Do you use your knowledge to make a living? Is sharing your thoughts with others important to you? Do you want to learn complex things faster and deeper? Are you looking for better ways to store and connect your visual ideas?
If so, then you may want to join Zsolt Viczián for his upcoming Visual Thinking Workshop, August 24 to September 28t. During this one-month, cohort-based learning experience, you’ll learn how to transform information into an effective personal knowledge base.
The course includes six two-hour live training sessions plus five one-hour office sessions will take place on Saturdays. As Zsolt explains, “The class sessions will cover topics in the curriculum, while the office hours will provide an opportunity to ask questions on a broader set of visual thinking, Excalidraw, productivity and Obsidian-related topics.”
If you’re fascinated by the idea of taking a deep dive into visual strategies for managing your knowledge and ideas, this could be an amazing experience for you. This will be the 10th cohort. By this time, Zsolt has refined the curriculum and overall course structure to provide the maximum amount of value to students.
Who is the teacher behind the Visual Thinking Workshop? Zsolt describes himself as a a seasoned engineer with over two decades of experience in problem-solving and cross-disciplinary knowledge. As a lifelong learner and PMP-certified project manager, he’s always looking for new ways to expand his skills and knowledge. He loves developing tools and integrations to optimize his personal and professional workflows. This includes building popular tools like Excalidraw and ExcaliBrain within Obsidian to link drawings, images, and text,
I recently interviewed Zsolt to learn more about the thinking behind this ambitious training program.
The Visual Thinking Workshop
Chuck Frey: What was the genesis of the workshop?
Zsolt Viczián: I launched the Visual Thinking Workshop in October 2022, driven by three key motivations. First, I wanted to build a visual PKM workflow and tool that aligned with the way my brain works. Second, I sought to connect with like-minded individuals. And finally, I aimed to develop a hobby that could also serve as a side hustle.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with numerous note-taking and visual thinking tools. My go-to tools were TheBrain, OneNote, and MindMap HD on my iPad. While these are all solid tools, I consistently encountered limitations – especially when trying to integrate illustrations into my notes or connect ideas across different notes. This was particularly frustrating with OneNote and MindMap HD. To bridge the illustration-gap, I used drawing apps like Autodesk’s Sketchbook and Infinite Painter to create illustrations and then attach them to my notes. However, this setup was far from ideal, often leading to frustration as I bumped up against the tools’ constraints, all while paying for services that didn’t fully meet my needs.
Every 4-5 years, I would find myself restless, searching for better tools and crafting my own hacks and plugins to customize the tools I was using. By the end of 2019, I was once again on the hunt for the Holy Grail of note-taking tools. I explored TiddlyWiki, Obsidian, and Roam Research, eventually gravitating towards the PKM community forming around Roam Research. This journey led me to start a blog and, later, a YouTube channel – initially to complement my blog articles with how-to demonstrations, and eventually to focus entirely on YouTube.
Starting the blog and YouTube channel was one of the best decisions I’ve made. These platforms became my “learning in public” spaces. Publishing content has been crucial for clarifying my own ideas and attracting others who face similar challenges. I’ve gained countless insights, recommendations, and new perspectives through discussions sparked by my videos and blog posts.
The Visual Thinking Workshop is a natural progression in this journey. I’ve been contemplating Visual Thinking Workflows and tools for nearly 30 years, and over the past 3-4 years, I’ve distilled these ideas into articles and videos. I believe I have valuable experience to share, and I’m equally excited to meet others who share a passion for this topic.
Frey: Why a cohort model? Do people love the interaction with you?
Viczián: Before 2020, I wasn’t very active on social media – I was more of a content consumer. But once I started engaging with online communities and sharing my ideas as a form of learning in public, my personal development accelerated. This led to insights I wouldn’t have discovered otherwise. From this experience, I firmly believe that learning by sharing and within communities is far more effective than learning alone.
