Scribing: the art of visual synthesis

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Based on this premise, scribing is now a common feature of seminars and meetings. The principle? Illustrate the meeting and the ideas produced in real time. An art of synthesis.
James is a happy man: every business meeting is transformed into an art studio. "I've been in the business for twenty years," explains this Londoner, who travels all over Europe offering his art to corporate meetings. "My job is to create a visual story that tells the story of the meeting or seminar." James is one of a pool of "scribers" who regularly intervene on the Capgemini Les Fontaines Campus, notably as part of Capgemini University meetings.
It's a job that calls on both hemispheres of the brain and a definite ability to concentrate on two things at once: "atthe same time as I listen to the exchanges that are taking place, I act out what has just been said." It's all about capturing the right key words, the expressions that are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Between comics, illustration, humor and the seriousness of a visual report, James has honed his style.I was trained in graphic art school, and the rest I learned by doing," he explains. You have to be able to detect what's important, to stay in the flow of words." A scriber is therefore a witness who offers his point of view as a possible synthesis of a group meeting. "That's why I define myself as a graphic facilitator: participants see in real time what they're talking about, which leads them to focus more on the objectives of the meeting. They can then easily recall the key messages delivered during the sessions".
Although his art is often produced on flipchart paper, James also works on entire walls. His biggest fresco measured ten meters in length! "The profession is constantly evolving, we're gradually moving to digital boards, and there will soon be schools to train artists in this profession." A word to the wise...