TeplowCucurullo Communications | Legal Graphics

At a recent innovation workshop with UMass Boston creativity coach Michael Novak, I was introduced to cognitive style techniques that expand your ability to think creatively. One of these techniques was the “use of multiple thinking languages.” Other methods are “processing a wide variety of alternatives (even contradictory alternatives), breaking out of established problem-solving approached and preconceived ways of thinking, and retaining and recalling large amounts of detailed information.
    A “thinking language” can be statistical or mathematical. It can be conceptual. It can be visual. A “thinking language” helps you see a challenge from multiple perspectives – and using many “thinking languages” together is a proven way to solve problems.
To illustrate this point – literally – think about this: The complete works of William Shakespeare are in a four volume set, marked 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively.  They are on a bookshelf with the volumes in normal order.  Since they are hard-covered, the front and back covers are each one-eighth of an inch thick for each volume.  The pages of each volume are two inches thick.  A little worm starts on page one of volume one and each straight through to the last page of volume four.  How far did the worm travel?
    Most people come up with an answer between 8.5” and 9”. This is in no way correct.
    Now look at the drawing below. You’ll SEE that the worm won’t actually have to travel through the first and fourth volume – rather it will eat only though the front and back covers, respectively. The total distance traveled would be 4.75”.
  

 Now, another characteristic of creative people is the ability to use one type of information to solve many problems. That being said, using “multiple thinking languages” can solve more than just math problems. I immediately associated the use of “multiple thinking languages” with the development of legal graphics.
    Legal graphics are the visual interpretations of a litigator’s argument. The verbal argument, the legal graphic, and any statistical information work together to provide the decision-maker with the full spectrum of “multiple thinking language” so he or she can truly see the argument from the litigator’s perspective. In many situations, at least in the courtroom, multiple thinking languages help relinquish the possibility of an alternative solution – i.e. the opposition’s proposed solution.
    Using “multiple thinking languages” in the courtroom – as well as in other areas of life – can help people use all of their brain functions to develop concrete and cohesive solutions to complicated problems. To watch a video about looking at data from different perspectives, click here.