The workshop includes an extensive Demo Obsidian Vault, packed with hours of video content, full documentation of my workflow, seven Book-on-a-Page examples complete with literature notes and atomic illustrations, and a short document detailing the evolution of my workflow from one BoaP to the next. It explains the tools and techniques I experimented with while creating each sample BoaP.
I like to think of the workshop as a book club. I invite participants to join me in reading a book, but with a focus on deeply understanding the material. We create illustrations and diagrams to facilitate that deep understanding, and then develop a presentation—the Book-on-a-Page—to share our story of the book with others. These activities are highly interactive.
As for whether people enjoy interacting with me, I can only speak for my own experience. I thoroughly enjoy engaging with workshop participants. The workshop includes two types of sessions: main sessions and office hours. Office hours are entirely driven by participants’ questions, and the discussions are consistently fascinating. Over the course of nine cohorts, we’ve explored a wide range of topics, from the philosophy of thinking to Obsidian programming, GTD workflows, Zettelkasten, and practical Excalidraw techniques. Given the level of engagement during these office hours, I believe participants value the chance to discuss these topics with me.
Frey: Who is the ideal audience for it? Who has participated in past cohorts?
Viczián: The ideal participant for the workshop has some basic experience with Obsidian and the Excalidraw plugin. They should be familiar with concepts such as linking and block/section referencing in Obsidian and have created at least a few illustrations using Excalidraw. The workshop is an intensive six-week experience that poses challenges for three main reasons:
- It covers extensive ground in terms of tool usage and PKM workflows,
- It involves reading a 200-300 page book and creating detailed literature notes and illustrations, and
- It integrates all of this into a visual summary, the Book-on-a-Page (BoaP).
All this requires a significant investment of time and effort, but the rewards are substantial. Participants who commit to the process often find that their mindset shifts and their Obsidian/Excalidraw skills greatly enhance their work, studies, and hobbies.
Past cohorts have included individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as students, teachers, employed professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and retired PKM enthusiasts.
Frey: What additional insights have you uncovered by holding these visual thinking workshops?
Viczián: When I launched the first cohort, I didn’t have a detailed curriculum – just a high-level structure I wanted to follow. With each cohort, I’ve refined the content, and now I’ve developed a well-documented visual thinking framework called The MindSET, consisting of 32 individual cards. Each card details a specific practice, method, tool, or checklist. The MindSET is included in the Demo Vault that comes with the workshop.
However, the most significant evolution of the workshop since cohort 1 has been the shift in balance between content delivery and interaction. For instance, I introduced Office Hours as part of this shift. While the workshop still covers a substantial amount of content, each session now includes multiple team exercises. I believe these exercises make the learning experience more interactive and help participants internalize The MindSET framework more effectively. I’ve also recognized that certain aspects of my workflow are less critical than I initially thought, so I’ve gradually phased them out in favor of more interactive elements.
Additionally, participants in each cohort have voiced needs that have led to new Excalidraw plugin features. One example is the feature for cropping images from PDF pages while maintaining a reference to the original page.
I always learn from participants. One of these insights is the realization that less is more when it comes to illustrations. While image generators can produce attractive visuals, observing the work of different participants has made it clear that simple black-and-white icons often communicate ideas more effectively than complex, colorful, AI generated images. I’ve also learned the importance of leaving whitespace between illustrations, as this seems to aid in comprehension.
Frey: What else should readers of my blog know about this workshop and the value it provides?
Viczián: The Visual Thinking Workshop isn’t a magic bullet, but it’s built on a wealth of experience, and I believe I’m a good, patient teacher. My primary motivation for running these workshops is to enjoy the process, further my thinking, and connect with others who share similar interests.
By cohort 10, the workshop has matured – I’ve learned the ropes. However, each book we tackle requires a slightly different approach, which keeps the process dynamic. My workflow continues to evolve as I gain more experience with visually processing books, and both Excalidraw and Obsidian are also actively evolving. This means that each workshop offers a unique experience. It’s not a “microwave meal” you eat alone in the kitchen, but a home-cooked dinner shared with friends around a big table. Many participants have taken the workshop two or even three times, which speaks to the value and ongoing appeal of the experience.
