About Graphic Recording – Draw the ideas

HOW I WORK

Graphic Recording

The value isn’t simply in creating a drawing—it’s in helping people understand, communicate and build on complex work.

Graphic recording is often described as capturing conversations. It’s more useful to think of it as supporting thinking.

By making ideas, relationships and emerging patterns visible as people talk, a graphic record helps groups develop a shared understanding of complex work. Afterwards, that same drawing becomes a practical resource that continues to support communication, reflection and decision making.

What I help you achieve:

UNDERSTANDING

Make complex ideas clear and accessible, so everyone is on the same page.

ENGAGEMENT

Live visuals get people involved, maintain participation and build connection.

LASTING IMPACT

A powerful visual record that captures discussions, develops insight and drives action long after the event.

WHAT HAPPENS

The practical steps

BEHIND THE SCENES

The organisation

WHY IT MATTERS

The Rationale

Before

Commission and Brief

Event Plan and Quote

You provide details of your event plans:

What is your event and who is it for?
When and where will it take place?
What’s your planned agenda?

I prepare a quote:

To meet your specific requirements. This is inclusive of all aspects of the process, from initial briefing, all preparation, materials, travel, event attendance, scanning and post-production.

Research and Prepare

Planning, Sketches and Equipment

Equipment:

I bring all the equipment and materials needed to create the graphic.

Travel Arrangements:

I usually make travel bookings to accommodate my equipment, based on my quote.

Alternatively you can use your corporate travel services .

Research and Sketches:

I’ll research key topics of the event and sketch out a plan of the graphic based on the agenda and goals of the event.

Context and Goals

Understanding

Understanding:

Understanding the context and goals of an event and the organisation behind it is vital to creating a graphic which will have lasting value. Whether that’s technical terms, acronyms, branding or culture.

Informal Content:

Often the most valuable parts of the day are in informal questions, discussions and feedback. For me these naturally link to the more formal content, creating a richer and more nuanced picture reflecting the flow of thinking within the room.

During

At your event

Set up and Draw

Arrive and set up:

I’ll arrive well in advance to set up my easels and board. I’ll need a space about 2.5m x 2.5m to work, within sight and sound of proceedings.

Most people prefer me to set up near the front of the room, or near the coffee station.

Drawing:

Once the event has begun I use a combination of drawing directly and using post-its to capture the key points of both formal presentations and informal questions and discussions.

Listen, Think, Draw

Create the live graphic

Creating the graphic:

Creating a live graphic is less about drawing and more about listening and thinking:

* What’s important?
* What’s contentious?
* What’s does this relate to?
* How is it structured?

Synthesise

Finding structure and connections

Making it meaningful:

Meaning is created by connections, so using your language and your metaphors is essential to creating a graphic that is meaningful for you.

Metaphors:

For example: If someone is ‘stuck’, whether they are stuck in the mud, stuck indoors or stuck on an equation makes a world of difference. Not only to their experience but to how they get unstuck.

After

Delivery

Image files and download

Image files:

I produce 3 files from each graphic:

* 1 x full size high resolution (2.4m at 300dpi) for full size reprints.
* 1 x A3 image at 300 dpi for high quality document printing.
* 1x 1600px file for sharing digitally.

Downloading:

The files are large, so they are sent via a digital download service (usually WeTransfer). Other delivery methods can be arranged.

Post-production

Scanning, Post-production and file formatting

Scanning:

The graphic is scanned at 300 dpi, rather than being photographed to ensure that full size high resolution reprints can be made.

Post-production:

I carefully check the image, make any minor amendments and replace any logos with high resolution full colour versions.

File formatting:

Assets

Deliver lasting value

Lasting Value:

I love it when I hear that my clients still have my graphic on the wall of their office or lab, even years after their event.

Licensing:

I usually work with the Creative Commons Attribution License, because they are your ideas not mine. This allows you to reuse or reformat the graphic for other purposes.