Compelling Diagrams as a Tool for Thinking and Creativity

How to Boost Your Creative Thinking Power with Visual Illustrations

C H Waddington's Epigenetic Landscapes were called Compelling in the article "Compelled by the Diagram" by Matthew Allen.

Compelling diagrams are visual representations that effectively communicate information and ideas in a clear and engaging manner.

The characteristics of a Compelling Diagram are as follows:

• Condensed information: presents information in an efficient and compact manner

• Full of meaning: Relevant

• Visually Engaging, it challenges us to think at the same time visually appealing

• Presents a set of Adjacent Possibles: possible next moves

• The whole Diagram can fit on a screen: sufficiently complex to be engaging, but simple enough that you can carry it in your head when taking a stroll or drinking coffee, or when you are awake at night.

A Compelling Diagram is exactly what the German word "Prägnanz" denotes.

Outside the field of epigenetics, Compelling Diagrams are found everywhere:

Feynman Diagrams, Phase Transition Diagram, Systems Thinking Diagrams, Causal Maps, etc.

The purpose of a Compelling Diagram is:

• Present a clear picture of a situation or problem

• Allow focus on the main elements of a situation for a few days or more

• Allow our unconscious mind to continue the conscious work

• Promote Creative thinking: discovering hidden connections between ideas

For me, discovering Visual Illustrations that relate to my areas of interest is a great way to boost my creative thinking.