Zsolt’s visual thinking worldview
Frey: Why is visual thinking more valuable than ever today?
Viczián: Humans have always been spatial-visual creatures, so in that sense, visual thinking has always held great value. I’m not sure it’s necessarily more valuable today than before, but it remains critically important. However, there are two ways in which visual thinking is particularly relevant today.
1. Slowing Down the Process: Creating meaningful illustrations takes time. Sure, you can find clipart in seconds, but creating visuals that deepen your thinking, connect ideas, and reveal new perspectives—things you couldn’t express with words alone—requires a slower, more deliberate approach (see also: Mastering Concept Visuals). Visual thinking encourages us to slow down. I resonate with Masashi Kishimoto’s quote: “There’s no advantage to hurrying through life.” My primary goal with visual thinking isn’t to process information faster but to savor the process of reading and learning, and to enjoy it for longer.
2. Digesting Information: We’re bombarded with information. My approach to visual summarization helps break this flood of information into digestible chunks. Once your visual summaries are complete, you can use them to organize your thoughts on a meta level, laying them out on a canvas and arranging them spatially. This level of thinking is difficult to achieve if you rely solely on holding ideas in your head or using text alone – although you could replicate it by writing keywords on post-it notes and moving them around (see also: Case Study Example: Atomic Habits BoaP and Spatial Thinking).
Frey: What problems are creators facing that visual thinking methods can help them with?
Viczián: I encounter two main challenges: understanding and connecting ideas, and then presenting and sharing those ideas. Visual thinking methods address both. When I start exploring a new topic, I often create concept maps. These maps are invaluable for identifying the core concepts in a domain and understanding how they interrelate. As for presentation, nearly all my videos incorporate visual summaries to complement my storytelling. In fact, my creative process typically begins with a visual summary, which then shapes the narrative that follows.
Frey: What do you wish people knew about visual thinking?
Viczián: I wish more people understood that visual thinking isn’t just about creating pretty pictures and drawings. A few months ago, I realized that “Visual Thinking” might not even be the most accurate term – it should probably be called “Spatial-Visual Thinking.” Laying out ideas spatially, adding colors and highlights, or using simple structures like tables and matrices elevates our thinking far beyond what’s possible with just bullet points and paragraphs of text.
Another key point is that spatial-visual thinking should complement, not replace, thinking through writing. I see these two modes – spatial-visual thinking and writing – as orthogonal dimensions of our thinking. The more dimensions you engage, the deeper your thinking can become.
Frey: You promote the idea of 4D thinking. How would you describe that concept, and what makes it different than 2D or 3D thinking when it comes to notes and ideas?
Viczián: I define the first dimension as text—words arranged sequentially to form sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and so on. Regardless of the reading direction dictated by your language (left-to-right, right-to-left, top-to-bottom, etc.), the commonality lies in processing this information in a linear, sequential manner, which I refer to as “linear text.”
The second dimension encompasses the individual documents you create. Each document is a separate entity, possibly structured with paragraphs, chapters, bullet points, etc., but still isolated from others.
The third dimension emerges when you start linking ideas across these documents, much like how Wikipedia is organized. These links allow you to connect ideas and create threads that weave through multiple documents, enabling a more interconnected understanding of a subject.
I think of spatial-visual notes as the fourth dimension. While text is processed sequentially, images are absorbed all at once. This means that when you have visual notes, you can glance at them even years later and immediately recall the key ideas, as opposed to reading through linear text to refresh your memory.
Frey: I see that your approach incorporates both sketchnoting and mind mapping. How do these two approaches differ in your opinion?
Viczián: In my view, sketchnoting is closer to comic book design, while mind mapping is more about diagramming. Sketchnoting is centered around storytelling, combining visuals and text to convey a narrative. On the other hand, mind mapping focuses on spatially organizing ideas, creating a structured overview of a topic.
