...and now for something completely different

Most of the work I do is "live", i.e. mapping in real time as people are talking. But sometimes (and lately it's happening more often), I'm asked to create a chart in advance based on information the client has given me. The completed or partially-completed chart is then presented at the meeting to provide a snapshot of how things currently stand, and to serve as a springboard for further discussion. Because I'm not tracking a conversation while it's happening, I have more time to plan out the image and revise it, if necessary. So these custom charts are usually 'neater' than the live charts and I can get fancier with the illustrations – like actually draw in perspective, for example!

Here is an example of one of these custom charts. It's a timeline I created for Central City Foundation to illustrate key points in their 100-year history. The fun part was drawing the actual line: instead of a straight line – because, really, when does life ever run in a straight line? – I suggested we draw a crazy line that dips and loops and doubles back on itself. The CCF folks loved the idea, so I scrawled a wild line across the page and hung everything off that.













I can't claim originality for the wonky line: it came to me from my friend & colleague Julie Gieseke, who I believe got the idea from another IFVP colleague, John Ward. I loved the idea and figured I could use it in my own way. I hope others are doing the same with ideas they got from me! (I hope others do get ideas from me!)