Knowing What to Capture as a Graphic Recorder: part three – the Magic

Zen and the Art of Listening on Purpose

 
Knowing what to capture as a graphic recorder involves a process that operates on multiple levels.  On the one hand, there’s the content strategy aspect to Listening on Purpose.  However, that content strategy gets coupled with a sort of zen-like approach when actually doing the work… because strategizing and thinking too much about what you’re recording actually gets in the way of being able to record… to Listen on Purpose.
 
Even with knowing what the purpose and goals are for an event, I don’t seek to know what the specific content will be during a session.  (Even when you think you know what it’s going to be, nine times out of ten it’s going to change on you… so I prefer to approach my projects with an open mind and ears ready to listen.)
 
This also means that when I’m graphic recording, I don’t  “look” for what to capture.  Rather, I let those things reveal themselves to me in the stream of content and experience.  I suppose you could say that I engage in “intuitive listening” during my projects.  It’s keeping a sort of “soft gaze” on the content stream, training in to what jumps out and flashes in the current, rather than trying to focus on every single thing floating by in that current and missing the key moments as a result.
 
That soft focus allows you to simply be present to all of the content at the same time, and consequently see more and respond in the moment to the right things.  It’s being in “flow” of the event.
 
And when you’re in “flow” of the event, that’s when you’re really being of service to the group.  Mindful of the purpose and context, “You” become a conduit for the event’s content and experience to translate into visual onto the page.
 
So, as a graphic recorder I prepare myself and build my understanding of the purpose and goals for the event.  During the event while I do a graphic recording, I let all that knowledge and planning go and simply serve as that fully-present conduit I described above.  And by the end of the session, everything has worked out the way it needs to.
 
And that’s how it really works!
 
(Well, that’s how it really works for me at any rate. How does it work for you?)
 
I cannot wait to see what you draw forth,