While sketchnotes also organize ideas spatially and mind maps can be used for storytelling, their core strengths are different. Sketchnoting excels at narrative expression, while mind mapping is better for structuring and connecting ideas.
Frey: It looks like you have at least explored mind mapping tools. What pros and cons did you discover as you evaluated them?
Viczián: I discovered MindJet sometime around the year 2000. Since then, I’ve played with many mind mapping tools over the years. The list includes iMindMap HD, MindManager (was first called MindJet), Freemind and Freeplane. I also used concept mapping tools like CMap, and of course TheBrain. On top of these I pretty much tried every mind mapping tool in the App Store and Play Store.
I always use many devices and passionately disapprove of platform lock-in. I have an iPad, a Windows 11 desktop, a Windows 10 laptop, a MacBook M1, an Android Phone and a Chromebook. As such, cross platform support and the ability to seamlessly move between devices as I work on my notes is key for me. I found that most, if not all the solutions stumble when it comes to this requirement. Of course, much can be achieved with browser based user interfaces, but often these come with a steep monthly fee and include lots of frustrating limitations.
The other stumbling block is adding illustrations. Frankly, I’ve not seen a single mind mapping app that sufficiently covered this requirement. You are often limited as to where you can draw on the mindmap, you cannot reuse illustrations, and often the graphic toolset is very rudimentary.
For me the look and feel of mindmaps is important. I like the organic looks of Tony Buzan style mindmaps. iMindMap HD comes closest to this look and feel.
I’ve tried project management and other sophisticated team collaboration features in tools like MindManager, but frankly those have never clicked with me.
Frey: What makes the note the atomic unit of ideas?
Viczián: Just as in physics, our understanding of ideas continuously evolves. We once thought atoms were the smallest unit, only to discover they were composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. We then found that even these particles consist of smaller units like quarks. Some theories suggest that this search for smaller components could continue indefinitely. Similarly, I believe it’s impossible to define a definitive atomic unit of an idea. In my practice, this is why the deconstruction of ideas plays a crucial role. I often start with a unit of an idea, but as my understanding deepens, I might break it down further or combine these atomic ideas into “molecules.” These combinations, though more complex, are still atomic at a higher level of abstraction.
Extending the parallel with physics, I see ideas as wave functions and notes as the eigenvalues of our thinking. In quantum mechanics, eigenvalues are specific values linked to an operator, representing measurable quantities like energy levels. They are the outcomes of applying the operator to a wavefunction, yielding a specific result from the range of possibilities described by the wavefunction. Similarly, until we articulate our ideas in a note, we can’t fully grasp what that idea truly is. Annie Murphy Paul, in The Extended Mind, observes that when we doodle on a subject, we often discover connections and solutions we wouldn’t have considered until we reflect on what we’ve just drawn.
Until we write, draw, or otherwise express our thoughts, those thoughts remain abstract. It’s only when we commit them to paper that we begin to truly understand what we’ve been thinking.
Frey: How do you create your sketch notes and books on a page? Are those hand drawn or do you use a digital drawing application? If digital, which one?
Viczián: Almost exclusively I use the Excalidraw plugin in Obsidian.md for creating visual notes. I’ve been developing this plugin for three and a half years, and it now meets almost all of my needs. Whenever I identify a missing feature, I build it in, making Excalidraw in Obsidian almost feature-complete for my note-taking requirements.
While my drawing skills have improved over the years, they remain quite basic. I rely on various cheating techniques and icon libraries, with a preference for Flaticon, as well as image generators like Midjourney. Even if I suddenly became an excellent artist, I would continue using icon libraries and custom icons because they help connect ideas. Much like Annie Murphy Paul’s observation that we can be surprised by our own doodles, I often discover unexpected connections between notes by reusing images in different contexts. I discuss this in How are Picasso’s Bull, Tiago’s Building a Second Brain Book, and PowerPoint presentations related? and Iconic Insights.
