Visual Analogies
Brief description of the topic
Analogies help us explain complex processes and phenomena, show the big picture and form a general idea and understanding.
We use abstract analogies in speech every day, and in order to choose the right visual analogy, you need to remember 4 rules:
1. The essence of the analogy should coincide with what you want to tell.
2. The selected analogy must have a material form.
3. The structure and principle of operation of the selected analogy should be familiar and understandable to those to whom you will explain.
4. Visually, the image of analogy should be simple enough so that you can draw it.
Using visual analogies, one can explain the structure, processes, sequence of actions, stages, goals, risks, sources, results, the principle of work and interaction, cause-effect relationships and much more.
The basic principle: explain new ideas through the analogy with a simple, familiar and understandable.
It is convenient to develop ready-made templates for working on the basis of visual analogies.
Visual analogies
“You see, it’s like with a car, until you pour fuel into the tank, it will not go!” When we hear such a phrase, each of us easily understands that we are talking about a certain resource, a source of energy, without which the process will be impossible. This is an example of abstract analogies that I can easily use in speech. How to make them visual, learn how to apply their graphic facilitation and what are they for?
Analogies help us explain complex processes and phenomena, show the big picture and form a general idea and understanding. Visual analogies also allow you to create a memorable image with which you can restore information from memory. This is how our visual thinking and visual memory work.
To choose the right visual analogy for what you are telling, you need to check it for compliance with 4 rules:
5. The essence of the analogy should coincide with what you want to tell. Fuel for the car will be an analogy for the financial support of the project.
6. The selected analogy must have a material form. It is impossible to visually explain one abstract concept by analogy with another abstract concept, because it is impossible to draw an abstract concept, it can only be encoded.
7. The structure and principle of operation of the chosen analogy should be familiar and understandable to those to whom you will explain. The principle of the structure and operation of the internal combustion engine will be familiar and understandable to auto mechanics, but you are unlikely to succeed in explaining something using such an example to teens. Choose simpler analogies that they are familiar with.
8. Visually, the image of analogy should be simple enough so that you can draw it. You will most likely succeed in drawing a recognizable car, but it is unlikely that an internal combustion engine.
Process
The analogy with the conveyor will help to tell the story of a clear, standardized process, divided into successive steps, at the output of which a unified product with the appropriate parameters and characteristics is obtained.
We will use the analogy with the road to show the timeline of a process, pointing out important points on the sidelines, making marks. This can be a story about the path that has already been traveled to present the results, as well as planning and visualization of the process.
Comparison
For comparison, we can use analogies with weights or swings, on the bowls of which the arguments in favor of decision A and decision B can be added, or compare the pros and cons to show a visual advantage or equivalence.
Resources and Results
Sources, resources, foundations, prerequisites, causes - it is convenient to show using the analogy with the roots of the tree, while the trunk and crown will serve as an analogy to the results, directions of development, structure, capabilities. These two analogies can be combined into one visualization.
Risks and Goals
What you see is only a small part, ”the iceberg analogy tells us, it can be used to visualize the amount of work, emotions, risks, expenses, etc.
The mountains tell a visual story of goals, vision, stages of development, achievements and results.
You can use visual analogy as a template for a flipchart, for example, a road - a training day schedule, mountains - goals, a tree with apples - course results. Make a blank in advance and fill it in the course.