Let’s say you’re at the midpoint of a multiday strategic planning session with your team and the walls are filled with graphic recording maps of workshops and conversations. Initiating a gallery walk is a good way to take the pulse of the group and review the progress you have made toward the event’s goals.
Gallery walks are a social way for people to reengage with the content of the event. The facilitator initiates the gallery walk by asking some questions for people to keep in mind as they walk through the gallery. Afterward, the group may have a conversation about their takeaways.
Questions to ask attendees may include:
What surprised or challenged you?
Do you see something missing that should be included?
Do you see new connections or patterns between ideas?
What’s your biggest takeaway?
What should our next steps be?
Sparking new conversations and ideas
Graphic recording maps give people a visual record of the event where they can review all the content at once. As people walk through, one person may build on the ideas of another attendee. Or someone might hear someone’s takeaways from the event that are different from their own.
Sticky notes to add to the conversation
Give your attendees sticky notes and have them record their comments to add to the graphic recording. They may add insights or clarity to the ideas presented on the graphic recording maps.
Gallery walks go virtual
If you are hosting a virtual event, the digital graphic recording maps can be saved as a PDF to be shared. Or you can save the images to Miro or another whiteboard program to share comments. Google Docs is another way to share graphic recording maps and allow for comments.
Before or after the event
During a multiday event, you can have a gallery walk midway to check the pulse of how the event is rolling out. A gallery walk at the end of the event helps people review the content in its entirety and may reveal progress made. If you review the charts from a previous event before you start the next event, your conversation is more apt to build upon, rather than repeat, what was said at the previous event.
A gallery walk encourages attendees to be more intentional about their experience of the event. Try it at your next event or planning session!
If you’re interested in using graphic recording to elevate your next event, contact LiquidSketchStudio and we can help you design your next gathering.