LogoVisual thinking
Encyclopedia
LogoVisual thinking is a practical methodology that helps people think. It is used by management teams, project leaders, teachers and students as a means of tapping the diversity of groups and enabling many people to participate in effective thinking processes. It makes thinking visible and tactile by making ideas into moveable objects displayed on writeable surfaces – for instance magnetic dry-wipe shapes on whiteboards. Structured processes guide people’s thinking to achieve their intended outcomes.
LVT is both an overall concept and a methodology. It developed out of structural communication
, systematics (the study of multi-term systems), and other work of J. G. Bennett in the 1960s, recent development being sponsored by Centre for Management Creativity. As a general concept it covers the region of learning and communication in which three modes of intelligence are combined for understanding: verbal, visual and haptic
. It is thus related to multiple intelligences. The structure of the process supports metacognition
.
, Japanese affinity diagrams, Robert Horn’s visual language
, Gabriele Rico's 'clustering' and many other emergent trends from the 1960s onwards. It makes the making of meaning the main focus of its technology. The technology extends verbal expression to visual arrangement and brings into play physical manipulation of 'meaning objects'. The haptic
component of physical contact and action is a primary distinguishing feature of LVT.
It emphasises the logos
or meaning of words in statements that are 'molecules of meaning', which can be understood autonomously and in combinations. Each molecule of meaning (MM) exists on a separate object. MMs can be placed on a visual display and moved around in relation to each other. Meaningful aggregates of MMs are replaced by higher order MMs. Use of MMs distinguishes LVT from other current techniques of display such as mindmapping because (a) MMs are statements and not single words (b) they are free to be moved about and are not fixed in position (c) they can form into any kind of pattern and not just hierarchical ones. In principle, every MM can be seen in the context of any of the other MMs in a given set.
The technological freedom of MMs enables people to suspend collapse into set forms and/or conclusions (convergent thinking), while providing structure
to their explorations (divergent thinking). A complex process of thinking by a group can easily be tracked and recorded.
LVT supports process of democracy
because it enables people to think together. It articulates thinking in a public shared space, in which structure is given equal attention to content. It relates strongly to dialogue
and can be called a 'technology of dialogue'.
There are five standard stages in the process.
LVT emphasises the importance of articulate statement. Each MM is symbolic of an individual in a social setting, capable of finding many complex relations with other individuals; rather than a 'thing' that has to be fixed into a mechanical order.
In the stage of Gathering, the assembly of MMs is deliberately chaotic. This allows for complexity in aggregations.
In stage three, Organising can be of different kinds but in particular explore the tensions between using prefigured forms - classifications, hierarchies, etc. - and allowing the MMs to self-organise. The flexibility and range of Organise in LVT distinguishes it from the use of set forms as in mindmapping. The capacity to insert, remove and rearrange MMs in organising is a totally new dimension of thinking technology.
The fourth stage of Integrating draws on structural insights into complex texts, in particular the principles of ring composition
as discovered by the English anthropologist Mary Douglas
.
The stages move from contemplation
to decision making
.
LVT is both an overall concept and a methodology. It developed out of structural communication
Structural communication
Structural communication was developed in the 1960s by John G. Bennett and his research team to simulate the structure and quality of a small group tutorial through automated means. It provides access to high level learning for many students without much supervision. A communication consists of...
, systematics (the study of multi-term systems), and other work of J. G. Bennett in the 1960s, recent development being sponsored by Centre for Management Creativity. As a general concept it covers the region of learning and communication in which three modes of intelligence are combined for understanding: verbal, visual and haptic
Haptic perception
Haptic perception is the process of recognizing objects through touch. It involves a combination of somatosensory perception of patterns on the skin surface and proprioception of hand position and conformation....
. It is thus related to multiple intelligences. The structure of the process supports metacognition
Metacognition
Metacognition is defined as "cognition about cognition", or "knowing about knowing." It can take many forms; it includes knowledge about when and how to use particular strategies for learning or for problem solving...
.
Description
LVT evolved independently but in parallel with Tony Buzan’s mindmapping, Edward de Bono’s lateral thinkingLateral thinking
Lateral thinking is solving problems through an indirect and creative approach, using reasoning that is not immediately obvious and involving ideas that may not be obtainable by using only traditional step-by-step logic...
