by Mina McBride & Christopher Bent
Abstract
Creative Response Surveying as part of foresight activity can address barriers such as fear, resistance, lack of diversity, and groupthink that naturally occur during conversations about new ideas and change. Using the participatory drawing tool, Piccles, the authors found a novel way for adults, children, artists and non-artists, to express themselves through drawing, where individual pictures work together with others to reveal larger patterns. This method has been shown to yield unique qualitative data that uncovers truths that previously went unspoken and could be a useful activity for foresight processes like Causal Layered Analysis.
Keywords: Participatory foresight, creativity, creative response surveys, change, activities
This article is about the application of a participatory drawing tool called Piccles and how the deliberate use of this tool for Creative Response Surveying as part of foresight activity can address barriers such as fear, resistance, and groupthink that naturally occur during conversations about new ideas and change. This tool provides a novel way for adults, children, artists and non-artists, to express themselves through drawing, where each little picture works together with others to reveal larger patterns. Creative Response Surveying uses prompts and constraints and allows individuals to draw their answers anonymously rather than express themselves verbally. This deliberatively primitive method has been shown to yield valuable and unique qualitative data that uncovers truths that previously went unspoken.
If you have been in the futures field for any length of time and worked with people in groups, you have observed the responses of fear, resistance, or groupthink that show themselves during discussions about the future (Putman & Paulus, 2009). When it is your job to influence change, rather than just inform, finding and using tools designed to overcome the psychological barriers clients have related to expressing thoughts about the future becomes a critical part of the work. These psychological barriers come in multiple forms. There are those barriers resulting from personal processes and the ones arising from the social dynamics present when humans work in groups (Putman & Paulus, 2009). Further, there is the existence of what futurists Dr. Andy Hines and Dr. Peter Bishop refer to in their book, Thinking About the Future, as taboos.
“Taboos refer to the issues an organization is afraid to speak of, touch upon or even think about…[Taboos] can severely impede a strategic foresight activity by prohibiting open discussion of deep structural changes an organization may need for its survival.” (Hines & Bishop, 2015).
A recent Journal of Futures Studies article, Why Do Society and Academia Ignore the ‘Scientists Warning to Humanity’ On Population? supports the argument for the urgent need to address these barriers, because not doing so may result in the experience of an avoidable collapse scenario when individuals and organizations fail to address and act upon foresight findings (Washington, Lowe, & Kopnina, 2020). This article will briefly explain the scientific theories upon which this application of participatory drawing is based, present examples of the tool in use, and provide tips for the foresight professional who wants to use this method in face-to-face or virtual workshop settings to pull out the real issues standing in the way of honest communication and action.
Drawing as a Communication Tool for Adults
As early as 1901, psychiatrists began to investigate the possible connection between art, emotions, and the mind. The writings of Dr. Sigmund Freud and Dr. Carl Jung were influential in the realization that art created by subjects could be a source of information in situations where language failed to be useful as a form of expression (Malchiodi, 2007). Drawing is a form of communication that has appeared across all cultures and, as a species, we have been drawing for at least 70,000 years (St. Fleur, 2018). It is a form of communication practiced by children throughout the world, but its practice typically diminishes with age as drawing becomes associated with art and the belief that art is something only artists do. As we age, our modes of communication become primarily verbally-based even though visual expression of ideas can sometimes be more effective (Bonsignore, 2019). Freehand drawing, in bypassing cognitive verbal processing routes, leads individuals to produce clearer and more holistic images, allowing them to put into visuals a level of comprehension that is sometimes difficult to articulate with words. The use of the visual communication can also help individuals access tacit knowledge as well as leverage humans’ ability to process this type of communication quickly (Trafton, 2014). Lastly, there is evidence that drawing can improve memory and the acceptance of new information that are so critical in futures workshops (Fernandes, Wammes, & Meade, 2018).
Communication for all
By using the universal ability to draw, underrepresented populations are able to engage in public discourse. A futures workshop is a participatory process best served by the active sharing of thought by a diverse set of minds focused on the future (Bell, 2003). However, frequently, efforts to extract a diversity of thought are thwarted by highly-educated individuals who have been trained to use their verbal and written communication skills to influence discourse in their preferred direction or mask a lack of understanding or dearth of new ideas under the proficient use of language. Those who are younger, not as well-educated, have certain health or ability challenges, have lower status or lack fluency in the local language may find participation and acceptance in open discussion difficult. Populations such as immigrants, the indigenous or those with lower incomes are often marginalized and have been systemically excluded from decision making. The past several decades has seen improvements in the methodologies that encourage ever more inclusive participatory futures work. The Nesta guide, Our Future: By the People, For the People, highlights the use of sensing activities that use digital technologies to “scan, sense, explore, and forecast the future” to democratize futures processes (Ramos, Sweeney, Peach, & Smith, 2019) .
