Visual thinking is 32,000 years young

As I was finishing up the manuscript for The Back of the Napkin last year, I had a bunch of fun conversations with Will Weisser and his publicity team at Portfolio, brainstorming on the promotional copy for the book. We were all excited about how the book had come together and knew we were on to something powerful. There haven't been many business books about how to solve problems with pictures, so it was hard not to say, "Wow! This is a completely new way of thinking!"

We all knew that wasn't true, of course: people have been drawing since the dawn of time. (Maybe not businesspeople, but you never know.) Which got me wondering. How old is "visual thinking" anyway? Who were the first people to use pictures as a way of understanding the world? How far did the use of pictures predate written language?

I recalled from art history classes a couple vague facts about the famous cave paintings of Lascaux in France, but couldn't put those sketchy bison into any broader context. (And frankly, with a business book about to come out, the last thing I needed to lose focus by digging through pre-ancient history.)

So it was with snowballing fascination that I read last week's New Yorker article by Judith Thurman about the earliest cave painters. From the opening paragraph, something clicked in me: this wasn't just a story about some random proto-humans a zillion years ago scratching out animals on cave walls; this is OUR story.

As Thurman makes clear, nobody has any real idea who these cave painters were or why they were compelled to draw, but we do know that they -- forgive me, WE -- drew long before we wrote. And as Picasso said after viewing the paintings at Lascaux, "They've invented everything." That got me hooked.

As much as I loved the descriptions of the paintings, the debates about how they were drawn, and the academic battles about why, what really got me about the story was the description of time; more specifically, how close we really are to the earliest humans who drew.

When I read this paragraph, my mind was officially blown:

"Since recorded history began, around 3200 BC, with the invention of writing in the Middle East, there have been some two hundred human generations."

What?? Only 200 of generations of humans since the beginning of written history? How could that be? I thought history was a lot longer than that: the ancients, the Greeks, the Romans, the dark ages... you're telling me all that happened (*everything* happened?) in a number of generations I could count in less than a minute. That I had to see.

So I mapped it out. And here's what the length of recorded history looks like, generation by generation. (Click the image to enlarge.)

Then if we add in all the generations since the earliest cave paintings ever discovered (those of the Chauvet Caves, dated to 32,000 years ago), we see that there really haven't been all that many of us. (Click the image to enlarge.)

Solving problems with pictures isn't new. It's what we've always done. "Always" just turns out to be a lot shorter than I thought.

Comments

[sildenafil citrate]

Another difference in this book compared to the others in the series is that the author’s style appeared to change.

[Tavita]

Good evening. Write down the advice of him who loves you, though you like it not at present. Help me! Could you help me find sites on the: Stock market definitions. I found only this - nasdaq stock market. Chronicling the challenges and hopes of islands. He has developed many proprietary tools and trading models in his quest to outperform. Waiting for a reply :confused:, Tavita from Austria.

[Thibaud Maunoury]

I love the way you make me feel closer to Socrates !
When watching the long "short history", I thought that 25 years is too long for 1 generation (no medical care, violent society).

Maybe by stuffing more little guys in a row, you would suggest that life was not easy 10 000 years ago.

Your book is great

[Rich Maltzman, PMP]

I love this book! See my posting on Scope Crepe.

Project Managers: Pay attention to Dan!

http://scopecrepe.blogspot.com/2008/07/have-little-look-see.html

[Scarlett Swerdlow]

Dan, I found my way to this blog via a random tweet, and I'm so glad I did. (Yay, Twitter!)

Anyway, I'll definitely be picking up your book. I work in the arts and believe creativity and visual thinking are instrumental to our success and happiness.

This is a little left field, but you may enjoy this report: Visualizing Information for Advocacy. While written more for the nonprofit sector, the report really demonstrates the unique efficacy of images. Here's the URL: http://backspace.com/notes/2008/02/an-introduction-to-information-design.php

Keep up the creative - if not fully original - thinking : )

[Shelley Dolley]

This is fantastic, Dan! I've been studying ancient history with my five year old (she made her own cave paintings and has now moved onto an obsession with ancient Egypt). I can't wait to show her this.

[Kare Anderson]

So synchronistic
I was flying back from a speech, with my fun stuff to read... rady my New Yorker & loved Judith's article, then stopped (struck by same feeling yu had)

and pulled out your book.Read the whole thing on the 5 hour flight.

You'll be delighted to know that the book became the subject of conversation with the 80-something former school teacher on my left and the architect on my right.

Yes I was stuck in the middle seat yet just happy it was taking off on time.

There were more happy coincidences as i was returning form IABC where two people who are, like you, involved in this unfolding "visual thinking" field, were in my audience.

I wrote about the experience here

http://www.movingfrommetowe.com/2008/06/29/“even-you-can-draw-it-so-they-quickly-understand-kare”/

[Dan Roam]

Thanks Bob,

The sample from your blog is magnificent!! Thank you for pointing me towards it.

Yes: the 200 generation image snapped into my mind the moment I read that (verbal) passage in the article. Talk about a shot out of the blue. Since making these 2 simple pictures yesterday, I haven;t stopped thinking about how different the world looks to me now. 200 generations... yikes!!

Also yes: my book is overtly oriented towards the business community for a couple reasons: 1) They're (we're) flat-out the worst when it comes to taking advantage of pictures. Even lawyers and politicians are better! 2) At least businesspeople recognize that they don't know everything and are always willing to try something new. Hence the huge market of business books.

That said, my favorite project partner is both an MD and an MBA and he draws much like you do. He has brought me in on several healthcare / biotech / pharma projects, so I have some inkling into the way that side of "business" works. (Besides, I did premed back in undergrad, including working summers in the ER, so I truly know enough to be really dangerous.)

Thanks again,
Dan

[Bob]

I love this Dan. Your 200 generations drawing captured me in a second. First it really conveyed how short the history of human beings is, and in the process, made the world feel a much smaller, more connected place. And second it excited me about visual communication. I'm a doctor. I draw simple drawings every day to explain things to patients. I don't mean drawings of body organs or anything like that. I mean simple drawings that help me explain concepts. Concepts like how we get sick and how we get well for example. If you'd like to see go here - http://heroesnotzombies.wordpress.com/2008/03/14/healing-or-treating/
I see your book is orientated towards business people, but have you much experience of this way of thinking in health care? I'd be really interested to know.
By the way, I'm just off to Amazon to buy your book!
Thanks