This document provides an overview of visual communication techniques for effective training and inspiration. It discusses using diagrams and visuals to tell engaging stories, explain strategies, inspire people faster through training, identify priorities, anticipate challenges, and facilitate negotiations. Examples are given for different types of diagrams that can be used, such as market maps, the bow tie, barriers to purchase axis, and the priority matrix. The document emphasizes that visuals can clarify complex topics and shorten training time. It also discusses adapting visual techniques for different international contexts.

1. @kevinduncan

2. SPEAKING THE
VISUAL LANGUAGE:
USING IMAGES FOR EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION

3. 1. TELLING AN INSPIRING STORY
(What are we trying to do here?)
2. INSPIRING PEOPLE FASTER
(Visual ways to shorten training time)

4. POSSIBLE AUDIENCES
1.You
2. Your boss
3. Your staff
4. Your customers

5. 1. TELLING AN INSPIRING STORY
(What are we trying to do here?)

6. Why Anyone Bothers To Work
• All three = ideal
• 2 out of 3 = okay
• 1 out of 3 = vulnerable
• 0 = disastrous
• Score and discuss

7. Explain Your Strategy Visually
• One diagram clearer than
10 pages
• Take 2 most important
variables
• Compare with competitors
• Show direction of travel
• Plot progress over time

8. Example #1
Use Market Map to
distinguish between
high-end and low price
purchasers of air time

9. Explain Why It Is What It Is
• Tell an engaging story
• Start broad (10 options)
• Then reduce (3 options)
• Consider, then reject
• One recommendation
• Tell story of your battles

10. Example #2
Use the Whittling Wedge to narrow down a range
of proposals to one clear recommendation.

11. The Bow Tie
• Perfect story telling
• Reduce, big reveal,
expand
• Cadence and pace of
a presentation
• “Now for the detail...”

12. Example #3
Use the Bow Tie to narrow down proposals to
major clients and then expand the detail.

13. Anchor The Theme
• Explain central thought
clearly – the shorter the
better
• Sub ideas show fertility
• Show how all elements
are interrelated
• “This bit works because
it fits in with this bit…”

14. Example #4
Use the Central Idea Satellite System
to organise and sell creative ideas.

15. Pinpoint The Bravery Level
• How brave is the company?
• And the individual?
• What standards expected?
• How brave in the past?
• How brave now?
• Set clear expectations

16. Knock Down Barriers To Acceptance
• Boss, staff, or customer
• Likely objections?
• How many are there?
• How to address them?
• One at a time?
• All at once?
• In what sequence?

17. Example #5
Use the Barriers To Purchase Axis to identify
and overcome purchase reservations.

18. How To Confuse Everybody
• Hubs within hubs
• Double-headed arrows
• Dotted lines
• Understandable?
• Simpler is better

19. How To Clarify
• Simple and clear
• Nothing dotted, two-
way or sideways
• Everyone knows
where they stand
• Subordinates know
who is in charge

20. The Rhythm Of The Year
• Full year plans unrealistic
• Decision windows: right
decision makers present?
• Crisis bombs: same time
every year?
• Can always predict when
things will happen
• Realistic forecasting,
fewer surprises

21. The Motivational Dip
• Honeymoon period fun
• But it never lasts
• Learning & Understanding
phase vital
• Ends in success or tears
• Analyze past relationships
• Predict moment of dip

22. Anticipating The Dips
• Plot morale for year
• Map out intended
initiatives for year
• Spread evenly to keep
spirits high as possible
• Announce next thing
before the next low point

23. 2. INSPIRING PEOPLE FASTER
(Visual ways to shorten training time)

24. The New Business Pyramid
• Relevance, not volume
• Populate with names
and numbers
• Don’t waste time on
those who won’t get it
• Three proper projects
a year may be enough

25. Example #6
Use the New Business
Pyramid to identify
prospective customers
and volume opportunities.

26. The Long Tail
• Fashion for big hits
• Multiple niches better?
• Less risky/controversial
• Can do lots of them
• 74% songs online sell
less than 10 copies
• 15% revenue from
0.00001% of songs

