Category: Taking Risks & Innovating

Visual Explorer: Picturing Approaches to Complex Challenges,  CCL Press,  2001

Charles J. Palus and David M. Horth

In mission-critical situations many different perspectives are typically present, information and other resources are frequently lacking, and yet the responsible group needs to be coherent in its purpose and clear in its understanding in order to take urgently needed action. How do people find coherence leading to action in such situations? Through dialogue. Visual Explorer facilitates dialogue and helps groups reach a shared understanding about specific challenges. It includes 224 carefully chosen color images that invite examination and explication, and thereby acts as a resource for groups seeking to explore complex topics. Groups using Visual Explorer can collectively explore a complex topic from a variety of perspectives, building a shared understanding in preparation for making choices and taking action.