ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sunni Brown - Visualizer and gamestorming
In her book "Gamestorming," Sunni Brown shows how using art and games can empower serious problem-solving.

Why you should listen

Sunni Brown is co-author of GameStorming: A Playbook for Rule-breakers, Innovators and Changemakers. She’s known for her large-scale live content visualizations, and she is also the leader of the Doodle Revolution – a growing effort to debunk the myth that doodling is a distraction. Using common sense, experience and neuroscience, Sunni is proving that to doodle is to ignite your whole mind. Look for her second book, The Doodle Revolution, in 2012.

Her consultancy, BrightSpot I.D., specializes in visual thinking and information design. She was trained in graphic facilitation at the Grove Consultants International, a San Francisco-based company that pioneered the use of large-scale visuals in business settings. Sunni co-founded VizThink Austin, which under her leadership grew to be the largest visual thinking community in the United States.

More profile about the speaker
Sunni Brown | Speaker | TED.com
TED2011

Sunni Brown: Doodlers, unite!

Sunni Brown: Krootzeler, vereenegt iech!

Filmed:
1,509,775 views

Studien hu gewisen dat zeechnen a krotzelen eist Verstoen verbesseren kann - grad su wéi eist kreativt Denken. Also firwat schumme mer eis dann nach emmer wa mer an engem Meeting beim krootzelen erwescht gin? D'Sunni Brown seet: Krootzeler, vereenegt iech! Si plädéiert dofir eist Gehier mettels Blaat a Bic ze befreien.
- Visualizer and gamestorming
In her book "Gamestorming," Sunni Brown shows how using art and games can empower serious problem-solving. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:15
So I just want to tell you my story.
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Ech wollt iech mol meng Geschicht erzielen.
00:17
I spend a lot of time
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Ech verbrengen vill Zäit
00:19
teaching adults how to use visual language
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Erwuessenen bäizebrengen wéi se kennen visuell Sprooch
00:21
and doodling in the workplace.
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a krootzelen ob der Aarbechtsplaatz uwenden.
00:23
And naturally, I encounter a lot of resistance,
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A natierlech stoußen ech do ob vill Resistenz,
00:26
because it's considered to be anti-intellectual
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well et allgemeng als anti-intellektuell
00:29
and counter to serious learning.
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a géint eescht Léieren ugesin gett.
00:31
But I have a problem with that belief,
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Mee ech hun e Problem mat deerer Usiicht,
00:33
because I know that doodling has a profound impact
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well ech weess dass krootzelen en groußen Impakt huet
00:36
on the way that we can process information
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ob d'Art a Weis wéi mer Informatiounen veraarbechten
00:39
and the way that we can solve problems.
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a wéi mer Problemer léisen.
00:41
So I was curious about why there was a disconnect
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Dofir war ech mol firwetzeg wisou di Diskrepanz entstanen as
00:44
between the way our society perceives doodling
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teschent der Art a Weis wéi d'Gesellschaft krootzelen obfaasst
00:46
and the way that the reality is.
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an wéi d'Realitéit as.
00:48
So I discovered some very interesting things.
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An do hun ech e puer interessant Saachen festgestallt.
00:51
For example, there's no such thing
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Zum Beispill gett et keng
00:53
as a flattering definition of a doodle.
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firdeelhaft Definitioun vum 'doodelen'.
00:56
In the 17th century, a doodle was a simpleton or a fool --
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Am 17. Jorhonnert, war en 'doodle' en Eefalt oder en Delpes
00:59
as in Yankee Doodle.
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sou wi e Yankee Doodle.
01:01
In the 18th century, it became a verb,
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Am 18. Jorhonnert, gouf et e Verb,
01:03
and it meant to swindle or ridicule or to make fun of someone.
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an et huet bedréien oder lächerlech maan oder sech iwert een leschteg maachen bedeit.
01:06
In the 19th century, it was a corrupt politician.
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Am 19. Jorhonnert wor et e korrupten Politiker.
01:09
And today, we have what is perhaps our most offensive definition,
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An haut, hu mer di wuel offensivst Definitioun,
01:12
at least to me, which is the following:
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wéinstens menger Meenung no, nämlech di folgend:
01:14
To doodle officially means
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'Doodelen' heescht offiziell
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to dawdle,
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bummelen
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to dilly dally, to monkey around,
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trellen, wurschtelen,
01:20
to make meaningless marks,
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sennlos Zeechen maachen,
01:22
to do something of little value, substance or import,
