As a graphic recorder, hearing the words “Now that I SEE it I understand it!” is music to my ears. And that’s what I heard repeatedly last week at the Kitchen and Bath Industry show (KBIS).

A relatively simple illustration can quickly communicate pages of written words. Take for example this Certification Journey I illustrated in the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s (NKBA) booth. There’s nothing particularly complicated about the process to become a certified kitchen and bath designer, except that the process is different depending on where a designer is in their career. This isn’t terribly complicated either, but explainingthe different pathways and their various requirements toward certification on a website with only words might take up to four clicks to accomplish. And we all know by now that we’re a one click culture at best.

We also know that people love to look at pictures and that visual stories not only hold our attention but also increase our retention. Sure it’s fun to look at, but its value is that how designers can quickly understand what it will take for them to achieve their certification goals. Instead of getting distracted after that second click and giving up on the idea, they’re now on their way to gaining more industry knowledge, making more money, and having the professional recognition they’ve been dreaming of.

Seeing Is Understanding