For creating Book-on-a-Page summaries, my approach is based on Progressive Summarization, as proposed by Tiago Forte. However, my workflow has evolved from the mechanical and sequential approach advocated by Tiago to a more organic and interactive one over the years.
Obsidian as a personal knowledge management tool
Frey: You’re an avid user and developer around the Obsidian platform. What makes it the ideal foundation for your approach to personal knowledge management?
Viczián: Obsidian.md stands out for several reasons. Technically, it is one of the few truly cross-platform personal knowledge management (PKM) tools available. It works seamlessly across all my devices, and Obsidian Sync ensures my notes are always up-to-date. Additionally, Obsidian provides extensive application programming interfaces (APIs), allowing for virtually limitless customization and functionality. This is a stark contrast to my experiences with, for example, TheBrain, where plugin development was heavily restricted due to its closed data structure.
I see Obsidian as the Operating System for PKM. Like other operating systems such as MacOS or Windows, Obsidian out of the box is functional but not exceptional. However, with nearly 2000 plugins available, it becomes a powerful platform with endless possibilities.
The supportive and positive Obsidian community also adds significant value. The founders, Shida Li (@Licat) and Erica Xu (@Silver), are approachable and helpful, and the wealth of quality content and support from the community makes a big difference, especially when developing new features.
Finally, in Obsidian, your data is yours forever. Everything is stored in simple text files on your device, not in the cloud. Having migrated notes from OneNote, TheBrain, Roam Research, Google Keep, Evernote, and other tools, I’ve found this to be a huge benefit. The idea of a second brain is that knowledge builds up over years or even decades. Being able to keep all that data without having to start over each time you switch tools is crucial. Plus, with growing concerns about cyber security, I appreciate that my notes are not stored on potentially vulnerable cloud services.
Frey; What does Obsidian offer that other note-taking tools don’t that you find to be especially useful?
Viczián: Obsidian makes it extremely easy to create linked notes. It offers more plugins than any other PKM platform and is fully customizable. Sure, this level of customization has its risks—people might end up endlessly tweaking their workflows instead of actually getting work done. However, if that’s what they enjoy, then “There’s no advantage to hurrying through life.” I believe we perform best when we’re engaged in what we love. Tweaking might seem like a waste of time, but philosophically speaking, what isn’t?
Frey: What was the genesis of Excalidraw? What prompted you to create it?
Viczián: The genesis of Excalidraw stems from my earlier attempts to build a hand-drawing mind-mapping and visual thinking tool. Working entirely from scratch proved extremely challenging, and I only managed to develop early proof-of-concepts and prototypes. The idea of creating a flexible tool without the limitations of existing ones had been on my mind for many years.
Before integrating Excalidraw into Obsidian, I first brought it into Roam Research. Conor White-Sullivan, the founder of Roam Research, reached out to see if I’d be interested in integrating Excalidraw into their platform. At that time, I was very active in the Roam community, sharing workflows and automations through my blog and YouTube channel. Conor connected me with Christopher Chedeau, also known as Vjeux, the creator of the Excalidraw package.
After transitioning to Obsidian, I launched the Excalidraw plugin within the first month and have been actively contributing to both the Excalidraw package development and the Excalidraw-Obsidian plugin ever since.
Frey: What are your thoughts, pro and con, about Obsidian’s Canvas? How well does it help with 4D thinking?
Viczián: I personally do not use Obsidian Canvas. I’ve tried it a few times but encountered the same limitations as with other visual tools. It’s quite restricted in terms of visual expression and features, and I often found myself bumping into these constraints. I haven’t identified a compelling use case for it in my workflows.
That said, Canvas is not without merit. Like other parts of Obsidian, it’s well-built and user-friendly. It allows you to link and organize notes and illustrations spatially on a canvas, which is a positive step towards supporting 4D thinking.
Learn more about the upcoming Visual Thinking Workshop and reserve your spot today
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