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eppes mat nemmen wéineg Wert, Substanz oder Bedeitung maachen,
01:25
and -- my personal favorite --
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an - mäi perséinleche Favorit -
01:27
to do nothing.
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näicht maachen.
01:29
No wonder people are averse to doodling at work.
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Kee Wonner dass d'Leit eppes géint krootzelen ob der Aarbecht hun.
01:32
Doing nothing at work is akin to masturbating at work;
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Näicht maachen ob der Aarbecht as ähnlech wéi masturbéieren ob der Aarbecht;
01:34
it's totally inappropriate.
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absolut net ubruecht.
01:36
(Laughter)
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(Laachen)
01:38
Additionally, I've heard horror stories
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Außerdem hun ech Horrorgeschichten héieren
01:40
from people whose teachers scolded them, of course, for doodling in classrooms.
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vu Leit déi vun hieren Schoulmeeschteren vernannt gi sin, natierlech, wéinst krootzelen am Klassesall.
01:43
And they have bosses who scold them for doodling in the boardroom.
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A Leit déi vun hieren Chefen vernannt gi sin wéinst krootzelen am Setzungssall.
01:46
There is a powerful cultural norm against doodling
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Et gett eng staark kulturell Norm géint krootzelen
01:49
in settings in which we are supposed to learn something.
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an Emfelder wou mer supposéiert sin eppes ze léieren.
01:52
And unfortunately,
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A leider
01:54
the press tends to reinforce this norm
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tendéiert d'Press dozou des Norm ze verstärken
01:56
when they're reporting on a doodling scene --
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well wann se iwer d'Krootzel-Szene bericht -
01:58
of an important person at a confirmation hearing and the like --
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vun enger wichteger Persoun ob enger Verhandlung oder ähnleches -
02:01
they typically use words like "discovered"
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benotzt se typescherweis Wierder wéi "entdeckt"
02:03
or "caught" or "found out,"
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oder "erwescht" oder "erausfonnt",
02:05
as if there's some sort of criminal act being committed.
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sou wi wann et e Verbriechen wär.
02:08
And additionally, there is a psychological aversion to doodling --
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An außerdem gett et eng psychologisch Ofneigung géint krootzelen -
02:11
thank you, Freud.
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merci, Freud.
02:13
In the 1930s, Freud told us all
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An de 1930er huet de Freud eis all verzielt
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that you could analyze people's psyches
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dass een de Leit hier Psychen kann
02:17
based on their doodles.
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duerch hiert krootzelen analyséieren.
02:19
This is not accurate, but it did happen to Tony Blair
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Dat stemmt net, mee et as dem Tony Blair
02:21
at the Davos Forum in 2005,
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ob dem Davos Forum 2005 geschitt,
02:23
when his doodles were, of course, "discovered"
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wéi säi Gekrootzels, natierlech, "entdeckt" gin as
02:26
and he was labeled the following things.
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an en as folgend Saachen genannt gin. (Aggressiv, net stabill, reizbar, enner Drock, megalomanesch)
02:29
Now it turned out to be Bill Gates' doodle.
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Lo huet sech awer rausgestallt dass et dem Bill Gates säi Gekrootzels war.
02:33
(Laughter)
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(Laachen)
02:35
And Bill, if you're here, nobody thinks you're megalomaniacal.
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A Bill, wann der hei sollt sin, et denkt keen dass der megalomanesch sidd.
02:39
But that does contribute
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Mee dat dréit dozou bäi
02:41
to people not wanting to share their doodles.
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dass d'Leit hiert Gekrootzels net wellen weisen oder matdeelen.
02:43
And here is the real deal. Here's what I believe.
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An hei as de wirkleche Grond. Hei as wat ech mengen.
02:46
I think that our culture
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Menger Meenung no as eis Kultur
02:48
is so intensely focused on verbal information
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sou intensiv ob d'verbal Informatioun fokusséiert
02:50
that we're almost blinded to the value of doodling.
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dass mer bal blann sin fir de Wert vum Krootzelen.
02:53
And I'm not comfortable with that.
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An ech fille mech net wuel domadder.
02:55
And so because of that belief that I think needs to be burst,
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An esou, well ech fannen dass dese Glaawen zerschloen gi muss
02:58
I'm here to send us all hurtling back to the truth.
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sin ech hei fir eis all zreck an d'Wirklechkeet ze rappen.
03:00
