Find a New Template
The Art of Applied Visual Thinking
The official newsletter of Applied Visual Thinking SUPERHEROES. Vol. 4 No. 10 June 2, 2023
Summer simple - Visual Templates
If you're a creative like me (and I know you are if you are reading this!), most likely you enjoy making stuff up and/or reworking things to suit your own personal style. For me, that sometimes means I am also really good at reinventing the wheel.
In fact, deep learning requires a certain level of doing in order to become proficient in a skill to the point where it feels like your own. Don't beat yourself up if you find yourself, say, designing a complex spreadsheet only to discover that "there's an app for that" already.
In keeping with our Simple Summer theme, I humbly suggest that you find a new friend – a visual template you can rely on to do some of the heavy lifting for you, like that strong friend with a truck that shows up when you spot that perfect piece of furniture. What I mean by a "visual template" is a model or format that can be reused to save time, thought and energy.
Find a new template - make a friend for life.
When you identify something you do repeatedly or something that gives you that "this should be easier" feeling, there may be a template for that. Templates can be great when you need to…
- Identify a problem you'd like to solve
- Search for a solution to a sticky issue
- Think about a crucial conversation you may need to have
HERE'S HOW to make a new template for yourself.
- Search our blog post for templates using keywords related to your challenge (see examples below). Innovation template, crucial conversation template, or customer feedback template are a few examples. Do a search online if you'd like more template ideas.
- Pick one template to make your own. If you need to, change the words or add to the template.
- Draw the template in YOUR style using the colors, lettering styles and hierarchy that make sense to you.
- If you wish, add icons or a callout shape where you will be able to add a key "takeaway" message.
HERE ARE 10 EXAMPLES of templates we love (and why). Click any of the icons to download your free template.
- Innovation Mashup: https://www.appliedviz.com/creativity-part-3-creativity-and-innovation
Exercise your creativity and innovation plus visual vocabulary and hierarchy.
2. Customer Feedback: https://www.appliedviz.com/customer-obsessed-innovation
Everyone at all levels should know how to put customers first.
3. Deep Dive Into Your Why's: https://www.appliedviz.com/change-requires-innovation
Innovation is great, but only if your whole team knows why.
4. Crucial Conversations: https://www.appliedviz.com/make-the-scary-not-so-scary
Having that tough conversation gets easier with a visual test run.
5. Vision Map: https://www.appliedviz.com/vision-for-the-future
Future-proof your plan toward a positive vision.
6. 7 W's: https://www.appliedviz.com/my-visual-thinking-ace-in-the-hole
A great all purpose template. Generate new ideas, surface questions, untangle confusion, connect the dots or bring an "ah-ha" moment.
7. Activity Design: https://www.appliedviz.com/learning-teaching-with-visuals
When you need to plan a killer learning activity.
8. Venn Diagram: https://www.appliedviz.com/explore-your-happy-place
Find your happy place or find sets of commonalities and differences.
9. Innovation for Life: https://www.appliedviz.com/innovations-for-life
Track your fav life hacks.
10. Resilience: https://www.appliedviz.com/creativity-resilience-phoenix-moment
Face big change with a positive, resilience-based approach.
Can't find a template for what you need? INVENT ONE and share it with us.
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