I hung up the phone and realized I had just said “yes” to doing something I had never done before - create a whiteboard video.
My experiences were tangentially related. I worked for a video production company in Chicago but had never produced a video. I was a capable designer and illustrator, but I had never created finished work with whiteboard markers. To top it all off I had never heard of the topic the video was supposed to cover.
And I still said Yes.
Before I got the green light I had to convince my client that giving me a chance to do this was the right choice - to do that, I gave her drawings.
I used visual thinking to create sketches that conveyed my understanding of the story she wanted to tell using the right metaphor and visual language.
I used visual thinking to map out how I’d produce the video, the resources, timing, and deliver it on time.
I used that map to coordinate a small team to execute the video.
And because it was a creative project, those initial sketches became the basis for the content of the video itself.
As soon as that video went live and my inbox was full of requests for more videos, I used visual thinking to visualize strategies, and processes, and communicate my vision to a growing team that built a 7 figure business that’s still going strong for more than 10 years after that phone call.
The skills I used weren't just creative skills.
They Were Visual Thinking.
What is visual thinking?
It is a set of tools & skills to:
- Speed up your understanding of a topic
- Capture important information so it sticks
- Develop tools to iterate through any problem or solution
- Implement projects cleaner and faster
- Gain confidence in your ideas and decisions
Out of my experience at the intersection of creativity and entrepreneurship, I developed the VAST Method of visual thinking.
I am pleased to introduce you to Unlocking Visual Thinking in your Work. Learn the foundational skills and mindsets of visual thinking to better collaborate and communicate.
Learn to filter conversations quickly, capture what’s important, and tackle tough problems visually.
You’ll learn the VAST Method to identify the skills that fit different visual thinking styles and uses.
You’ll practice capturing information visually for learning, storing, reference, and incorporation.
You’ll practice processing your ideas visually using simple exercises and versatile frameworks.
When you tap into visual thinking, you find better alignment, communicate more clearly, and drive innovation in your team.
About Eric
I am Relumed's co-founder and the creator of the VAST Method. I am a creative entrepreneur who worked as a graphic designer and brand strategist before founding my first company that scaled, TruScribe. TruScribe is a whiteboard video company and its founding was one of the first times that I recognized the power of visual thinking to capture new ideas and communicate them clearly.
TruScribe went on to make it to #253 on the Inc5000 list in 2015 and is still creating amazing whiteboard-style videos.
I also used my visual thinking skills as I co-founded the SaaS company Squigl, particularly in moving from the concept of whiteboard video software to reality.
Now, as the co-founder of Relumed, I am sharing what I have learned about visual thinking with you! I have brought together the key components of visual thinking into the VAST Method, a self-directed framework that helps anyone become the visual thinker they want to be. I am here to tell you that you are doing great on your visual thinking journey and to give you the tools to do your job better, with the use of visual thinking.
When I'm not drawing on my iPad Pro for Relumed or other creative endeavors, I love spending time with my family - my wife (and Relumed co-founder) Marita and our two young children. And most of my ideas come on my daily walks with my pandemic pup, Luna.
I can't wait to meet you and join you on your visual thinking journey!
VAST Method
Unlocking Visual Thinking explores the initial stages of the VAST Method for visual thinking. It introduces you to how to draw basic elements and icons, how to filter information and use visual frameworks, how to transform your own notetaking and information processing, and how to make visual thinking tools part of your everyday work.
Visual
Of course visual thinking is visual! Can you be a visual thinker without being an artist? How visual do I need to be for it to be useful in business? We’ll explore that!
Adaptive
Know what to draw or visualize in a given situation. Learn to filter for important information, choose the right frameworks, and be visual on the go.
Sharing
How can you use visual thinking with your team? Learn how to use visual thinking in your own work so that you can share your ideas more clearly.
Tools
What does it take to get started with visual thinking? Which tools are suitable for your needs and how you want to work?
Course Bonuses!
In addition to 8 sections of content delivered over 30 days, you will receive:
12 Months of Access
12 months of access to the course means that you can follow the course tempo, or work through the lectures on your timetable. at your own pace.
And once you’ve completed the course you’ll have plenty of time to review and reflect on the material.
Exercises and Downloads
Cultivating a lifelong skill requires you to take what you’ve learned and put it into practice. Each skill based lesson has an exercise to help you better understand and perform the skill.
Many of these exercises also have corresponding downloads so you can refer back to them as you need.
Curriculum Preview
Here's a sneak peek at some of the content you will enjoy with this course.
FAQ's
Who is this course for?
This course is for people who are curious, excited to make sense of messy situations, looking for new ways to approach problems, and energized by the idea of leaving no stone unturned in their work. It is for people who want to find creative solutions to communication problems in their work. It is for people who are looking for unique ways to connect with others. If this is you, you are going to have so much fun with Unlocking Visual Thinking.
What if I don’t want to be a professional visual thinker?
Our VAST Method of visual thinking is teaching you to bring visual thinking into the amazing work you already do. It’s like a new superpower. But you get to decide how you want to use it. You can use visual thinking skills to be a better listener in meetings. Or you can use those skills to facilitate team meetings. Either way, you get to decide!
Why should I pay you to teach me to draw for my work?
You probably shouldn’t! Visual thinking is clearly a visual way to process information, but the visual skills we teach are only one part of our method. The most important and impactful parts are the ways we teach you to filter information and collaborate with others. That is where the magic happens!
I want to sign up my whole team. Should we all register for your course?
It depends! If you want to teach your whole team visual thinking, it may be better for us to work with you on a dedicated training session for your team. Contact us at [email protected] and we can get that set up for you.
30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee
We know that it is hard to invest in personal development. But we also know the impact that visual thinking skills can have on your work.
So, we are happy to offer a 30-day no-risk, money-back guarantee.
