GRAPHIC RECORDING FAQs
HOW DO I KNOW GRAPHIC RECORDING IS A GOOD FIT FOR MY EVENT?
Graphic recording (also called scribing or visual note-taking) is great for:
- Events and meetings where information density is high and being delivered verbally (keynotes, panels, meetings, brainstorming sessions, workshops).
- Giving attendees a high-level view of concepts, patterns, and key ideas. Graphic recording is less efective for capturing highly granular or technical data, such as product specifications, software demos, or code.
- Events and meetings that invite ideation, collaboration, capturing shared vision, or making decisions.
HOW DO VISUAL NOTES HELP PEOPLE REMEMBER THE CONTENT OF A PRESENTATION?
Meetings and conferences are mostly about words — spoken or written. That means there's a disconnect between the information your attendees receive and how their brains prefer to process it.
Visual note taking taps directly into our incredible ability to process visual information! Consider these facts:
- Two-thirds of the electrical activity of the brain is devoted to vision when the eyes are open. Source. Graphic recording engages eyes and brains.
- Adding visuals to a spoken lecture increase retention after three hours from 25% to 80%. Source. Graphic recording helps your attendees remember what they learned at your event.
IS IT DISTRACTING?
Graphic recording is surprisingly quiet and unobtrusive. While attendees do check to see what the graphic recorder is doing, they direct most of their attention to where the action is, the speaker and their presentation. In fact, graphic recording actually supports the speaker's content, both during the talk at the end, and when the finished graphic sums up the presentation in a dramatic and memorable way.
WHAT IF THE SPEAKER IS ALSO SHOWING A SLIDE DECK OR VIDEO?
No problem — graphic recording will not interfere with a speaker's presentation in any way.
IS THERE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRAPHIC RECORDERS AND GRAPHIC FACILITATORS?
Yes.
Graphic recorders are present at an event to capture the key elements with live sketch notes, but don't play an active role in event activities.
Graphic facilitators actively participate in and lead event activities, incorporating visuals into their work as part of the facilitation process.
We are primarily graphic recorders, though we partner with facilitators quite frequently.
WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE?
We typically work with markers on 40"x 60" white foam core boards, or on 32" high rolls of paper mounted on a wall or backing board. We also work digitally on an iPad, usually when the event is virtual. But anything that can be drawn on can be potentially used.
DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE ANY SUPPLIES OR MATERIALS?
If the event is within driving distance, we bring everything we need. If not, we will help source any materials that need to be shipped or purchased locally.
HOW MUCH INFORMATION DO YOU NEED IN ADVANCE?
Any relevant preparatory materials are welcome, but at minimum, we like to have an agenda outline and, if possible, any slide presentations. We also meet with clients before an event to confirm details and discuss what will take place. But graphic recording is mostly about listening in the moment, and so can be quite effective without any preparation at all.
WHAT DOES YOUR RATE INCLUDE?
In addition to seeing your event content transformed in real-time into highly shareable, engaging, and memorable content, our package includes:
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- All non-travel time needed to prepare for your event
- Up to 8 hours of content captured per day of your event
- All materials for events that don't require air travel
- All of the original art created at the event
- High-resolution digital versions of all work created, in multiple formats
- All rights to the images (though attribution is much appreciated)
IF WE ONLY NEED YOU FOR A FEW HOURS. DO YOU HAVE A HALF DAY RATE?
We do offer half-day or hourly rates for virtual work, and for work in the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey area. However, even relatively short engagements still require travel, setup, and post-event image processing time. We are happy to suggest additional ways you can use the graphic recordings we create to maximize your investment!
ARE YOU APPROVED TO WORK WITH US GOVERNMENT ENTITIES?
Yes, we are. Our CAGE number is 9XPT8.
SOUNDS GREAT! HOW DO I BOOK YOU FOR MY EVENT?
- First, either contact us through this website or our Calendly page to schedule a free introductory meeting, so we can discuss the objectives of your event and provide you a detailed quote.
- Next, we'll you send a Letter of Agreement that will serve as a contract, and sign any NDA or service agreements you require. Once you've approved and signed the Letter of Agreement, we'll schedule a second call to go over your agenda and logistics in detail, and make sure we're fully prepared for our event.
- Finally, a day or so after the event is over we'll send you the cleaned-up, digital images and an invoice for our fee and any additional expenses.
Free "Getting The Most From Graphic Recording" Tip Sheet
Hiring a graphic recorder or interested in hiring one? We've created an illustrated PDF to help you make sure you get the most value from your graphic recording experience every step of the way!
