‘Thinking with picture diagrams’ for visioning, analysis and planning is the basis of GAMEChange methodology.
Picture diagrams are a fun way to present very complex information that might take several pages in words. They aid memory because the brain has to process information first, not just copy. They enable more equal communication across inequalities of literacy and power and reduce the need for translation across language barriers.
The adapted tools are sequenced in very specific ways as systematic and cumulative toolsets adapted for different GAMEchange processes.
symbol PICTURES
‘A picture [can be] worth a thousand words’
Although diagramming does not necessarily use drawing, using symbols often increases both conceptual clarity as well as visual impact of diagrams.
- The aim is not fine art paintings, drawing every hair on someones head in the right perspective. The aim is simple symbolic representations that other people will understand.
- Experience has proved that even people who have never held a pen before, are soon able to draw. It is just a question of having an image in your head, opening the pen and making marks on the paper.
- Symbol pictures are often more effective ways of understanding concepts, communicating what is really in one’s own or someone else’s head.
- More information can be put on a page.
- People who do not speak the same language can often communicate through pictures across cultures.
- Once people get used to drawing they find it fun.
Picture diagrams can be very simple. Anyone can learn these drawing and visual communication skills, whatever their level of formal education. With some serious though and practice anyone can learn to use their full potential and power for clarity and creativity.
In team-building processes drawing encourages spontaneity and free and open discussion of ideas – including sensitive issues that words like ’empowerment’ or ‘progress’ or even ‘a nice house’ may leave vague and open to misinterpretation.
diagram Templates
Diagramming is a key element in creative and lateral thinking required for innovation. Diagrams provide a sophisticated and entertaining way of presenting very complex information that might take several pages to describe in words. The diagramming process also improves memory of information because the brain processes information in order to diagram, rather than just mechanically copying.
All GAMEChange empowerment action methodologies adapt a set of four diagram ‘DNA templates’.
- Vision Journeys show progress over time and plan towards a vision
- Action Trees show inputs/outputs, challenge/action, cause/effect
- Empowerment Maps show relationships and strengthen empowerment networks
- Diamond Visions deepen and revisit visions and bring different perspectives together
GAMEChange builds on and adapts diagrams from other participatory diagram methodologies common since the 1970s, including Participatory Rural Appraisal, Participatory Learning and Action, REFLECT Literacy Methodology and Appreciative Enquiry.
The GAMEChange pictorial diagram templates have evolved to incorporate underlying ethical principles including gender mainstreaming, and also principles of visual dynamics to increase clarity of communication. The associated adapted tools are used in very specific ways as systematic and cumulative toolsets in different GAMEchange processes.
Empowering Innovation
Innovation by Users
Innovation by users in communities and organisations is a key feature of the GAMEChange methodology.
Diagrams are extremely flexible. All of the diagram templates can adapt to a wide of issues and types of information. More than one type of diagram or sequencing of diagrams is possible to address any one question. The examples in the GAMEChange manuals are by no means the only possibilities. Adaptation of tools will always be ongoing as new issues arise and the needs and skills of participants evolve. Most tools go through a process of progressive refinement as particular elements and relationships become more important or more interesting than others in the light of evidence or local logical associations.
Initially all participants should draw symbol pictures for everything. Then they develop visual communication skills. But over time concepts and information may become more complex eg the need for quantification in thousands rather than tens of money notes. If everyone has developed their drawing skills, but is also literate and speaks the same language then they can add some short written words to the drawings. Often people still choose to draw because once the are skills they find drawing more fun, and can represent more information in a smaller space that they and other people can understand at a glance.
In most GAMEChange processes participants create their own pictorial manuals and notes. This not only reduces costs, but also making it more likely they will own, remember and implement what they have learned. It also means that anyone can learn to use the methodology – all they need is a pen and a notebook.
Innovation principles
The main aim in any process is to keep things simple and use as few tools as absolutely necessary so that people can focus on the issues without the distraction of having to learn lots of new tools. Innovations must be:
- User-led: people using the tools must lead the innovation and ongoing adaptation – not imposed by ‘expert’ staff and consultants without listening carefully to the users.
