1. AI-Generated Image

A picture paints a thousand words but how can I do this when I’m not an artist? I recently attended a visualisation workshop to help me with putting my ideas into visuals and also shifted my perspective on the power of drawing. Initially, I thought the workshop would focus only on using visuals to enhance lectures. While this was certainly a valuable aspect, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how drawing could be a powerful tool for personal and professional development.  

The Art of Effective Drawing 

I often use pictures in my work (for example from Pixabay and AI generated images, see image 1) to illustrate concepts like how I connect students to encourage them to try new experiences and use reflection to amplify their learning. 

2. Commissioned Graphic

I also use images I have commissioned from Katrina Swanton of Swanton Sketches to describe the self-feedback process I use to help students develop evaluative judgement (image 2). 

Keen to do more explanation with pictures, but without a budget to pay an illustrator, I began to experiment with drawing as a tool to express ideas and link concepts. 

Applying Visualisation to Scholarship 

Inspired by the workshop I drew my first picture (image 3, below) to represent my scholarship work. One of the practical insights from the workshop was juxtaposing drawings with labels and the use of symbols.  I found that visually mapping out my scholarly activities in words and symbols helped me identify connections. This clarity has enabled me to draw out golden threads so that I can tell my scholarship story more effectively. 

Encouraged by my personal experience, I decided to introduce a drawing exercise to academic participants at a “Supercharge Your Scholarship” session I was running for the University of Manchester Scholarship network. Instead of requiring participants to draw, I encouraged them to doodle their scholarship interests and showed them my drawing. Inspired by the lack of artistic talent I displayed they were empowered to give it a go. I was amazed to see how they used a variety of creative techniques, captions and symbols to capture the essence of their scholarship. It helped them to draw connections between ideas, and participants used them to explain their own scholarship to each other, adding to the drawings as they discussed.  

Visualising Employability 

I’ve also applied visualisation to my work as employability lead at AMBS. By drawing simple diagrams, I can concisely and memorably explain the opportunities available to students. This visual approach helps to break down the various areas of employability support available to students (image 4).

Additionally, I’ve used drawings to illustrate the various aspects of my role as Head of Employability at AMBS (Alliance Manchester Business School). This has been particularly helpful in team meetings where staff get rapidly bored of PowerPoint presentations. The drawing (image 5) illustrates Employability in AMBS 2024 which I was able to discuss with the group and many of them annotated my drawing! 

Conclusion 

The visualisation workshop has certainly expanded my perspective on the potential of drawing as a tool for academics. Whilst I’ve found it incredibly valuable for personal reflection, idea generation and communication, I worry that it might not be seen as a highly professional practice. However, by thoughtfully incorporating visual elements into presentations, it has enhanced my ability to communicate complex ideas and engage my audience in new ways. Although I still consider the pictures to be quite ‘rough and ready’ they do get the messages across very effectively. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be an artist, as I certainly don’t, I would encourage you to doodle your ideas and see where it might lead…..and save you a thousand words! 

Jenni Rose, Head of Employability AMBS 

Connect with Jenni on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/in/jennirose 

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