Images for Moments that Matter
That’s what I discussed with Koen De Keersmaecker, visual facilitator and founder of Bizzuals. He guides teams through those crucial moments when words fall short—when what really matters is clarity, connection, and shared understanding. Visualization strengthens that shared understanding and accelerates decision-making (Eppler & Platts, 2009).
“Drawing,” says Koen, “helps to make clear what we’re actually talking about. In the end, everyone understands what was said. Because as you draw, you see it—and that changes everything.” This process works as a boundary object—a bridge connecting different perspectives within teams (Star & Griesemer, 1989).
Images in conversations that matter
Koen often works with leaders trapped in abstract language. “We talk about ‘strategy,’ ‘change,’ ‘culture,’ but nobody draws what that means,” he says. “And then you notice the conversation stays vague.”
As soon as you draw it or use an image, you see where things go wrong. Everyone looks at the same sheet—and literally, we get on the same page. This is a practical example of how visualization enhances alignment and collaboration (Morgan & Liker, 2006).
That’s what visualization does: it doesn’t beautify—it clarifies.
He uses visualisation for the conversations that count:
- when starting change programs where alignment is missing (Morgan & Liker, 2006),
- during projects where coordination falters,
- and in strategic or commercial meetings where decisions are made.
“Whether it’s with teams, boards, or clients, the power lies in looking together—not just talking.”
Bikablo and Obeya: structured clarity
Koen is a certified Bikablo trainer, a globally recognized method for visual communication. “Bikablo isn’t an art course,” he explains. “It’s a visual language you learn to speak. You use simple patterns, symbols, frames. They bring structure so everyone understands. It’s not about talent—it’s about technique and attention.” Structuring shared visual information makes change more efficient and helps insights stick (Mascitelli, 2020).
He also works with the Obeya concept—literally “big room” in Japanese—a physical or virtual space where everything connects: strategy, obstacles, progress. “In an Obeya, you see the whole picture. The walls tell the team’s story. People see where they stand, what others are working on, and what’s missing. That openness creates a culture of shared responsibility.”
From drawing to meaning
“Drawing is thinking,” says Koen. “But it’s also listening. When I draw during a conversation, you can feel the energy shift. People lean in, correct each other, add things. The image becomes common ground. And that sticks much longer than words.”
Participatory visualization creates strong shared ownership and group memory (Savioja et al., 2014).
His approach is radically participative. “I never draw for people; I draw with people. That way, insight doesn’t emerge afterward in a report—it happens during the conversation itself.”
The poster in the kitchen
Koen smiles when he repeats the phrase: “The poster in the kitchen—that’s proof of impact for me. It’s still hanging there weeks later. Everyone who walks in recognizes the story. New colleagues instantly get what’s going on. Then I know: this worked.”
He stresses that visualizations aren’t temporary. “Reports disappear into folders. But drawings stay alive. They invite. They provoke. They’re both conversation starters and agreements in one.” That’s exactly what makes visual tools so powerful for lasting organizational change (Star & Griesemer, 1989).
Stickers, symbols, and the language of images
Not every moment allows time to draw. “Sometimes the context doesn’t fit, or there’s no time,” Koen admits. “Then I work with prepared visual elements—stickers, symbols, icons—to still make the conversation visual. You put them on the table, move them around, combine them. That’s also visualization.”
He emphasizes that this way of working isn’t casual. “‘Quick and dirty’ doesn’t exist in my world. Either you learn to draw—for instance through Bikablo—or you work carefully with well-designed visual tools. Because those symbols mean something—they help thinking. You use them during the conversation to build shared understanding together.”
That precision, he says, is what makes the difference. “Visualization isn’t improvisation. It’s focus. You rearrange words until meaning becomes visible.”
From moment to momentum
According to Koen, visualization works not only during workshops but especially at the right moment. “It’s all about those moments that matter—decisive meetings, stalled change processes, teams that don’t understand each other. Those are tipping points. When you visualize there, you turn a single moment into momentum.”
He sees it every day. “After one session people say, ‘Now I see it.’ And that’s often literally true—they see for the first time where the problem lies, why the direction is off, or which step is missing.”
Visualization as a continuous compass
For Koen, a good image is more than a drawing—it’s a continuous reference point. “An organization needs a visual memory. That prevents having the same discussions over and over again. A good image is an anchor; it reminds people why they do what they do.” Visual models demonstrably act as a shared organizational memory (Eppler & Platts, 2009).
In his Imagineering Lab at Bizzuals, he brings people physically together around those images. “The walls hold stories, systems, strategies. We make it visible. When something is complex, we shouldn’t talk it out—we should show it.”
Lessons from the cockpit
The conversation with Koen struck a chord. At Add Business, I’ve worked for years with visualization in client conversations that matter. Together with Stefaan Ooms from Toughcrowd, I develop pitch visuals—simple, powerful images that make complex value tangible, often starting from a sketch.
But where we visualize at the moment of the client dialogue—the moment of truth—Koen starts one step earlier. He visualizes internally, before the first client is even approached. And he teaches it to the users themselves.
His method helps organizations prepare for those key moments—so conversations, meetings, and transitions become clear, efficient, and human. We meet in the same mission: to move beyond words. To create images of what matters—so that the essence doesn’t get lost in abstraction, but takes shape, literally and figuratively.
About Koen De Keersmaecker
Koen is a visual facilitator, trainer, and coach at Bizzuals, specializing in Business Agility, Lean Startup, and Design Thinking. As a certified Bikablo trainer and Obeya coach, he helps organizations bring clarity to transitions, strategies, and collaboration.
More about his work: bizzuals.com or bikablo.com or hello@bizzuals.com
References
- Eppler, M. J., & Platts, K. W. (2009). Visual representations in knowledge management: framework and cases. Journal of Knowledge Management, 13(6), 112–123.
- Mascitelli, R. (2020). Mastering Lean Product Development: A Practical, Event-Driven Process for Maximizing Speed, Profits, and Quality. Technology Perspectives.
- Morgan, J., & Liker, J. K. (2006). The Toyota Product Development System: Integrating People, Process, and Technology. Productivity Press.
- Savioja, P., Koskinen, H., & Lehtonen, T. (2014). Shared visualizations in participatory workplace design. CoDesign, 10(2), 120–135.
- Star, S. L., & Griesemer, J. R. (1989). Institutional ecology, ‘translations,’ and boundary objects: Amateurs and professionals in Berkeley’s Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, 1907–39. Social Studies of Science, 19(3), 387–420.