And here's the truth:
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An hei as d'Wourecht:
03:02
doodling is an incredibly powerful tool,
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krootzelen as en immens staarkt Instrument
03:04
and it is a tool that we need to remember and to re-learn.
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an et as en Instrument un dat mer eis onbedingt mussen erenneren an dat mer rem mussen léieren.
03:07
So here's a new definition for doodling.
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Hei as also eng nei Denfinitioun fir krootzelen.
03:10
And I hope there's someone in here from The Oxford English Dictionary,
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An ech hoffen dat een hei as vum Oxford English Dictionary,
03:12
because I want to talk to you later.
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well ech muss henno nach mat iech schwätzen.
03:14
Here's the real definition:
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Hei as di richteg Defintioun:
03:16
Doodling is really to make spontaneous marks to help yourself think.
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Krootzelen as u sech spontan Zeechen maan fir sech ze hellefen ze denken.
03:19
That is why millions of people doodle.
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Dat as et wisou Milliounen vu Leit krootzelen.
03:22
Here's another interesting truth about the doodle:
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Hei as nach eng interessant Wourecht iwert krootzelen:
03:24
People who doodle when they're exposed to verbal information
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Leit di krootzelen wann se verbaler Informatioun exposéiert sin
03:26
retain more of that information
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behalen méi vun deser Informatioun
03:28
than their non-doodling counterparts.
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wi déi di net krootzelen.
03:31
We think doodling is something you do when you lose focus,
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Mär huelen am allgemengen un dass krootzelen eppes as wat ee mecht wann ee Fokus verléiert,
03:33
but in reality, it is a preemptive measure
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mee a Wirklechkeet, as et eng präventiv Mesure
03:35
to stop you from losing focus.
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déi iech vum Fokus verléieren ofhällt.
03:38
Additionally, it has a profound effect
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Außerdem huet et en déiwen Effekt
03:40
on creative problem-solving
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ob kreativ Problem-Bewältegung
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and deep information processing.
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an déif Informatiouns-Veraarbechtung.
03:44
There are four ways that learners intake information
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Et geet 4 Méiglechkeeten wéi Leit di léieren Informatioun obhuelen kennen
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so that they can make decisions.
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fir Decisiounen kennen ze huelen.
03:48
They are visual, auditory,
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Visuell, auditoresch,
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reading and writing and kinesthetic.
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liesen a schreiwen an kinesthetesch.
03:54
Now in order for us to really chew on information
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Fir Informatiounen wirklech ze veraarbechten
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and do something with it,
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sou dass mer kennen eppes domadder ufänken,
03:58
we have to engage at least two of those modalities,
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musse mer wéinstens zwou vun desen Modalitéiten an d'Spill brengen
04:01
or we have to engage one of those modalities
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oder zwou von desen Modalitéiten
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coupled with an emotional experience.
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gekoppelt un eng emotional Erfahrung.
04:05
The incredible contribution of the doodle
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Den onwarscheinlechen Bäitrag vum Krootzelen
04:08
is that it engages all four learning modalities simultaneously
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as dass et alle véier Modalitéiten simultan ureegt
04:11
with the possibility of an emotional experience.
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mat der Méiglechkeet vun enger emotionaler Erfahrung.
04:14
That is a pretty solid contribution
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Dat as en zimlech zolitten Bäitrag
04:16
for a behavior equated with doing nothing.
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fir e Verhalen wat gläich gestallt get mat näicht maachen.
04:19
This is so nerdy,
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Dat as u sech e besse blöd,
04:21
but this made me cry when I discovered this.
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mee ech hat musse kräischen wéi ech dat erausfonnt hat.
04:23
So they did anthropological research
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Et goufen anthropologesch Recherchen gemaach
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into the unfolding of artistic activity in children,
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iwert d'Entfalen vun artisteschen Aktivitéiten bei Kanner,
04:28
and they found that, across space and time,
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an se hu raus fonnt, dass iwert Raum an Zäit
