celebrated its 15th anniversary and returned to the location of its inaugural event: the San Francisco Bay Area. Neuland was a platinum sponsor of this anniversary event. Sales and Marketing Director Guido Neuland was personally present and returned to his home in Eichenzell with a wealth of positive impressions.
The Ripple Effects of Visual Practice
Under the motto "The Ripple Effects of Visual Practice," over 80 visualizers from the USA, South America, Australia, and Europe gathered for a professional exchange. For beginners, the pre-conference workshop "Graphic Recording 101" offered an interesting introduction to the method and practical tips and tricks. Lynn Carruthers and Sophia Liang, two experienced visual practitioners, led this workshop with expertise, wit, and charm. The main conference, which spanned three days, was enriched with inspiring keynote speeches and engaging workshops led by association members.
What does a Visual Facilitator or Visual Practitioner do?
This question almost answered itself as the conference progressed. While keynote speakers like Andrea Saveri, David Sibbet, and Dan Roam captivated the audience with their presentations, the visualizers stood ready at the side of the conference room, listening intently to the words, ready to instantly assess them and transform them into meaningful images. The goal wasn't to create the most beautiful picture. Visualization has nothing to do with art, but rather with translating concepts into images.
Brandy Agerbeck, undoubtedly the most avant-garde visualizer, sums it up perfectly with a button given to all participants. It reads, in bold letters, "Content is King." And bestselling author Dan Roam, whose presentation on the third day brings the audience to its feet with a standing ovation, also says: "The best image wins." By this, he doesn't mean the most beautiful image, but rather the one that manages to convey the message quickly and simply.
For Neuland, the conference began with a surprising rush to their presentation and sales booth in the foyer. The conference participants enthusiastically explored the wide range of markers, pastels, learning maps, and Bikablos. The Novario box system also found enthusiastic buyers. Interest was so high that by mid-morning of the second day, all the markers and pastels were sold out. Neuland had even sent two pallets of materials to this visualization specialist's paradise.
Key takeaway from the first day of the conference: professional users appreciate the design and well-thought-out concept of Neuland products. Refillability, durability, replaceable tips, and the well-organized color range of the markers are unbeatable arguments.
The praise for the two Bikablos, which Neuland launched in cooperation with the communication experts, is also welcome. Here, too, it's clear that the concept hits the mark with users. Anyone who needs to convert words into images in fractions of a second can't do without a professional image collection. Often enriched with their own symbols, icons, and ideas, collected in sketchbooks and on index cards.
The founders of the method
Guido Neuland considers the presence of the "parents" of the method to be a clear highlight of the conference visit.
David Sibbet, managing director of the internationally operating Grove Consultants, brings them all onto the stage and tells the story together of how they met in the early 1970s, inspired each other, and ultimately established a method that understood how to translate complex issues into text-supplemented visual metaphors:
• Geoff Ball from the Stanford Research Institute, who studied the topic of “Group Memory”.
• Fred Lakin, product designer, developed continuous paper dispensers for the wall and a magical marker holder that bears a striking resemblance to our new Colorpad. This is likely one of the reasons why Sibbet refers to his former colleague as "The Neuland without the company".
• Sandra Florstedt, with whom David Sibbet developed the concept for marketing the “Group Graphics” workshop. “I see, what you mean – Empowering through visual language” also resulted from this collaboration.
• Jennifer Landau, who as a Girlscout already worked with visual information dissemination and whose skills impressed the young Sibbet.
• Kristina Woolsey, who worked as a psychologist in Apple's multimedia lab in the 1970s on how people can think together in the future.
• Nancy Margilles, author of the book “Mapping Inner Space”, who, inspired by mind mappings, began with visual work and eventually moved to the Bay Area, where the “visual community” had gathered at that time.
• Last but not least, Lynn Kearny, Leslie Salmon-Zhu and Susan Kelly, the initiators of the first IFVP conference 15 years ago, gave a presentation, thus rounding off the interesting history lesson in visual facilitation.
Solving big problems with simple images
It quickly becomes clear why bestselling author Dan Roam gives his talk on the third day. Because the best is always saved for last.
Dan Roam, bestselling author from the USA, www.digitalroam.com
And the presentation by the American in the green and blue Hawaiian shirt is truly the absolute highlight of the conference. Perhaps because he has "cracked the nut" of making the topic of visualization, or rather, visual problem-solving, accessible to a broad audience. His book, " On the Back of the Napkin, " is a genuine bestseller in the USA—the London Times chose it as the "business creativity book of the year." He is invited by news channels for prime-time appearances to explain complex issues—which he always enjoys doing, but never without a marker. He has a knack for illustrating something very clearly with just a few images—for example, on a napkin. He repeatedly emphasizes that no artistic talent is required—even during his IFVP presentation.
Dan Roam has worked as a consultant for Microsoft, Google, Walmart, Boeing, and the US Senate. He sums up his success in a few words: "Whoever draws the best picture wins." He's not referring to a work of art, because, as with Brandy Agerbeck, content is king for Dan Roam. The drawings are reminiscent of children's drawings, yet they manage to immediately convey the message. Those who want to know why and how this works can find out in his books. They are now also available in German and both can be found in the Neuland catalog. (Link to books in the shop)
Guido Neuland will give his signed copy a place of honor on his bookshelf and will occasionally pass on news from Dan Roam to Neuland customers via the internet or newsletter – Dan has promised to provide him with such news.
The next level
Thirty years after its initial launch, enthusiasm for the method remains undiminished. The largest IFVP conference in the association's history is considered a resounding success by all participants and sponsors, and a renewed sense of optimism seems to be in the air in the San Francisco Valley. So many people are applying for the new board that the seasoned veterans can hardly contain their joy.
They want to advance technology – some even visualize live with the iPad – or raise international profile. Neuland will continue his involvement. It's no coincidence that Guido Neuland joined the association and is happy to support the Visual Practitioner Forum.
The raffle held during the conference provides the final interesting episode of this travelogue. The grand prize was an LW-X with four elements, tripods, roller stands, and continuous paper holders. Many of the Americans present expressed great interest in winning this prize. However, luck intervened, and an Englishman won. Since he couldn't transport the board home on the plane, he eventually found a grateful recipient in Lynn Kearny, one of the co-founders of the IFVP, who bought his first prize. Thus, Guido Neuland's plan to attract a new professional user in the method's country of origin did ultimately succeed. Luck sometimes takes strange turns.
Further links:
IFVP website: www.ifvp.org
Flickr photo gallery of the conference: www.flickr.com
Video blogs by Peter Durand: www.graphicfacilitation.com
Communication pilots: www.kommunikationslotsen.de