Generative Scribing

Scribing—visually representing ideas while people talk—is a distinct social art form that facilitates group learning and cultural memory. Scribes listen and draw simultaneously, creating large pictures that integrate content, prompt insight, and aid with decision-making.

“Generative scribing” extends this art by attending to the field of energy and relation between people, and to the emerging potential of a system. 

This book frames the key concepts that inform a scribe’s inner capacities of being, joining, perceiving, knowing, and drawing. It is for scribes, facilitators, coaches, and organizers, and for anyone who cares about how we exist as humans.

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Figure 1: Scribing. Demonstration of the zone that forms between scribe, speaker, and participant-audience at a session of the World Economic Forum in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Permanent ink on a wall, 7’h x 40’w, 2012. Photo credit: Alfredo Carlo.

Figure 1: Scribing. Demonstration of the zone that forms between scribe, speaker, and participant-audience at a session of the World Economic Forum in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Permanent ink on a wall, 7’h x 40’w, 2012. Photo credit: Alfredo Carlo.

Figure 2: Integration. This drawing mapped a two-hour dialogue at the end of a year-long leadership program. It demonstrates the application of system dynamics and balancing voices in the room. Cambridge, MA, USA. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 1

Figure 2: Integration. This drawing mapped a two-hour dialogue at the end of a year-long leadership program. It demonstrates the application of system dynamics and balancing voices in the room. Cambridge, MA, USA. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 12’w, 2014.

Figure 3: Integration. Example of flow coming into the room through multiple voices, and weaving individual contributions into one thread. “We have a long journey ahead . . . ” “and our time . . . ” “we are vulnerable . . . ” “treasure each other.”

Figure 3: Integration. Example of flow coming into the room through multiple voices, and weaving individual contributions into one thread. “We have a long journey ahead . . . ” “and our time . . . ” “we are vulnerable . . . ” “treasure each other.”

Figure 4: The Iceberg. As applied to scribing for a C-ROADS Climate Simulation led by John Sterman, director of the MIT System Dynamics Group, Cambridge, MA, USA. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 8’w, 2015.

Figure 4: The Iceberg. As applied to scribing for a C-ROADS Climate Simulation led by John Sterman, director of the MIT System Dynamics Group, Cambridge, MA, USA. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 8’w, 2015.

Figure 5:The Iceberg: Structures. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped some of the structures that create climate change.

Figure 5:The Iceberg: Structures. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped some of the structures that create climate change.

Figure 6:The Iceberg: Patterns of Behavior. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped current and projected global warming trends.

Figure 6:The Iceberg: Patterns of Behavior. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped current and projected global warming trends.

Figure 7: The Iceberg: Events. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped current and future scenarios.

Figure 7: The Iceberg: Events. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped current and future scenarios.

Figure 8:The Iceberg: Mental Models. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped how our thinking could change to redirect future outcomes.

Figure 8:The Iceberg: Mental Models. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall mapped how our thinking could change to redirect future outcomes.

Figure 9: The Iceberg: Vision. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall envisioned tangible actions that could create a desired future.

Figure 9: The Iceberg: Vision. Detail from Figure 4. This part of the wall envisioned tangible actions that could create a desired future.

Figure 10: Containers. A final circle led by Arawana Hayashi during the Presencing Masterclass, 
 with the drawing on the far wall. Berlin, Germany. 2012.

Figure 10: Containers. A final circle led by Arawana Hayashi during the Presencing Masterclass, 
 with the drawing on the far wall. Berlin, Germany. 2012.

Figure 11: Presencing. Detail from the masterclass drawing, where I first became aware of presencing entering 
 the room and the picture simultaneously. Permanent ink on paper, 2012.

Figure 11: Presencing. Detail from the masterclass drawing, where I first became aware of presencing entering 
 the room and the picture simultaneously. Permanent ink on paper, 2012.

Figure 12: Authenticity. It’s not always pretty, but it’s real! To conserve energy, my effort now goes into the gestures I use to apply my marks, before striving for literal accuracy. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 2017. 