When running corporate workshops with highly-educated accountants, consultants and managers, one of the first sentiments participants express when given the assignment to draw is often “Oh no… I suck at drawing.” Then, each participant proceeds to draw a picture, because everyone knows how to draw. It is just a skill that most do not practice with frequency. The constraints imposed by this use of visual communication levels the playing field, reduces power imbalances and lends equal credibility to everyone’s contributions. Plus, it’s fun! The use of technology means more people within the margins will want to participate, not just the activists and already engaged citizens.
Why Piccles?
The name Piccles (pronounced like pickles) derives from a combination of the words Pictures and Pixels. The use of the app has some distinct advantages to using a “whiteboard” application or simply having participants draw on a sheet of paper. Using the app, participants draw individual pictures and each of these pictures are put together with others in the group to create something larger. The combination of the drawn responses then comprises one data set.
The first advantage is anonymity. What an individual draws and when they complete their drawing is unknown to others in the group. Reducing the chance that ownership of a particular response can be determined by simple observation. Further, the tools available on the app tend to result in rudimentary drawings that are similar in style and appearance, further protecting anonymity. Asynchronous participation can be accommodated. Participation can take place on cell phones, so traditional barriers like work schedules or transportation are dissolved. Further, the same question can be posed in multiple languages, thus eliminating language barriers. With everyone contributing only a small part of a bigger picture, the pressure for perfection is removed and individuals lacking creative confidence are more comfortable expressing themselves. As the individual drawings are combined, we are able to identify macro trends in the overall sentiment of the group through sorting and categorization.
Figure 1. Responses to “What is holding you back?” Copyright 2019 by Piccles. Reprinted with permission.
Use Case: Le Grand Dialogue
During the pandemic, in the absence of being able to safely hold large indoor gatherings, the organizers of Le Grand Dialogue used Piccles to allow citizens to participate in a survey. Citizens, who were sheltering-in-place, engaged through digital channels and shared drawings of their vision. Le Grand Dialogue began with a launch event asking “If transition was a road sign, what would it look like?”
Like the results from this survey (below), our experience has shown that although participants are given no direct instruction about what to draw, the responses typically naturally cluster into categories. There will also be a few outliers occupying a category of their own which can be where the real insights lie. Additionally, the drawings can be leveraged to launch into difficult group conversations or align purpose and vision.
Figure 2. A selection of response images to the question “If transition was a road sign, what would it look like?” Copyright 2020 by Piccles. Reprinted with permission.
Use Case: Montreal Metro Station
Figure 3. Digital Graffiti with the Quartier Des Spectacles. Copyright 2020 by Christopher Bent.
On any other night, anyone walking by this busy Montreal metro station might passively glance at avant-garde art on display, but on this night in November, it was transformed into a live digital graffiti wall for people to leave their mark by drawing their response to questions like “What are you passionate about?” and “What do you love about Montreal?”
In addition to willingness to provide feedback, organizers noted something unexpected: in 40% of observations, individuals sought out someone to express the sentiment behind their drawing. With hundreds of drawings collected in a few hours, organizers were then able to categorize the drawings to extract recurring themes and thoughts that might be present in the larger population.
Use Case: University of Massachusetts
In a separate study conducted at the University of Massachusetts, 19- to 20-year-old college students were asked to draw responses to several prompts about their lives and outlook on the future. After categorizing the responses, it became clear what they were struggling with in online learning, what they were passionate about, their general sentiment about the future and more. These responses were assembled into a data visualization that can be seen below, and a digital storytelling video which can be seen here. The strength of this method to draw out the truth becomes obvious by seeing the large number of students willing to respond with images representing “no direction”, “sleepy”, or “boring” sentiments they would normally not admit to their professor! In a similar way, foresight practitioners can use participatory drawing activities within sessions to draw out unspoken, but widely-held sentiments or uncover new ideas.
Figure 4. Quantified representation of responses to “What is the hardest part of online learning?” Copyright 2020 by Piccles. Reprinted with permission.
Helping Communities Coalesce
Piccles is a deliberately primitive platform so that the technology does not hinder the expression of emotions, thoughts and ideas. With such basic functionality, it’s impossible to deliver something outstanding, which removes the pressure of being perfect. This encourages participation from everyone.