, Japanese affinity diagrams, Robert Horn’s visual language
Visual language
A visual language is a system of communication using visual elements. Speech as a means of communication cannot strictly be separated from the whole of human communicative activity which includes the visual and the term 'language' in relation to vision is an extension of its use to describe the...
, Gabriele Rico's 'clustering' and many other emergent trends from the 1960s onwards. It makes the making of meaning the main focus of its technology. The technology extends verbal expression to visual arrangement and brings into play physical manipulation of 'meaning objects'. The haptic
Haptic perception
Haptic perception is the process of recognizing objects through touch. It involves a combination of somatosensory perception of patterns on the skin surface and proprioception of hand position and conformation....
component of physical contact and action is a primary distinguishing feature of LVT.
It emphasises the logos
Logos
' is an important term in philosophy, psychology, rhetoric and religion. Originally a word meaning "a ground", "a plea", "an opinion", "an expectation", "word," "speech," "account," "reason," it became a technical term in philosophy, beginning with Heraclitus ' is an important term in...
or meaning of words in statements that are 'molecules of meaning', which can be understood autonomously and in combinations. Each molecule of meaning (MM) exists on a separate object. MMs can be placed on a visual display and moved around in relation to each other. Meaningful aggregates of MMs are replaced by higher order MMs. Use of MMs distinguishes LVT from other current techniques of display such as mindmapping because (a) MMs are statements and not single words (b) they are free to be moved about and are not fixed in position (c) they can form into any kind of pattern and not just hierarchical ones. In principle, every MM can be seen in the context of any of the other MMs in a given set.
The technological freedom of MMs enables people to suspend collapse into set forms and/or conclusions (convergent thinking), while providing structure
Structure
Structure is a fundamental, tangible or intangible notion referring to the recognition, observation, nature, and permanence of patterns and relationships of entities. This notion may itself be an object, such as a built structure, or an attribute, such as the structure of society...
to their explorations (divergent thinking). A complex process of thinking by a group can easily be tracked and recorded.
LVT supports process of democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
because it enables people to think together. It articulates thinking in a public shared space, in which structure is given equal attention to content. It relates strongly to dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
and can be called a 'technology of dialogue'.
There are five standard stages in the process.
- Focus - identifying a question or theme that provides a basis for a common act of attentionAttentionAttention is the cognitive process of paying attention to one aspect of the environment while ignoring others. Attention is one of the most intensely studied topics within psychology and cognitive neuroscience....
- Gather - generating, articulating and displaying separate MMs as a relevant set as in a gathering
- Organise - arranging and aggregating MMs to form (separate) higher order MMs
- Integrate - systematic or aesthetic unification of these MMs into a whole system
- Realise - creative or 'willed' outcome
LVT emphasises the importance of articulate statement. Each MM is symbolic of an individual in a social setting, capable of finding many complex relations with other individuals; rather than a 'thing' that has to be fixed into a mechanical order.
In the stage of Gathering, the assembly of MMs is deliberately chaotic. This allows for complexity in aggregations.
In stage three, Organising can be of different kinds but in particular explore the tensions between using prefigured forms - classifications, hierarchies, etc. - and allowing the MMs to self-organise. The flexibility and range of Organise in LVT distinguishes it from the use of set forms as in mindmapping. The capacity to insert, remove and rearrange MMs in organising is a totally new dimension of thinking technology.
The fourth stage of Integrating draws on structural insights into complex texts, in particular the principles of ring composition
Ring composition
Ring composition is a narrative technique said to be characteristic of preliterate peoples and oral modes of composition. It is also called chiasmus, chiastic structure, or simply ring structure...
as discovered by the English anthropologist Mary Douglas
Mary Douglas
Dame Mary Douglas, DBE, FBA was a British anthropologist, known for her writings on human culture and symbolism....
.
The stages move from contemplation
Contemplation
The word contemplation comes from the Latin word contemplatio. Its root is also that of the Latin word templum, a piece of ground consecrated for the taking of auspices, or a building for worship, derived either from Proto-Indo-European base *tem- "to cut", and so a "place reserved or cut out" or...
to decision making
Decision making
Decision making can be regarded as the mental processes resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice.- Overview :Human performance in decision terms...
.