Many of us know the benefits of having a good facilitator at a meeting. These individuals are trained in making the meeting progress and getting decisions made. The newest twist to meeting facilitation is graphic facilitation. These individuals are trained to keep track of everything said and decided at a meeting, but they do it with large pictures and designs that are created on the spot to demonstrate the progress of the meeting. graphic facilitator creative training teaches these individuals how to listen and capture what was said and then transcribe it with visuals. An individual trained in this art is called a graphic recorder or graphic facilitator. Join us for a leadership workshop.
Graphic facilitators are trained in how to think, listen, organize and draw. These skills are essential to be successful in this career field. The facilitator is not a member of the group so is an independent listener. They have no inherent bias into what is being said or decided. They collect all insights, comments, and details and then graphically record them.
A graphic facilitator is also trained in organizing the discussion and helping it move and make progress. We’ve all be in meetings where one point or issue was continually discussed, often with no progress made. This holds up the meeting. A graphic facilitator knows how to get the group off that point and moving to another issue. They may graphically display the contentious point so that it may be discussed or considered later.
These facilitators are also great at keeping everyone in the group involved. There is usually one person who continually speaks out and may even dominate the discussion. When this happens, a graphic facilitator knows how to tactfully move the conversation away from this person so that others may express their opinions.
The graphic facilitator is also an expert at making people think during the discussion. They illustrate key issues and points of discussion and use these to stimulate creative thinking and problem solving.
Using graphics to monitor and show the progress of a meeting or discussion is a great way to help people remember what has been said. People tend to link visuals with memories and can use this tool to keep track of the issue, discussion, and any potential solutions.
Using graphics to help facilitate a meeting allows groups of people to see their thinking and then begin to understand the viewpoints of others. The graphic facilitator helps the group members actually see what they are saying and provides a method for focusing the discussion.
Some may think that the graphics or charts produced from a graphic facilitation are the primary product or result. Actually, the real result from this type of facilitation is the understanding and the relationships which are created. Using graphic facilitation, the decision process becomes a collaboration rather and a relay of information. Each member’s contributions are recognized and the entire group can collectively brainstorm solutions and opportunities. The group can outline next steps and articulate the vision.
Graphic facilitator creative training helps teach an individual how to bring groups to a clear decision. The graphic facilitator helps organize the information and run the meeting, providing instant feedback to group members through visual displays of their conversation.