Part 1 of 3: workshop

1. Communicating
Sustainability
Visual Storytelling:
Arlene Birt | www.backgroundstories.com
visual storyteller & information designer
Part 1 of 3

2. • Visual Storyteller
• Graphic, Info and Interactive Design
• Public Artist
• Adjunct Faculty (Sustainability at Minneapolis
College of Art & Design)

3. Agenda:
• Intros
• Sustainability-related Data
• Visual Storytelling & Consumer Context
• Exercise: Life Cycle Narrative
• Examples (my work)
• Storytelling Tips & Process
• Exercise: Your Product
• Inspiration & Resources

4. What we’ll cover:
• Overview of sustainability & related data
• Overview of narrative info design
• Application of narrative & storyline to
communicate sustainability of a product

5. Objective:
• Inform
• Equip
• Inspire

6. Sustainability is:
The ability to ENDURE.

7. Sustainability is:
Social Environmental Financial

8. Concept Material
Process Communication
Design for Sustainability:

9. Design for Sustainability:
Concept
Process Communication
Material

10. Benefits of communicating
on sustainability
Transparency = Trust, Credibility
The more you know, the more you grow.

11. Info Alone is Not Enough
“The critical question to ask is: How does
providing information address barriers to a
target audience engaging in the behavior I
wish to encourage?”
-Doug McKenzie-Mohr
Fostering Sustainable Behavior

12. Why Visuals?

13. Why Visuals?
Visual
Learners65%

14. by F.J. Anscombe, “Graphs in Statistical Analysis”

15. by F.J. Anscombe, “Graphs in Statistical Analysis”

16. London, 1854: John Snow’s Cholera Map

17. London, 1854: John Snow’s Cholera Map

18. Sainte-Chapelle (Paris) window #14: Kings I & II, Solomon I & II

19. Visual Thinkers?

20. Dan Roam; “The Back of the Napkin”
Visual Thinking Process:

21. Dan Roam; “The Back of the Napkin”
Visual Storytelling =
Facilitating the Visual
Thinking Process for Others.

22. Show, don’t Tell
Sainte-Chapelle (Paris) window #14: Kings I & II, Solomon I & II
Visual Storytelling for Sustainability:

23. Tool for Education
Help people learn what ‘sustainability’ is
by showing the context; people can start
to recognize the patterns.
Sainte-Chapelle (Paris) window #14: Kings I & II, Solomon I & II
Visual Storytelling for Sustainability:

24. Sainte-Chapelle (Paris) window #14: Kings I & II, Solomon I & II
• Engages People
• Encourages Memorization
• Communicates Context
• Avoids ‘the defenses’
Benefits of Visual Storytelling
Visual Storytelling for Sustainability:

25. Sustainability is
MEASURABLE / TRACEABLE

26. • LCA (Life Cycle Analysis)
• CSR reports (Global Reporting Initiative)
• Supply Chain
• Ecolabels
• Eco Footprint
• Carbon Footprint
• Food Miles
• etc.
Sustainability is
MEASURABLE / TRACEABLE

27. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
A technique to assess the potential
environmental impacts associated
with a product, process, or service.
Measuring Sustainability:

28. http://www.sustainableminds.com/

29. Measuring Sustainability:
CSR Reporting
Measuring Sustainability:

30. Supply Chain
Tracing Sustainability:
http://sourcemap.com/

31. Source: ecolabelling.org
Eco Labels
Measuring Sustainability:
Signed, Sealed... Delivered?
Behind Certifications and Beyond Labels

32. What Are Consumers
Presented With?

33. Source: ecolabelling.org
A Lot.

34. Info Overload
Communication Challenges:

35. Info Overload
Communication Challenges:
Putting Up
Defenses