How to Use the Visual Decoder

The Visual Decoder is a drawing framework to visualize the key elements of your Pop-up Pitch.

  • Take 2 minutes for each section.
  • Filling up the format takes 12 minutes.
  • Don't overthink, just write.

1 - Title (00:00 - 02:00)

  • What's your title? 
    • In a few words, write down a title for the idea. 
      • A brief description of your presentation. 
      • The name of the thing you want to sell, the fact that you're asking for, etc.
    • There are no right or wrong titles.
      • Your title gives you something to aim toward
  • If you have time left, 
      • Write down why you're telling this particular story and who might benefit from hearing it.

2. Who + What (02:00 - 04:00)

  • Sketch in three or more main characters involved in your story.
    • This might include you, your target audience.
      • The people most impacted by your idea.
      • Those experiencing a problem cause them grief. 
    • Include individual characters and general groups as well.
      • Be specific as you can.
      • Try to capture a detail or shape that illustrates that particular person or group. 
      • Place your characters anywhere in the panel you want. 
      • Don't worry about showing relationships, influences, or mutual overlaps. 
    • For now, just get as many circles and names as you can. 
  • In the last 30 seconds.
    • Draw an icon, symbol, or shape representing one or two things all those people have in common.
    • All want or all might benefit from having. It could be anything. Money, love, happiness, a car, your product. 
    • But whatever it is, it should play a role in the story you're telling. When you're done, put your pen down. 

3. Where (04:00 - 06:00)

  • These are the spatial considerations of the visual pathways. 
    • For this first map, start a simple sketch in a few overlapping circles with arrows connecting them, and then add your characters sitting in their appropriate zones.
    • Over time, as you draw more visual decoders, more map options will emerge from your own mind as you advance. 
    • You might even draw two maps:
      • The first shows the disjointed connections between people and things in the present state. 
      • The second shows them relocated into more thoughtful, efficient, or comfortable positions.

4. How Many (06:00 - 08:00)

  • Is there something important in your story that you could meaningfully show in a simple chart? 
    • Could you show measurable improvement from the old way of doing things to the new way you're proposing? 
      • More money, more time, more customers, or safety, or ease or comfort. 
      • What about less of something? 
      • Can you measure and show that too? 
      • Less friction, less time, less cost, less pain, and less confusion. 
      • Those also feel good to quantify and draw this time with the arrows going down. 
    • Seeing one arrow go up while another goes down triggers a whole new set of intriguing storytelling options. 
    • As you sketch your chart, think of the options available to you apart. 
    • Start a pie chart and up and down the stock ticker line. 

5. When (08:00 - 10:00)

  • Provide a basic step-by-step illustration of what happened and what happens next. 
    • Sketch out a basic timeline. 
      • The main series of key events is connected by arrows that lead from beginning to middle to end. You need to keep things high level. 
    • As you start, consider what is the main sequence of events you'd most like to share.
      • What key events trigger what important outcomes, and how do things conclude. 
    • See if you can summarize things in 5-6 or seven steps. 
      • Usually, that's plenty to carry the story and a reasonable number for the intentionally short time you have. 

6. Lessons Learned (10:00 - 12:00)

  • Take a quick second to scan over the sketches you just made of all that you've drawn. 
    • The characters, Their locations, Their numbers, Their interactions, the results of those interactions. 
    • What feels to you like the most important thing you'd like to remember? 
    • What might be the most important thing for them to remember? 

References

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