Author Dan Roam identifies why a drawing on the back of a napkin can solve any problem.
Any problem can be solved with pictures. That's the mantra Dan Roam used to kick off his presentation about thinking visually today during lunch. It might sound crazy at first, but by the end of his session, Roam had convinced the room of SNAP attendees that no problem is too large to solve--even with a drawing on the back of a napkin.
Roam pointed out that whether we realize it or not, everyone is a visual person. Between 50 percent and 75 percent of our capacity to process the world is dedicated to the vision of what surrounds us. All you have to do to solve your problems is visualize them.
The first step to solving problems with pictures is recognizing that you're a visual person. "Whoever best describes the problem is the person most likely to solve it," Roam said. "Once a person can sketch out a problem on a piece of paper, they can solve the problem."
For example, Arthur Laffer's simple drawing of how much money the government earns from different levels of taxation found its way into the hands of Ronald Regan and became the basics of supply-side economics.
Roam also pointed out that the more "human" you make your picture, the more human your response will be. You need a clear image that represents an idea to reach your goals.
As simple as it sounds, the "napkin sketch" is the future of problem solving.
How do you do that? In the upper left hand corner of your napkin, draw a circle and give it a name. Whatever is at the top of your mind will be there automatically. You can get to work solving the problem once you've identified it.
Any problem can be solved with pictures. That's the mantra Dan Roam used to kick off his presentation about thinking visually today during lunch. It might sound crazy at first, but by the end of his session, Roam had convinced the room of SNAP attendees that no problem is too large to solve--even with a drawing on the back of a napkin. Roam pointed out that whether we realize it or not, everyone is a visual person. Between 50 percent and 75 percent of our capacity to process the world is dedicated to the vision of what surrounds us. All you have to do to solve your problems is visualize them.
The first step to solving problems with pictures is recognizing that you're a visual person. "Whoever best describes the problem is the person most likely to solve it," Roam said. "Once a person can sketch out a problem on a piece of paper, they can solve the problem."
For example, Arthur Laffer's simple drawing of how much money the government earns from different levels of taxation found its way into the hands of Ronald Regan and became the basics of supply-side economics.
Roam also pointed out that the more "human" you make your picture, the more human your response will be. You need a clear image that represents an idea to reach your goals.
As simple as it sounds, the "napkin sketch" is the future of problem solving.
How do you do that? In the upper left hand corner of your napkin, draw a circle and give it a name. Whatever is at the top of your mind will be there automatically. You can get to work solving the problem once you've identified it.
Leave a comment