Frameworks for Excellence: Using Visual Thinking and Communication to Elevate Your Research
Summary
The research industry struggles with effectively communicating complex findings, meaning valuable knowledge is often misunderstood or under-utilized. Dense reports and impenetrable data presentations can carry the blame for much of this. However, embracing visual frameworks and storytelling techniques can make complex data more digestible and engaging. Frameworks thinking not only helps findings spread further, but empowers stakeholders to “think with the ideas”—enhancing both the impact and audience of insight. The session will look at some examples of powerful visual framework to enable attendees to learn how to transform complex data into engaging visuals and narratives, and give clear strategies for making insight more accessible and impactful.
Key Insights
-
•
Visual frameworks help transform complex qualitative data into impactful, shareable stories that travel through organizations.
-
•
Drawing and visual thinking engage different brain pathways and promote new connections and ideas.
-
•
Frameworks should be targeted to specific stakeholders to maximize their usefulness and adoption.
-
•
Effective frameworks balance abstraction and selectivity, focusing on key differences, processes, or hierarchies rather than full representation.
-
•
Iteration with team feedback is crucial; initial frameworks often look imperfect and require refinement.
-
•
Collaboration with designers improves visual clarity and prevents misinterpretations, especially across cultures.
-
•
Using familiar visual metaphors and diagrams (e.g., two-by-twos, pyramids, feedback loops) eases stakeholder understanding.
-
•
Presenting frameworks as conversation starters encourages deeper discussion and preserves the richness of qualitative data.
-
•
Different organizational contexts call for adapting the visual style and language of frameworks accordingly.
-
•
Small time investments in sketching and sharing rough visuals can buy more time and impact than rushing text-only top lines.
Notable Quotes
"Draw your ideas, draw your ideas — it unlocked a skill I never thought I had and made my ideas have more traction."
"The retina is a primary brain surface; when we look at things differently, we think differently."
"Data are like minerals dug from the earth; insights are cut stones; frameworks are the jewelry that connects them."
"The act of arranging information becomes an act of insight — the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
"Always design your high-impact slides for the busy executive in the back of a limo."
"A useful visual abstraction can’t represent everything; it needs to be selective and targeted."
"Frameworks are maps: they help with specific jobs like navigation, not full territory representation."
"You’re not going to get it right first time. It’s going to look weird, that’s fine — enjoy the process."
"Bring your clients and stakeholders into the process early to make sure the visual language works for them."
"In engineering-heavy organizations, piggyback on existing visual languages like critical user journeys to gain acceptance."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"Everything that I make looks s****y. How can I turn this into a benefit?"
Joe ElmendorfShitty Maps: A Trojan Horse for Sensemaking
July 9, 2026
"Thou art community, connection, and meaning – the product is not just code or design, it is a shared experience between humans and dogs."
Kevin M. HoffmanTheme 2: Enterprise Team Journey
June 3, 2019
"It’s good practice to offer one-on-one interactions with older adults due to their learning preferences."
Rittika BasuAge and Interfaces: Equipping Older Adults with Technological Tools
February 23, 2023
"Every major brand has a dark side brought to you by design on purpose, 40 hours a week."
George AyeThat Quiet Little Voice: When Design and Ethics Collide
November 16, 2022
"The complexity of automating marketing content for agents varies because some want hyper-personalized brand content while others prefer general automation."
Andreas Huebner Amy Takata Craig BrookesWhat Is It Like To Be Part of The UX Team at Compass?
March 11, 2021
"A frame is extremely hard to dislodge from our brains once triggered, so we have to build inclusive frames deliberately."
Kaitlin TaskerFast and Fearless Inclusive Research
March 27, 2023
"Our standard research frameworks and tools are often inadequate for addressing complex social problems."
Steve Portigal Alba Villamil Sam LadnerThe Future of Research: Bridging the Gaps
July 29, 2021
"Stories are how we make meaning of life, explain how things work, and justify our decisions."
Bilan HashiThe Tension Between Story Collecting and Story Telling in Research
March 10, 2021
"Every time we say, I would prefer not to, we reclaim a little bit of agency."
Jemma AhmedTheme 1 Intro
March 10, 2026