27. The Three Buckets
• BB = excellence as
standard
• CD = significantly
better than normal
• CTG = truly
extraordinary
• Put all projects in a
bucket & review

28. Example #7
Use Three Buckets
to review merits of
research projects.

29. The Priority Matrix
• Urgent + Important =
do now
• Urgent + Not Important
= delegate/do quickly
• Important + Not Urgent
= Think, plan, stick to it
• Neither = Ignore/cancel

30. The Growing Pane
• Old/good: confirm value
• New/good: inspire more
• Old/bad: ditch now
• New/bad: work out why,
be aware of emotional &
financial commitment

31. Ditching The Essay Crisis Mentality
• Human nature to delay
• Don’t: it’s a student
hangover
• Convene decision
makers in first 24 hours
• Set direction, brief
experts, course correct
• Increases quality

32. Example #8
Use the Personal Deadline to prepare a winning pitch
well in advance.

33. The IF Triangle
• Key to any negotiation
• Can have any two
• Too much pressure on
all three = collapse
• Start all sentences
with “If…”
• “If you require x, we
require y in return...”

34. Plan Your Negotiations Properly
• Always plan negotiation
• Must limit
• Intend level
• Wish list
• What matters to each
side is usually different
• Trading variables

35. The F Triangle
• Get them to reconsider
• “I understand you feel x...
• I felt the same but
discovered y...
• I found it was worth it.”

36. How To Be A Sensitive Boss
• Done it before: direct
• They haven’t: coach
• Once or twice: support
• They’re sick of doing it:
reinvigorate
• Different approach for
every person, every
task, every day

37. Changing The Language Of Conflict
• When it has all become
too personal…
• Let’s deal with ‘it’
• Not ‘I’, ‘me’, or ‘you’
• “This problem is quite
tricky isn’t it? How can
‘we’ solve ‘it’?”

38. The Cone of Experience?
• Read > Hear > See > See
& Hear > Say > Say & Do
• Doing active things best
• Do a diagram on the spot
and apply it immediately
• Remote
learning/homework
happens if fun
• Remember 50% of this?

39. Other uses #1:Presentations
“I love it - It's great - really innovative.
I dip in and out during the day and work out how I can
use this stuff in presentations.”
Simon Redfern, Director of Corporate Affairs

40. Other uses #2: Communication
"If you process things visually as I do, or if you
deal with people who do, you need to
communicate your ideas
in a simple and effective way."
Chris Carmichael, Media Director, EMEA

41. Other uses #3: Making a point
“I’m a big fan of visuals to help represent a point,
so it really did the job.”
Mat Sears, Head of PR and Corporate
Communications

42. Other uses #4: Too many words?
“I'm a very visual person, so the book resonated very
strongly with me. It's a great way to resolve issues
that become bogged down in too many words.”
James Sturrock, Director, Commercial Direct

43. Other uses #5: Winning respect
“Here is a visual language that can be used to
make one’s case and win respect.”
Will Harris, Business Director

44. Other uses #6: Adding energy
“I had been coveting a copy for a while,
so I am dead chuffed to get my hands on one.”
Richard Huntington, Director of Planning
“He does for business what Nike does for sport.”
Richard Hytner, Deputy Chairman

45. Other uses #7: Enjoyment
“Really enjoyed the talk!”
Alison Neil, Learning and Development Manager,
Legal Division

46. THE INTERACTIVE KIT BOX
• THE BOOK
• STARTER
TEMPLATES
• BLANKS
• SHARPIE PEN
• BE INSPIRED
• DESIGN OWN
• PUZZLE

47. AND FINALLY, A PUZZLE FOR YOU...
• Draw nine dots on a
blank page like
this…
• Now try to join all the
dots using no more
than four lines, and
without taking the
pen off the paper.

49. INTERNATIONAL DIAGRAMS
• KOREA
• GERMANY
• JAPAN
• CHINA
• TAIWAN
• THAILAND
• RUSSIA
• BRAZIL
• SPAIN
• USA

50. thediagramsbook.com
@kevinduncan
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