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all children exhibit the same evolution in visual logic
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all Kanner di selwescht Evolutioun an der visueller Logic obweisen
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as they grow.
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wann se grouß gin.
04:35
In other words, they have a shared and growing
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An aaneren Wieder, se hun alleguer eng gemeinsam a wuessend
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complexity in visual language
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Komplexitéit vun der visueller Sprooch
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that happens in a predictable order.
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di an enger prévisibler Reihefolg geschitt.
04:41
And I think that is incredible.
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An ech fannen dat as immens.
04:43
I think that means doodling is native to us
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Ech ging soen dat heecht dass krootzelen eis all ugebuer as
04:45
and we simply are denying ourselves that instinct.
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an dass mer ganz einfach eisen eegenen Instinkt ennerdrecken.
04:49
And finally, a lot a people aren't privy to this,
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A schlussendlech, net vill Leit wessen dat,
04:51
but the doodle is a precursor
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mee kootzelen as e Firleefer
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to some of our greatest cultural assets.
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vun e puer vun eise gréißte kulturelle Schätz.
04:55
This is but one:
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Hei as lo nemmen een:
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this is Frank Gehry the architect's precursor to the Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi.
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dest as dem Architekt Frank Gehry seng Firbereedung zum Guggenheim zu Abu Dhabi.
05:00
So here is my point:
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Wat ech well soen:
05:02
Under no circumstances should doodling be eradicated
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Ennert kengen Emstänn sollt krootzelen
05:05
from a classroom or a boardroom
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aus dem Klassesall oder dem Setzungsall
05:07
or even the war room.
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oder suguer dem Krischsall ofgeschaf gin.
05:09
On the contrary,
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Am Géigendeel,
05:11
doodling should be leveraged in precisely those situations
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krootzelen sollt eben grad an dese Situatiounen ennerstetzt gin
05:14
where information density is very high
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wou d'Informatiounsdensitéit besonneg héich as
05:16
and the need for processing that information is very high.
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an de Besoin fir des Informatioun ze veraarbechten ganz héich as.
05:19
And I will go you one further.
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An ech gin nach ee Schrett mi wäit.
05:21
Because doodling is so universally accessible
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Well krootzelen sou universell accessibel as
05:24
and it is not intimidating as an art form,
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an et net eng aschüchternd Form vu Konscht as,
05:26
it can be leveraged as a portal
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kann et als Portal agesat gin
05:28
through which we move people
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duech dat Leit sech kennen
05:30
into higher levels of visual literacy.
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ob mi héich Levelen vun visueller Bildung hiewen.
05:33
My friends, the doodle has never been
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Léif Frenn, krootzelen war nach ni
05:35
the nemesis of intellectual thought.
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d'Nemesis vum intellektuellen Gedanken.
05:37
In reality, it is one of its greatest allies.
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A Wirklechkeet as et een vu sengem gréißten Verbündeten.
05:39
Thank you.
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Merci.
05:41
(Applause)
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(Applaus)
Translated by Manon Fiorino
Reviewed by TED Open Translation

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sunni Brown - Visualizer and gamestorming
In her book "Gamestorming," Sunni Brown shows how using art and games can empower serious problem-solving.

Why you should listen

Sunni Brown is co-author of GameStorming: A Playbook for Rule-breakers, Innovators and Changemakers. She’s known for her large-scale live content visualizations, and she is also the leader of the Doodle Revolution – a growing effort to debunk the myth that doodling is a distraction. Using common sense, experience and neuroscience, Sunni is proving that to doodle is to ignite your whole mind. Look for her second book, The Doodle Revolution, in 2012.

Her consultancy, BrightSpot I.D., specializes in visual thinking and information design. She was trained in graphic facilitation at the Grove Consultants International, a San Francisco-based company that pioneered the use of large-scale visuals in business settings. Sunni co-founded VizThink Austin, which under her leadership grew to be the largest visual thinking community in the United States.

More profile about the speaker
Sunni Brown | Speaker | TED.com