[An] unfiltered, unedited humanity…. much needed in a world that is curated by machine-generated algorithms. You show up as a life force, visible in every gesture, every line, every movement. Piccles releases us from the synthetic experience of emojis by reconnecting us with our true and individual expressive nature. (Simon Nowroz, personal communication, March 4, 2021)
Try It Out
Here is where this article becomes interactive. To provide you with context for the tips you are about to learn, you can access the tool by clicking THIS LINK (https://app.piccles.com/FUTURES) with any available device.
The link grants access to an asynchronous version of Piccles where you will find three questions customized for the Journal of Futures Studies, responding should take no more than five minutes (responses will be categorized and shared in an amendment to the article).
Leading a Creative Response Session
A free account is available at https://app.piccles.com/admin/register.
- Decide whether synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous sessions are delivered to a live audience, either in-person or virtually through Zoom, Teams or any other web conferencing platform. Asynchronous sessions can be delivered through social media, blog post or link. like the one above.
- Determine objectives for the session. The purpose may be brainstorming, consensus- building, community-building, collecting qualitative data, retrospectives, teambuilding, establishing psychological safety or as an icebreaker.
- Craft your questions. Decide the best questions to ask. It is recommended to think in terms of a journey. Start with easy prompts so participants can become comfortable drawing with the tool and get used to drawing again. Some inspiration and popular questions we’ve asked can be viewed here.
- Engage stakeholders. Ask all stakeholders of an organization (Executives, frontline workers, consumers, vendors, etc.) the same questions about the organization. Compare the results to gauge the differences in perception held by individuals at different levels within an organization and externally. Use this to stage strategic conversations about the organization from a more informed position.
- Apply to Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) processes. Ask participants to draw the myth-level beliefs. Begin by using practice questions that require making a visual metaphor (i.e., “If this morning’s activities were a fruit, what fruit would describe it?). After the drawings have been submitted, solicit explanations of the drawings or hold a conversation about the combined results.
As we strive to continue to involve wider and more diverse audiences in futures work, having tools that increase participation in the process becomes critical. The tools we employ should allow participants to speak truth and create room for all voices and ideas to be considered equally. We are interested in your experiences using the tool and invite you to correspond by connecting with the authors using the email addresses following the article content.
Disclosure
The primary author, Mina McBride, has no financial or other interest in the Piccles tool nor any similar product available on the market and embarked on this study purely for academic and professional interest.
The second author, Chris Bent, has ownership stake in Piccles and was engaged to test theories and provide accurate representation of the products and its attributes.
Authors
Mina McBride is a professional futurist working for a Fortune 50 company.
E-Mail: minamcb@gmail.com
Christopher Bent is an artist, speaker and founder of Piccles. He is based in Montreal and continues to engage in activities that help others realize their creative potential.
E-Mail: Chris@piccles.com
References
Bell, W. (2003). Foundations of Futures Studies. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers.
Bonsignore, M. (2019, January 24). Using Visual Language to Create the Case for Change. Retrieved September 12, 2020, from American Management Association: https://www.amanet.org/articles/using-visual-language-to-create-the-case-for-change/
Fernandes, M. A., Wammes, J. D., & Meade, M. E. (2018). The Surprisingly Powerful Influence of Drawing on Memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 302-308. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418755385
Hines, A., & Bishop, P. (2015). Thinking About the Future: Guidelines for Strategic Foresight. Houston: Hinesight.
Inayatullah, S. (1998). Causal Layered Analysis: Poststructuralism as Method (Vol. 30(8)). Futures.
Malchiodi, C. (2007). The Art Therapy Sourcebook. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Nowroz, S. (2021, March). Personal Communication.
Putman, V. L., & Paulus, P. B. (2009, March). Brainstorming, Brainstorming Rules, and Decision Making. Journal of Creative Behavior, 23-24. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264228121_Brainstorming_Brainstorming_Rules_and_Decision_Making
Ramos, J., Sweeney, J., Peach, K., & Smith, L. (2019). Our Futures: By the People, For the People. London. Retrieved May 17, 2021, from https://www.nesta.org.uk/documents/1692/Our_futures_by_the_people_for_the_people_WEB_v5.pdf
St. Fleur, N. (2018, September 12). Oldest Known Drawing by Human Hands Discovered in South African Cave. New York Times. Retrieved September 28, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/science/oldest-drawing-ever-found.html
Trafton, A. (2014, January 16). In the Blink of an Eye. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from MIT News: https://news.mit.edu/2014/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-0116
Washington, H., Lowe, I., & Kopnina, H. (2020). Why Do Society and Academia Ignore the ‘Scientists Warning to Humanity’ On Population? Journal of Future Studies, 93-106. Retrieved October 2020, from https://jfsdigital.org/tag/scientists-warning-to-humanity/
