Visual thinking guides
Exploratree hosts a set of interactive thinking guides. This is a free web resource where you can use the guides, print them, edit them or make your own. You can share them and work on them in groups. It is aimed at schools and students, but has ideas for thinkers of all ages.
Here are some of the overall categories, names of individual diagram type and and indication of their purposes.
Develop ideas[edit]
Lotus blossom : Create lots of ideas around an issue then turn ideas into actions
Examine ideas : Investigate evidence and other views then make new ideas
Use the essence : Get to the heart of the issue then look for new ideas
Possible futures : Think about the way an issue may develop in the future
Solve problems[edit]
Knowing trees : Think through a question and identify supporting evidence
Reverse planning : Work backwards from the ideal future to a realistic present
Is / is not : Scope a problem by identifying what it is and is not
Complete reversal : Reverse a problem to stimulate new thinking when stuck
Digging up roots : Explore a problem by digging down to its roots
Explore[edit]
Futures wheel : Think through the consequences and knock-on effects
T.A.S.C. : Helps you think about and communicate any topics, issues or problems
Question things : Question everything you read, hear and see
Compare and contrast : Make comparisons between two topics
A day in the life : Seeing things as they are experienced.
Analyse[edit]
Tracking an enquiry : This thinking guide will help you to plan your enquiry
Facts or opinions : Sort out the facts from the opinions about a particular topic
Making meanings : Establish what you want to know
Scamper : Substitute, combine, adapt, modify, rearrange
Traffic lights : What changes would you make? Analyse a particular situation
Different perspectives[edit]
From a different angle : Examining a topic through a variety of different lenses
Thinking boxes : Analyse from different perspectives – local to global
Plus, minus, interesting : Evaluate by identifying pluses, minuses and interesting points
Compass rose : Examine things from a variety of perspectives
For free information about the hundreds of visual thinking tools available, visit the Visual Thinking Center |