- Simple: tools should initially be simple enough for any users to understand how to use and share the tools in a very short time – often only 10 minutes – no matter what their level of formal education.
- Sophisticated enough to really help people think through and analyse their complex reality and possible strategies for change.
- Coherent as a cumulative learning process. All tools must clearly build on and link to each other, adding information and enabling tracking and sharing.
It is also important that diagrams form a logical sequence with clear linkages between them. Staff or consultants should avoid just trying to ‘make their mark’ by inventing a new tool, rather than looking at the issue and then seeing how people using tools can adapt what they they already know. Introducing many new tools has often become very disjointed with little thematic learning link between them.
It is possible to add other types of diagram like calendars, flowers, maps and matrices if people are already familiar with these, or they are really necessary for a specific process. But the most interesting and useful innovations are generally those that users invent themselves.
Visual design
One of the big advantages of drawings and diagrams over linear writing is that they can communicate a lot of information in a much smaller space, including different types of interlinkages that people can see and undesratnd at a glance.
This requires paying attention to the visual dynamics and overall impression on the page. It is best to draw first drafts in pencil so that drawings people can easily rubbed things out and alter them as their thinking about what they want to say becomes deeper. Another option is to use messy first drafts brainstorming, then redraft them once thinking is clear.
Design elements
Combine a number of different design elements to clearly communicate nuances of meaning and analysis:
- Symbol shapes to differentiate between different categories
- Colour to differentiate between different categories and/or relationship
- Spatial placement and position on the page in relation to other elements to indicate closeness of relationship
- Size in relation to other elements to indicate hierarchy – or equality
- Line to differentiate between different categories and/or relationship
Empowerment Principles
BUT although tools are very flexible, this does not mean to say that ‘anything goes’.
Innovation in the tried and tested tools must have a clear value-addition to empowerment.
Empowerment innovation checklist
Does the picture diagram adaptation or innovation:
- Start with vision – is there an inspiring focus? even the current situation should relate to a vision
- Think positive – does it identify as many positive opportunities for change as possible?
- Foresee challenges but don’t get too bogged down – does it identify challenges and power relations?
- Act SMART from Day 1 ALWAYS identify immediate action steps and SMART target/s
- Track, reflect and learn What symbols will people use to track progress? When will they do it? How will they learn from experience?
- Share with others – few people can succeed alone. Are people clear enough about the steps to share with others?
- Changing power relations – are differences between stakeholders eg gender/age/ethnic dimensions analysed and addressed for all the above?
Ethical considerations
Diagrams and drawing are only as empowering as the facilitators, processes and institutions using them.
In all instances any sensitive information should be anonymous. Participants’ right to privacy of their analysis is crucial to them feeling free to think deeply and honestly about their situation. They should never feel vulnerable to other people’s gaze or gossip if they draw their true reality. Other people should only share information, photographs and video with the person’s permission.
People’s drawings and diagrams should have accreditation wherever possible if participants wish. Though it is not always possible to ascertain authorship in a participatory process where different people share drawings or diagrams, and given time constraints of large workshops.
action learning:
tracking Change
Colour-coding for action planning and assessment
All diagrams can track progress using colour coding to make the analysis and planning clear at a glance. Colour-coding may apply to different pens and/or cards and/or flipchart paper to differentiate perspectives of different participants eg women/men, staff/community etc.
Colour-coding for participants should seek to subvert cultural norms eg not using normal colours for women/men in order to encourage thinking about change.in gender stereotypes
For planning, tracking and monitoring it is good to follow the following established GAMEChange convention so that different processes can understand each other and avoid confusion:
Red = achieved
Green = planned or ‘unripe’
Black = indigenous, already existing
Blue = perished, not wanted, not relevant
Other forms of visual communication
dance to accompany songs
Dance Songs are based on the aims and steps of the diagram tools and reinforce learning and group cohesion around visions and change.
theatre and role play
Transformatory drama is used to reinforce champion facilitation skills and complement the diagrams in exploring changes and strategies.