History of Visual Thinking, by Christine Valenza and Jan Adkins.

In their newly-released paper: Understanding Visual Thinking: The History and Future of Graphic Facilitation, Christine Valenza and Jan Adkins (2009) described the nowadays global economy model with a metaphor: the neuron, compared to a vertical ladder in the Middle Ages and a flat web in the industrial age. They further explained the idea that modern people deal with the complex world by near-instant communication plugging into all levels of a problem and with multiple variables . The nonlinear thinking process for human ingenuity and creativity is rather like a human’s neuron networks than a machine.

From linear and vertical ladder to a complex neuron system, people started to be aware of the voices outside a hierarchy and tried to involve expertise with no manufacturing and commercial background, such as psychology, social science and biology. The flip chart in 1950s was probably the most well-known tool for presenting ideas and recording process in a meeting. People developed the flip chart as a more elaborate VT/GF tool with knowledge of Gestalt awareness, corporate learning, group dynamics, mind maps etc. Therefore, the poster in the front of a group in a conference could record a propound view with assembled graphics, numbers, and arguments.

In 1970s, the concept of a facilitator actively leading meetings toward conflict- and problem-solving interactions emerged with the influence of David Sibbet’s large-paper approach or Michael Doyle’s flip charts recording running dialogue, augmented with large infographic images.

In 1980s, the emergence of computer networking and the internet triggered the interactive graphics to support group process. During the period, people realized that corporations were similar to human entity, subject to more complex motives, stressors, and failures. In 1990s, many business management consultants developed large-scale change methods to involve wider groups of stakeholders in the process of creating fresh decisions.

VT/GF in 21st century now takes advantages of the convenient social networking device and on-line program and still makes a good use of efficiency and accessibilities of the conventional tools, such as hand drawing skills, big poster, and markers. Visual Thinkers/Graphic Facilitators also use fresh visual language, a knowledge of group dynamics, and contemporary business and meeting process awareness.

With a thorough introduction of important publications, facilitation theory, and key figurers, this paper leads us to go through a clear context of the history of Visual Thinking. This is really valuable to understand fundamental background knowledge in Visual Thinking.

In the paper, you can find a better and detail description of the History of Graphic Facilitation with Cristine's and Jan's extraordinary insights. Enjoy it!