Business Visual Thinking Playbook

Why This Matters  

• In business, miscommunication leads to wasted time, failed projects, and missed opportunities.
• Traditional business communication is often overly text-heavy and lacks clarity.
• The challenge is to use structured visual thinking to make strategies, processes, and decisions clearer.

"I used to rely on long reports and slide decks to explain business strategies. But people would get lost in the details. When I started using simple diagrams and sketches, decision-making became faster, and ideas became stickier."

The Core Idea or Framework

My Business Visual Thinking Playbook follows a structured process to enhance decision-making and communication:

1. The Visual Pathway – Understanding how different types of visuals engage the brain.
2. The Six Essential Business Pictures – The most effective visual structures for business.
3. The Business Story Framework – Using visuals to create compelling business narratives.
4. The Innovation Lens – Using visual thinking to challenge assumptions and spark new ideas.
5. The Visual Sales Method – How visuals improve persuasion and negotiation.

"Business visuals are not just illustrations—they are tools for thinking. They make abstract concepts concrete, break down complexity, and create shared understanding."

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Breaking It Down – The Playbook in Action

Step 1: The Visual Pathway – How Our Brains Process Business Information

• Different business leaders process visuals differently.
• Each executive function maps to a visual type:
  
  • CMO (What?) → Portraits & Identity
  • CFO (How Much?) → Charts & Metrics
  • CSO (Where?) → Maps & Strategic Positioning
  • COO (When?) → Timelines & Processes
  • CTO (How?) → Flowcharts & Systems
  • CEO (Why?) → Equations & Big-Picture Synthesis

"If you want to communicate effectively in business, match the right type of visual to the decision-maker you’re talking to."

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Step 2: The Six Essential Business Pictures

• Portraits – Who/What is involved (people, products, competitors).
• Charts – How much of something exists (revenue, metrics, trends).
• Maps – Where things are located (market position, business ecosystem).
• Timelines – When things happen (roadmaps, product launches).
• Flowcharts – How things work (operations, supply chains, tech stacks).
• Equations – Why decisions matter (cause-effect relationships, ROI).

"By choosing the right type of picture, you make decisions faster and align teams effortlessly."

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Step 3: The Business Story Framework – How to Sell an Idea Visually

• Start with the Who? – Show the people involved in your vision.
• Lead with the Why? – Define the problem or opportunity.
• Use the Seven Classic Business Quests to frame your narrative:
  
  • Get Home – Restore balance (fix an internal process).
  • Win the Prize – Gain competitive advantage.
  • Exact Revenge – Disrupt an industry.
  • Slay the Dragon – Solve a major challenge.
  • Be Reborn – Reinvent the business.
  • Find Love – Build brand loyalty.
  • Climb the Mountain – Achieve an ambitious goal.

"The best business stories are visual—when people can ‘see’ the story, they believe in it more deeply."

Step 4: The Innovation Lens – Using Visual Thinking for Breakthroughs

• Reverse Assumptions – What happens if we flip the business model?
• Pattern Optimization – Can we make an existing system more efficient?
• Visual Metaphors – What’s an unexpected way to frame the challenge?
• Constraint-Based Innovation – What if we removed everything but the essentials?

Example: Jet engines used to be sold outright. Then manufacturers flipped the model—giving engines away for free and charging for maintenance. This "upside-down" approach created an entirely new revenue model.

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Tools, Workflows, and Technical Implementation

• Business Diagramming Tools: Figma, MURAL, Whimsical
• Visual Notetaking & Mapping: Obsidian, Obsidian Canvas
• Frameworks for Structuring Business Ideas: Business Model Canvas, SWOT Analysis, Value Chain Mapping

"The right visual tools streamline communication, reduce ambiguity, and accelerate strategic decision-making."

Real-World Applications and Impact

• Faster strategic alignment – Visual models reduce misinterpretation.
• Increased stakeholder buy-in – People support what they can see.
• Better decision-making – Seeing data visually reveals patterns not obvious in text.

Example: Recently, I replaced several pages of a presentation down to one slide that used powerful metaphors for LLMs.

"LLMs are the new computers, natural language is the new programming language with embeddings being the new machine language that let computers understand the semantic meaning of ideas, making natural language the hot new programming language"

Vibe Coding anyone?

Challenges and Nuances – What to Watch Out For

• Overcomplicating visuals – The goal is clarity, not decoration.
• Forgetting the audience – A CFO needs a chart, while a CEO needs a big-picture equation.
• Not iterating – The first draft of a visual is rarely the best—refine it based on feedback.

"Business visuals should make thinking visible—not replace thinking altogether. Simplicity is key."

Closing Thoughts and How to Take Action

• Start incorporating visuals in your business communication today.
• Use the right picture for the right decision.
• Experiment with collaborative drawing in meetings.
• Read the book that all of these ideas were synthesized out of - Draw to Win

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References

Learn More

• Draw to Win
• Visualize Value
• Business Model Canvas‍

Tools

• Mural
• Obsidian
• Obsidian Canvas
• Whimsical
• Figma