# Beyond Words: Why Visual Thinking is the Missing Link in Your PKM Do the ideas in these quotes look familiar? ![[Illustration - Five Quotes About Writing.svg]] When we think about personal knowledge management (PKM), writing often takes center stage. We’re taught to jot down thoughts, organize them neatly, and create complex networks of notes. But is text alone enough to fully capture, process, and present the depth of our ideas? I argue that it’s not. Text-based PKM has its limitations. While writing helps articulate thoughts, it lacks the spatial and structural clarity that visuals provide. I believe text-only PKM misses out on significant value. By augmenting writing with illustrations—or better yet, developing a visual-first PKM system supported by text—you can achieve a step change in how you process, understand, and present complex ideas. ## The Limits of Text-Heavy PKM Writing forces us to process information in a linear way. Paragraphs and lists require sequential reading, which adds cognitive load to short-term memory. When faced with pages of text, it’s easy to overlook inconsistencies, but the moment you attempt to illustrate those ideas—whether through diagrams or concept maps—the gaps become glaringly obvious. Rodrigo Alvarez, a member of my YouTube community, shared in a comment on one of my [videos](https://youtu.be/rWghRyI_MFc) how his university professor for complexity science taught through diagrams and mental maps, transforming his understanding of complex subjects. He notes how this experience changed his approach to note-taking in other subjects as well. It’s not just about supplementing text with visuals but about flipping the paradigm. What if, instead of using visuals as an afterthought to support text, we made visuals the primary mode of thinking, augmented by text where necessary? ## Visual Thinking: A Step-Change in Understanding I would argue that all concepts become clearer when supported by diagrams or illustrations. Visuals work as a mirror for the mental maps we constantly develop as we read and listen. Externalizing these maps onto paper makes it easier to grasp relationships, dependencies, and hierarchies. They provide an instant overview—a way to see the "forest" without losing sight of the "trees." In contrast, a text-based approach forces you to process each idea one step at a time, adding unnecessary friction to your learning. For instance, imagine reading a list of directions versus looking at a map. The map provides immediate clarity, allowing you to visualize the terrain and see all potential routes at once. This is what visual PKM offers: a way to organize thoughts spatially, helping you see the relationships between ideas at a glance. ![[Illustration - map vs. text.svg]] When working on a complex idea, you often discover that writing alone isn't enough. A seemingly well-articulated thought can unravel the moment you try to map it visually. This is where visual thinking excels. It acts as a filter, revealing inconsistencies and gaps that text might obscure. The act of diagramming forces clarity, making it a powerful tool for problem-solving and idea generation. ## Why Hybrid Text-Visual PKM is the Future  In my own practice, I’ve adopted a hybrid approach, combining the strengths of both text and visuals. The [[About Obsidian-Excalidraw|Obsidian-Excalidraw plugin]] offers the perfect environment for this, allowing you to create [[Hybrid markdown-excalidraw note template|hybrid documents]] that include both text and illustrations. Imagine having a drawing as the front of your note and text as the “back.” In one view, you can interact with a visual map of ideas, and in another, dive into the textual details. This format maximizes Obsidian’s powerful linking and search capabilities while providing a strongly visual PKM experience. This hybrid approach isn’t just about making your notes look nice; it’s about fundamentally changing how you think. Visualizing your ideas forces you to distill them, making them clearer and easier to communicate. It challenges the conventional wisdom that writing alone is the best way to process information. ## Why Visual Thinking Skills Matter More Than Ever One of the reasons why developing your visual thinking skills can have such powerful impact in your life is that it has been underdeveloped for most of us. From an early age, [[Mastering Visual Literacy#We Are Taught How to Read Stories, But Not How to Read Pictures|our education emphasizes writing and reading over drawing and visualizing]]. By the time we’re adults, our visual thinking skills are often rudimentary at best. But this presents an opportunity: improving your visual thinking offers a higher return on investment than taking another writing course. You're starting from a lower skill level, so the improvement curve is steep. The [[About the Visual Thinking Workshop|Visual Thinking Workshop]] I run is a hands-on experience where participants can develop their visual PKM skills. I’ve seen time and again how people can unlock new ways of thinking by incorporating visuals into their workflow. It’s not about replacing writing but about augmenting it to achieve greater clarity and insight. For most of us, learning how to think visually is a path to transformative improvement, far beyond what text alone can offer. ## Conclusion: The Case for Visual Thinking in PKM  Writing will always have its place in PKM, but it’s time to recognize its limitations. By augmenting text-heavy approaches with visuals, or even flipping the script to prioritize visual thinking supported by text, you can achieve a significant leap in how you process, understand, and present complex ideas. Visual thinking isn’t just a supplement to writing; it’s a different way of thinking altogether. And by developing your visual thinking toolset, you can unlock a whole new level of insight and clarity. If you’re ready to take the next step in developing your visual thinking skills, I invite you to [[We Are Visual Thinkers, Yet We Struggle to Think Visually#Overcoming Inertia Stop Waiting to Get It Right|explore hands-on opportunities]] to grow in this area. The payoff will likely be far greater than just another writing course. Visuals help you think, see, and understand better. It’s time to embrace that potential. ## Links: - [Visual Thinking Workshop](https://www.visual-thinking-workshop.com/) - [Obsidian MD](https://obsidian.md) - [Obsidian-Excalidraw Plugin](https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin) ## Additional videos you might find interesting