Conference Graphic Scribing: Guidelines

Before the Event

It pays to forward basic information to your graphics scribe, thus informing them about what to expect on the day. For example – an Agenda will enable them to pre-draw title pages (and correctly caption same). Below: Leader poster created the previous day

Disruption - learning forum - future thinking - new wave - next level - change management

Disruption – Conference poster for Learning Forum by Roger Harvey, Sydney Australia

You might supply names – and photos – of keynote speakers (along with their topic), enabling posters to be prepped the night before. Below: Samples of caricatures I have created prior to conferences

Caricatures

Caricatures in business. Cartoons of team and leaders. Profile images of keynote speakers – Roger Harvey scribe

For how long do you need a graphic scribe at your event? I’ve worked two-hour gigs; half-days; one or two days … and sometimes between three and five days. Below: Example of a rapidly-drawn graphic poster. Conference started at 10 a.m, and I took notes as the group discussed its future vision. I was then given 50 minutes to rapidly posterise these opinions during the lunchbreak – as AO poster had to be ready at one p.m.

Shared Vision

Shared Vision for law partners

At the other end of the spectrum, this is the volume of resultant work produced when I was an embedded scribe for a two-day conference. I find it gives me a deep sense of involvement and motivation with my work – I feel like part of the team! Below: Twenty posters resulting from Two-day conference for Change Management delegates from 90 companies

Corporate Scribe - corporate graphics posters - AGM content capture

Corporate Scribe – professional training posters – office staff caricatures

What will you do with your posters after event? Do you even want them? What are your post-conference needs (if any) for posters or charts produced at an event?

• Hard copies can be taken down from the walls or display boards and kept.

• You can arrange for digital copies to be created by scribe. Below: This is a digital A1 summary, combined from ten A3 posters I’d created at a one-day conference. It was printed and displayed back at client’s office

contractors getting involved and working safely, while having input and collaboration. Inspired tool talks, compassionate and involved incident reviews and using the right people

contractor management – Communication and connection between project manager and outside contractors, for increased safety and mutual trust. By Roger Harvey scribe facilitator in Sydney Australia

• If you want editorial control, consider requesting scribe to create (post-event) a digital summary (as above), with ongoing feedback at your end. Together you can cull flotsam; add important points missed on the day; insert extra images as you see fit. Hindsight is a good thing, and such a work can be achieved calmly and collaboratively. Below: This poster was always the target, even before I arrived at the conference. Our goal was to create a printable summary of event – which would later be put up on walls at breweries throughout Australasia

Future vision for international brewery group. Supply chain model, sales model and brand-building model

supply chain strategy – Corporate overview – future direction – brand-building

Good luck with your next illustrated conference or training event!

www.rogerharvey.net

scribe • graphic recorder • corporate cartoonist • graphic capture

corporate graphic recording

Sketchnoting