Visual Thinking Workshop Self-Paced Course Contents

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To get the most out of the Visual Thinking Workshop self-paced course, you should plan to invest a total of 69 hours. If you dedicate 1 hour per day, this will take around 10 weeks to complete.

While 69 hours might seem like a lot, this course is your opportunity to build essential skills we were never taught in school — how to think visually. It’s a transformative learning experience. You’ll also dive into The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul, a book carefully selected to deepen your understanding of why spatial-visual thinking is so powerful. Rather than rushing, I encourage you to embrace the journey. You’re not just learning — you’re developing new capabilities.

“There’s no advantage to hurrying through life.” —Masashi Kishimoto

This course is designed to make the process both enriching and enjoyable.

Here’s the breakdown:

  • Total video lesson playtime: :movie_camera: 12.5 hours
  • Estimated homework time: :memo: 23.5 hours, which also includes reading the Prologue, Introduction, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 of The Extended Mind
  • To finish reading the book while applying the methods discussed, plan for about 2-3 hours per chapter for the remaining 11 chapters, adding up to an estimated 33 hours

Buckle Up for the Ride! (:movie_camera: 27:22 :memo: 25 minutes)

  • Welcome! (:movie_camera: 09:07 :memo: 5 minutes)
  • Course Overview (:movie_camera: 06:41 :memo: 20 minutes)
  • Introducing The MindSET Framework (:movie_camera: 11:34)

Setting Up Your Tools (:movie_camera: 77:29 :memo: 80 minutes)

  • Toolbox Setup (:movie_camera: 03:08)
  • Set Up Obsidian, Install the Demo Vault (:movie_camera: 25:01 :memo: 25 minutes)
  • The Demo Vault (:movie_camera: 24:43 :memo: 20 minutes)
  • Quick Intro to Excalidraw (:movie_camera: 16:36 :memo: 20 minutes)
  • Quick Intro to Readwise (:movie_camera: 08:01 :memo: 15 minutes)

Visual Thinking: Setting Up Your Mind (:movie_camera: 33:59 :memo: 30 minutes)

  • PKM that works like your Brain (:movie_camera: 03:49)
  • Visual Thinking (:movie_camera: 05:43 :memo: 30 minutes)
  • Spatial Thinking (:movie_camera: 24:27)

Consuming Knowledge: Read, Listen, Watch… (:movie_camera: 135:16 :memo: 7-9 hours)

  • Reading Workflows (:movie_camera: 26:46 :memo: 3-4 hours)
  • Idea Integration Board (:movie_camera: 15:47 :memo: 20 minutes)
  • Idea Atlas (:movie_camera: 21:59 :memo: 3-4 hours)
  • Progressive Summarization (:movie_camera: 21:54)
  • Iterative Reading (:movie_camera: 08:45 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • What to Highlight? The Clippings Checklist (:movie_camera: 14:57 :memo: 30 minutes)
  • Structured File Naming (:movie_camera: 25:08 :memo: 15 minutes)

Visualizing Key Ideas (:movie_camera: 166:37 :memo: 90 minutes)

  • Illustration Sources (:movie_camera: 38:26 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • 7-Step Concept Visuals (:movie_camera: 43:57 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Cheating (:movie_camera: 12:36 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Standard Proportions (:movie_camera: 32:10 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Excalidraw Scripts (:movie_camera: 18:45 :memo: 30 minutes)
  • Simple Colors (:movie_camera: 20:43 :memo: 20 minutes)

Structuring Your Notes (:movie_camera: 72:18 :memo: 3 hours)

  • Back-of-the-Card Visual Zettelkasten Notes (:movie_camera: 24:35 :memo: 2 hours)
  • Forcing Function (:movie_camera: 07:00 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • Link and Think Icons (:movie_camera: 25:52 :memo: 25 minutes)
  • LEGOized Ideas (:movie_camera: 14:51 :memo: 20 minutes)

Connecting the Dots and Exploring Perspectives (:movie_camera: 53:42 :memo: 2-3 hours)

  • Broaden Your Perspective (:movie_camera: 12:18 :memo: 1-2 hours)
  • The NoMa Method (:movie_camera: 11:11 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • The Double-Bubble Map (:movie_camera: 11:03 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • Idea Compass (:movie_camera: 19:10 :memo: 20 minutes)

Shaping Your Narrative (:movie_camera: 65:04 :memo: 2 hours)

  • Narrative Thread (:movie_camera: 14:47 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • Take a Stand (:movie_camera: 05:21 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • The Brick Road Method (:movie_camera: 16:16 :memo: 30 minutes)
  • Forms, Fields, and Flows (:movie_camera: 13:24 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Storytelling Secret (:movie_camera: 02:07 :memo: 20 minutes)
  • Transitions and Gutters (:movie_camera: 13:09 :memo: 30 minutes)

Organizing Your Insights and Takeaways (:movie_camera: 48:32 :memo: 50 minutes)

  • Zettelkasten (:movie_camera: 24:30 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • 12 Favorite Problems (:movie_camera: 06:22 :memo: 20 minutes)
  • LATCHing (:movie_camera: 13:56 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • After Action Review (:movie_camera: 03:44)

Sharing Your Story (:movie_camera: 00:00 :memo: 20 minutes)

  • Slideshow Script (:movie_camera: 14:21 :memo: 15 minutes)
  • To Infinity and Beyond! (:movie_camera: 02:51 :memo: 5 minutes)

Customizing and Automating Your Workflow (:movie_camera: 54:34 :memo: 90 minutes)

  • Templater (:movie_camera: 10:50 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Kindle Import Script (:movie_camera: 04:05 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Customizing Readwise (:movie_camera: 04:40 :memo: 10 minutes)
  • Summarization Script (:movie_camera: 06:30 :memo: 30 minutes)
  • Excalidraw Writing Machine (:movie_camera: 28:29 :memo: 30 minutes)

Part of a Bigger Ecosystem

The Visual Thinking Workshop focuses on the workflow.
Excalidraw Mastery focuses on the tool.
Sketch Your Life focuses on thinking tools.

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