# Words and Pictures

Subgroups review a presentation by creating either a text-only or a graphics-only summary poster in five minutes. Teams then compare styles and identify how combining words and images strengthens recall.

**Time:** 15 minutes. Source specifies 10 to 15 minutes per round; 15 minutes provides a full single round with debrief.
**People:** 8 to 24. Four small teams of 2 to 6 people (two text teams and two graphics teams).

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Review recently presented content by translating key ideas strictly into text or strictly into visual graphics.
**Use it when:** Directly after an informational lecture or presentation segment when participants need an active pause to test and consolidate recall.
**Skip it when:** Skip when the preceding session did not present concrete factual or conceptual content to summarize, or when rooms lack space for wall charts.

## Materials and tools

- 4 blank flip chart pads or poster sheets (one per team)
- 4 felt-tipped markers (one per team)
- 2 printed copies of Poster Contest Instructions: Words Only
- 2 printed copies of Poster Contest Instructions: Pictures Only
- 1 digital countdown timer
- Wall tape or stands to display 4 posters

## Before participants arrive

1. Substantial prep: mount 4 flip chart sheets spaced along the room walls.
2. Place one marker and one instruction sheet face down by each chart station (two text stations, two graphics stations).

## Say this to open

Before we begin our content segment, take notes as you listen. Right after the presentation, you will compete in a five-minute poster contest to capture the key points using strict constraints.

## How to run it

### 1. Deliver content and brief teams (3 minutes)

Deliver your presentation segment. Direct participants into 4 teams of 2 to 6 people and send each team to an assigned chart station. Read the rules: teams have 5 minutes to summarize key points on a single sheet. Words-Only teams must use zero graphics or diagrams. Pictures-Only teams must use zero letters, words, or numbers.

### 2. Produce posters under constraint (5 minutes)

Start the 5-minute timer. Announce the time remaining at each minute mark. Teams work simultaneously on their single flip chart sheet. Call time sharply at 5 minutes and tell everyone to drop markers.

### 3. Compare posters across modes (4 minutes)

Position the two Words-Only posters side by side. Have the Pictures-Only teams review both and vote by show of hands on which communicated the ideas more clearly. Then position the two Pictures-Only posters side by side and have the Words-Only teams vote. Acknowledge the highest-rated poster in each pair.

### 4. Debrief and synthesize (3 minutes)

Display all four posters together. Lead a brief plenary reflection on combining linguistic and graphic elements to maximize retention. Take up to 3 volunteer observations.


## Debrief questions

- What critical concepts proved difficult to express when restricted entirely to pictures or entirely to words?
- How did seeing the other medium change or reinforce your understanding of the lecture?
- If we merged one text poster and one picture poster into a single visual aid, what would be the most effective layout?

**Finished output:** Four displayed summary posters (two text-only, two visual-only) demonstrating the core points of the lecture.

## Remote

Form 4 breakout rooms. Provide 4 separate shared whiteboard slides. Assign two rooms text-only (using only text boxes) and two rooms graphics-only (using only shapes, icons, and drawn lines with no characters). After 5 minutes, bring everyone back to the main room, share screens side by side, and conduct comparative voting via chat polls.

## Hybrid

Assign remote participants into remote-only pairs or trios using a shared digital whiteboard, while in-person teams use physical flip charts. Project the digital canvases on the room screen during the comparison phase so all participants view and vote on both formats simultaneously.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may contribute ideas orally, sketch, scribe, or observe without pressure to draw.
- Any participant may opt out of standing or drawing by serving as the team timekeeper or content checker.

## If the session gets stuck

**A Pictures-Only team sneaks in acronyms, numbers, or labels.**

Remind them before minute 2 that numbers, letters, and labels disqualify the poster; direct them to replace the letters with an icon, flowchart arrow, or symbolic sketch.

**Participants get stuck arguing about graphic artistic talent.**

Announce that simple stick figures, arrows, boxes, and basic symbols communicate better than polished art.


## Terms used here

- Interactive Lecture: A presentation structure broken into brief instructional segments separated by short participant activities.

## Participant material: Poster Contest Instructions: Words Only

POSTER CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS: WORDS ONLY

Your job is to design a poster that presents the key points of this presentation.

Rules:
1. Page limit: You are limited to one sheet of flip chart paper.
2. Text only: Your poster must ONLY use words. You may not use any graphics, pictures, symbols, or diagrams.
3. Joint effort: All team members should contribute to the creation of the poster.
4. Time limit: The final version of the poster must be ready in 5 minutes.

## Participant material: Poster Contest Instructions: Pictures Only

POSTER CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS: PICTURES ONLY

Your job is to design a poster that presents the key points from the presentation.

Rules:
1. Page limit: You are limited to one sheet of flip chart paper.
2. Graphics only: Your poster must ONLY use pictures (including graphics, symbols, and diagrams without words). You should not use any letters, words, or numbers.
3. Joint effort: All team members should contribute to the creation of the poster.
4. Time limit: The final version of the poster must be ready in 5 minutes.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in Play for Performance (June 2003), edited by Sivasailam (Thiagi) Thiagarajan and published by Workshops by Thiagi, Inc., under the section 'Interactive Lecture: Words and Pictures'.

The original source document is an issue of the newsletter Play for Performance containing multiple items. The main runnable interactive lecture activity from this issue is 'Words and Pictures' by Sivasailam Thiagarajan. Retained the core mechanic: 4 teams, 5-minute limit, dual constraints (Words Only vs. Pictures Only), peer voting across categories, and a debrief on combining formats. UWT structured the timing into a clear 15-minute sequence, added remote/hybrid parameters, and prepared printable instruction cards.

[thiagi.net](http://thiagi.net/archive/www/pfp/IE4H/june2003.html)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/pfp-june-2003/