Figure 12: Authenticity. It’s not always pretty, but it’s real! To conserve energy, my effort now goes into the gestures I use to apply my marks, before striving for literal accuracy. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 2017. 

Figure 13: Listening. Using a headset for translation from Mandarin into English, during a workshop demonstration in Taipei, Taiwan. Permanent ink on paper, 2016. Photo credit: Tsunami Lin.

Figure 13: Listening. Using a headset for translation from Mandarin into English, during a workshop demonstration in Taipei, Taiwan. Permanent ink on paper, 2016. Photo credit: Tsunami Lin.

Figure 14: In Time. Here is an approach to recording one main framework, “X-Teams,” as presented by Deborah Ancona of the MIT Leadership Center. Cambridge, MA, USA. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 5’w, 2015.

Figure 14: In Time. Here is an approach to recording one main framework, “X-Teams,” as presented by Deborah Ancona of the MIT Leadership Center. Cambridge, MA, USA. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 5’w, 2015.

Figure 15: In Time. This example describes the concept of money, for the online EdX mooc: Just Money: Banking As If Society Matters, iPadPro using ProCreate, 2016.

Figure 15: In Time. This example describes the concept of money, for the online EdX mooc: Just Money: Banking As If Society Matters, iPadPro using ProCreate, 2016.

Figure 16: Over Time. Here I used a timeline to map a talk by Simon Johnson, professor of entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management, on macroeconomics over a thirty-year span. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 8’w, 2014. (See full wall

Figure 16: Over Time. Here I used a timeline to map a talk by Simon Johnson, professor of entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management, on macroeconomics over a thirty-year span. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x 8’w, 2014. (See full wall in Figure 33.)

Figure 17: Right Time. A detail from Figure 18, showing the minimal drawing approach that captured three speakers’ content on mindfulness.

Figure 17: Right Time. A detail from Figure 18, showing the minimal drawing approach that captured three speakers’ content on mindfulness.

Figure 18:Coherence. For a three-day gathering of about 250 people, I wove all plenary content into this one long wall. It came togther to form a strange mammal, which I did not intend (but loved). See the eye and tusk on the far left. Acrylic paint

Figure 18:Coherence. For a three-day gathering of about 250 people, I wove all plenary content into this one long wall. It came togther to form a strange mammal, which I did not intend (but loved). See the eye and tusk on the far left. Acrylic paint on foam board, 5’h x 30’w, 2014.

Figure 19: Discern. An example of engaging a key message pertaining to the “best possible emerging future.” The lines of the large, gestural arrow, and the bird in the empty circle with gold around it, demonstrate an effort to “transform” that same m

Figure 19: Discern. An example of engaging a key message pertaining to the “best possible emerging future.” The lines of the large, gestural arrow, and the bird in the empty circle with gold around it, demonstrate an effort to “transform” that same message. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 2016.

Figure 20:Joy. Custom-mixed Neuland dry-erase ink in a 50mm Montana case, wrapped with cohesive flexible elastic to help secure my grip. 2015.

Figure 20:Joy. Custom-mixed Neuland dry-erase ink in a 50mm Montana case, wrapped with cohesive flexible elastic to help secure my grip. 2015.

Figure 21:More Joy. Custom mixed Neuland dry-erase ink that ended up matching a leaf I had in mind and then found on the floor while drawing. 2015.

Figure 21:More Joy. Custom mixed Neuland dry-erase ink that ended up matching a leaf I had in mind and then found on the floor while drawing. 2015.

Figure 22: Level One Scribing. “Lightning Talks” consist of a series of three-minute bursts of content, where it’s most important to accurately track data. Colored and digitized in Adobe Photoshop. Permanent marker ink on foam board, 40”h x 60”w, 201

Figure 22: Level One Scribing. “Lightning Talks” consist of a series of three-minute bursts of content, where it’s most important to accurately track data. Colored and digitized in Adobe Photoshop. Permanent marker ink on foam board, 40”h x 60”w, 2015.

