Visual communication is powerful for many reasons. Firstly, it grabs attention, and in a world where everyone is trying to get your attention, this is critical. Secondly, our brain processes images incredibly quickly, which means we will understand a message faster if it’s in a clear visual, rather than a list of dot points.

But perhaps most importantly, visuals are far more memorable than written text, which is one of the main reasons why I used visual notetaking to record my key takeaways from some of the sessions I attended at the recent IABC World Conference 2025 in Vancouver. Sketchnoting during a session helps me stay focused, but it also allows me to have a handy, one-page reference to the key points after the event, and is a nice gift for the presenter.

Here are a few of my sketchnotes:

Want to give sketchnoting a try? It’s actually very simple – just a series of icons and words! Next time you attend a meeting or a conference, just start with recording three key points visually. Practice makes progress!