Colleague Peter Durand just sent out his newsletter, notifying us in the ‘interactive-graphics’ community about an article he wrote for Contract Magazine.
Peter is a very funny and talented guy … as is his writing.
He is also the creator of an awesome and diverse blog on all things visual and design related: www.graphicfacilitation.com.
Also, last year I had the pleasure of interviewing Peter for a podcast.
Check out this article on the trends, technology and history of graphic facilitation. It weaves together recent experiments by David Sibbet in Second Life, as well as tales from the field from practitioners in Australia, Spain, the UK and Cleveland. Special thanks to all the graphic facilitators who submitted comments on their experience, their clients and their careers.
From the July 2007 issue of Contract Magazine, a publication dedicated to the timely documentation of the commercial design industry.
EXCERPT: As corny as it sounds, graphic facilitation could be called the world’s second oldest profession: telling stories and making pictures. Once early humans started standing up straighter, making cooler tools, and collaborating to go on more dangerous journeys, they have struggled with how to communicate strategy to the tribe. So the challenge of information design started on the cave wall. Somewhere along the line, experienced elders and shamans pulled the talented but surly artistic clansman aside and said, “Listen. I know you don’t like spear-chucking. So, can you draw a big Mastodon on the wall? We’ve got to teach the rest of these slacker kids how to hunt without getting killed.”
Peter Durand is creative director of Alphachimp Studio Inc., a small firm that explores visual learning as a powerful tool in critical thinking, problem solving, and strategic planning. He is also assistant director at the Vanderbilt Center for Better Health, a 32,000-sq.-ft. innovation center and facilitation space in Nashville.