Figure 23: Level Two Scribing. Multiple presentations on the topic of wildlife, for a State of the Bays Symposium with Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program. Permanent ink on foam board, 40”h x 60”w, 2015.

Figure 23: Level Two Scribing. Multiple presentations on the topic of wildlife, for a State of the Bays Symposium with Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program. Permanent ink on foam board, 40”h x 60”w, 2015.

Figure 24: Level Three Scribing. This is an example of contextually relating elements, where multiple speakers set the intent for a week-long program. The top image is the “raw” picture, and the bottom is digitally enhanced. Portland, OR, USA. Perman

Figure 24: Level Three Scribing. This is an example of contextually relating elements, where multiple speakers set the intent for a week-long program. The top image is the “raw” picture, and the bottom is digitally enhanced. Portland, OR, USA. Permanent ink and acrylic paint on cardboard, 4’h x 6’w, 2014. www.academyforchange.org.

Figure 25: Level Four Scribing. Example from u.lab 90-minute session, broadcast live to about 8,000 people from Cambridge, MA, USA. I had multiple chalks and inks ready, but only needed to use one brush and two markers. Chalk ink on blackboard, 5’h x

Figure 25: Level Four Scribing. Example from u.lab 90-minute session, broadcast live to about 8,000 people from Cambridge, MA, USA. I had multiple chalks and inks ready, but only needed to use one brush and two markers. Chalk ink on blackboard, 5’h x 10’w, 2016.

Figure 26: Setup. An example of a container in the room that infused the drawing with a certain quality of care. See the paper on the far right. I sat with the group in the circle until moved to draw, at which point I would rise and work on the wall.

Figure 26: Setup. An example of a container in the room that infused the drawing with a certain quality of care. See the paper on the far right. I sat with the group in the circle until moved to draw, at which point I would rise and work on the wall. Photo credit: Daniel Contrucci.

Figure 27: Setup. For the drawing in Figure 28, I hung the paper the evening before the session started, and sat with it a while, deciding how to handle the creases. I let them be, a sign of some kind of freedom. 

Figure 27: Setup. For the drawing in Figure 28, I hung the paper the evening before the session started, and sat with it a while, deciding how to handle the creases. I let them be, a sign of some kind of freedom. 

Figure 28: Generative Scribing. u.school Ecology. Example of three uses of time and of generative scribing, from a two-day session with about thirty people, in Nauen, Germany. Acrylic paint on paper, 9’h x 12’w, 2016.

Figure 28: Generative Scribing. u.school Ecology. Example of three uses of time and of generative scribing, from a two-day session with about thirty people, in Nauen, Germany. Acrylic paint on paper, 9’h x 12’w, 2016.

Figure 29: Removal. The careful removal of the artifact from the wall, after digital documentation.

Figure 29: Removal. The careful removal of the artifact from the wall, after digital documentation.

Figure 30: Distribution. I refolded the drawing into sections, for different parts of the system (China, Scotland, and Brazil) to take back to their local hubs.

Figure 30: Distribution. I refolded the drawing into sections, for different parts of the system (China, Scotland, and Brazil) to take back to their local hubs.

Figure 31: Trust. Detail from Figure 28, and an example of trusting that I would capture the 
 pieces that needed to be seen together. “Invert” became a key theme of the drawing.

Figure 31: Trust. Detail from Figure 28, and an example of trusting that I would capture the 
 pieces that needed to be seen together. “Invert” became a key theme of the drawing.

Figure 32: Reflecting. A client takes a moment to review visual output. 2013.

Figure 32: Reflecting. A client takes a moment to review visual output. 2013.

Figure 33: Learning. These drawings (one-third of the complete drawing, which wrapped around the entire room) helped a group track key concepts over five intensive days of learning at an Executive Education program. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x

Figure 33: Learning. These drawings (one-third of the complete drawing, which wrapped around the entire room) helped a group track key concepts over five intensive days of learning at an Executive Education program. Dry-erase ink on whiteboard, 4’h x ~28’w, 2014.