Thanks to Matt Cimitile, writer/multimedia man from USGS, you can see how a visual recording unfolds over 2.5 minutes.



This short video was made at the Coastal Zone 2011 Conference in Chicago where we designed a non-traditional plenary session. In a conversational setting, participants spoke from the heart as they gave examples of work around the country that inspired the creation of the first-ever US policy on managing the Coasts, Oceans and Great Lakes. An audience of over 800 people were held attention, laptops closed, cell phones in their pocket.

The chart was posted in the lobby where people could reconnect with the content and continue discussing the ideas over the next three days.

The National Ocean Policy describes how we should manage our coastal resources for future generations to enjoy. It's a milestone for the country but making it real will take doing things differently. We'll need to be creative, inclusive and think, as Jacque Hostler put it, for seven generations out.

The entire session was 90 minutes. With some editing we could speed me up (like the wonderful RSA-style videos) and overlay the spoken content but that is a much bigger editing process.

I have had the honor of working with the Saint Mark's Sustainability Committee in their process of creating a plan. Teaming with Fermata Consulting, I get to listen, write and draw. I am amazed at how engaged people feel in the meetings and how the visual recording keeps us on track. They love having the reminder. Me, I get to see a whole new side of a christian community that is open, accepting and loving of all beings. They get the spiritual connection of sustainability work and it's a gift they give their entire community.