Complexity and policy making - can you even say those words in the same sentence? Most governments work as if the world is more linear than it actually is. There are still policy makers who think that complex problems can be approached with extensive planning and an efficiency mindset. The illusion of control still [...]
"Finland ranked the happiest country in the world - again" reports the BBC and other media around the world. But what lies behind this statement? Are Finns really happy? And if so, why are they happy? I drew a cartoon summary of an event titled Finntopia - British perspectives on the world's happiest country [...]
Public services have to be efficient, right? Well, yes. But there is a major caveat... What if I told you that our quest for efficiency has actually made public services more ineffective? And in some cases less humane? This animation was commissioned by a group of academics and public sector administrators who [...]
Is your event, meeting or workshop going virtual? Thanks to Coronavirus, chances are that it is. Making your online event more memorable with cartoon sketchnotes Digital events have a reputation of being bland non-events that people only listen to with half an ear while doing something else. One way to make online events a [...]
Organisations must change. But why? This infographic explains how our unpredictable and increasingly complex world forces companies to rethink how they operate. It also gives key ways on how they can change to better adapt to our volatile world (VUCA for those who are into management speak). This infographic was the inspiration for the [...]
You’ve probably been to at least one event with a so called “graphic recorder”. Also known as a scribe or skethchnote artist. Graphic recording can be an engaging way to capture key ideas, insights and debates at events, meetings or workshops. But sometimes the content isn’t quite what you wanted. Or the drawings [...]
Did you spot them all? For some of you this is a very easy exercise, but some of you might scratch their heads a bit. Those of you who are baffled by this picture scroll down for the answers. Those to whom this was easy: what would you add to the picture? (Use comments or [...]
Buy this cartoon "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity". The legendary World War 2 American general George S. Patton thought that the Highest Ranking Person's Opinion should be confined to the goal (the what) - not the how. The [...]
Buy this cartoon The highest paid person's opinion (HIPPO) can really derail attempts to introduce Agile, or any flatter working practices for that matter. Virpi @voinonen
From time to time I run a workshop where I ask people to draw a three panel comic strip about a problem they are struggling with. We are not trying to solve anything with this exercise – only describe the problem and its impact. This is how it works: First panel: The Goal! Where we [...]