Why Live Scribing is the Secret Weapon Your Next Event Needs

Picture this. You’ve just spent two jam-packed days at a major conference. Dozens of presentations. Countless conversations. Ideas flying at a hundred miles an hour. Then Monday morning rolls around. You sit down at your desk, open your notebook, and… what do you actually remember?

A couple of bullet points from a PowerPoint deck? Maybe a quote or two that stuck with you? Most of it’s a blur. But what if there was a way to capture not just the content of the event, but the energy? The excitement? The essence of collaborative thinking?

That’s the power of live scribing.

So, What Is Live Scribing?

Live scribing is the art of visually capturing conversations in real time. It’s part mind-mapping, part storytelling, and all about making complex ideas instantly clear and unforgettable. As seasoned visual practitioner James Bailey puts it:

“Scribing is simply listening very carefully to a conversation or a flow of information—and then recreating it in two-dimensional form, as an illustration or a mind map.”

Think of it as turning spoken ideas into visuals as they happen. Whether it’s a keynote, a panel, or even a roundtable discussion, the scribe listens, synthesises, and illustrates key themes using a mix of imagery and language live, in the room.

Why It Works (Even When You Don’t Understand a Word)

Here’s the wild part: as a scribe, you don’t need to understand everything to make an impact. Our founder, Andrew Park, also started his career as a scribe before going to create the RSA Animates series. He recalls one event working with Lacanian philosophers at the London School of Economics:

“I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about… I was just drawing. But afterwards, someone came up and said, ‘That was brilliant—you captured it perfectly!’”

The magic? Visuals become bridges to meaning. Even in dense, technical, or abstract discussions, the scribe reflects back the essence in a way that cuts through complexity and connects with the audience on a different level.

On the left, some Egyptian stand amongst hieroglyphics discussing value, demand and quarterly alignment. On right, a quote from Andrew Park reads "the language of scribing has huge potential because it's something that's always been done"

The Real-Time Advantage

Live scribing isn’t just a pretty picture at the end of the day. It transforms the experience of the event while it’s happening. It helps attendees:

  • Retain information by seeing it reinforced visually

  • Follow the flow of a conversation more easily

  • Spot patterns and connections that might otherwise be missed

  • Feel heard and understood through visual reflection

Scribes aren’t just summarising, they’re helping people see what’s being said, sometimes in ways they hadn’t considered.

It’s Not About Being a Great Artist

Here’s what might surprise you: being a brilliant illustrator isn’t the most important skill.

James again:

“What you don’t need is to be able to draw brilliantly. What you do need is to draw effectively—and know how to pick out the important points of the conversation.”

It’s about active listening, sharp thinking, and knowing how to visually emphasise what matters. It’s storytelling with markers.

The image unpacks multi-modal learning. Multiple streA boy sits in headphones at a book, embodying auditory learning and reading and writing. Alphabet blocks capture kinaesthetic learning, a woman embodies social and verbal learning

The Takeaway

In a world overflowing with content and conversation, live scribing cuts through the noise. It captures not just what was said, but why it mattered, making the ephemeral feel tangible. Whether you’re running a strategy session, hosting a conference, or leading a workshop, consider this:

  • What if your ideas didn’t just disappear into the ether?

  • What if they lived on—in vibrant, visual form?

That’s the promise of live scribing. And once you’ve seen it in action, you’ll never want to run another event without it.

Ready to bring your next event to life with live scribing? Get in touch by sending us a message or booking a call, we’d love to help you make it unforgettable!

Previous
Previous

From Bullet Points to Breakthroughs: The Power of Storytelling and Live Scribing in Presentations 

Next
Next

Misalignment in Healthcare: The Hidden Costs