Exploring Visual Problem-Solving for Students

Visual problem-solving gives kids a way to organize and work through ideas visually, which is often easier and more intuitive than trying to hold everything in words alone.

What Visual Problem-solving Involves

At its core, visual problem-solving is about turning ideas into something visible, which makes it easier to organize, compare, and build on than working through the same ideas in words alone.

How To Practice It

• Use visual problem-solving to work through a real problem or question that comes up naturally.
• Practice visual problem-solving with a simple, familiar topic before trying something more complex.

Tips

• Keep the first attempt at visual problem-solving loose and messy — neatness can come later, if at all.
• There's no single 'correct' way to approach visual problem-solving; different visual styles are all valid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills does visual problem-solving help build?

Visual problem-solving supports organization, problem-solving, and the ability to break a big idea down into smaller, connected parts.

Is visual problem-solving only useful for school subjects?

Not at all — visual problem-solving is a flexible thinking tool that applies just as well to everyday problem-solving and personal projects.

For more along the same lines, take a look at Exploring Visual Research Methods for Students.

Conclusion

Visual problem-solving is less about the final drawing and more about the thinking it helps organize along the way.