EyeCues is a series of information graphics produced by Elanica currently appearing in Canadian Government Executive magazine. The series has three goals. First, many executives have an unhealthy information diet full of vacuous bullet-point slides and simplistic grids of spreadsheet cells. The culture is moving on to richer media and more engaging ways of communicating meaning. EyeCues is a showcase of the possibilities of visual communication and analysis. Second, EyeCues explores a variety of cutting edge topics related to technology, governance, leadership, and public policy. Each graphic conveys a big payload of insight that executives should know. Third, the series demonstrates a range of graphical methods and styles that Elanica has been experimenting with lately. Many of our clients took an interest in our work after seeing our graphics in action. EyeCues is a library of graphics we are able to show publicly. We encourage you to peruse the library and see for yourself.
UNIVERSE OF LIMITS
A worthwhile idea is a delicate thing. Yet it has to run a gauntlet of checks, changes, and approvals to reach fruition in some form. Such is the cosmic order of idea implementation in the public sphere. Consider the full sweep of limiting factors as a cosmogram in the tradition of Renaissance esotericists Robert Fludd, Jocob Böhme, and Athanasius Kircher. There are limits imposed on the mind (or microcosm) and the external world (macrocosm). This information graphic by Peter Stoyko revives an early form of system diagram and plays with the visual tropes of the Age of Encyclopedic Knowledge.
EyeCues 16 (January/February, 2021)
Download[ COSMOGRAM ]
MAGAZINE INFOGRAPHICS
This graphic is a bit "meta" insofar it is about making graphics. Peter Stoyko outlines his process for designing information graphics. Not content to take the easy route, he opted to draw the process out without words. And with only two colours. And inside fixed-size comic panels. Undoubtedly, there are points where the account comes across as a bit cryptic. Nonetheless, it's a fun experiment in visual storytelling and an instructive lesson on the productive role of design constraints.
EyeCues Extra
Link (September, 2020)[ WORDLESS COMIC ]
'OCRACIES
The rise of populist politics has lead some to wonder about the health of modern democracy. That presents an opportunity to explore the various terms that compete with “democracy” to explain how the state works or should work: the “-ocracies” of our political discourse. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko offers a playful overview.
EyeCues 15 (Febuary/March, 2020)
Download[ ILLUSTRATED COLLAGE ]
MACHINE LEARNING BIAS
Machine learning recognizes patterns and anomalies in data in order to make better decisions.For example, it can make predictions based on patterns in historical data. It can group people or identify individuals based on patterns of similarity and difference. It can even spot suspicious behaviour and sound the alarm. Despite the benefits, machine learning is triggering alarm bells of its own. The logic behind decisions is not obvious, raising accountability concerns. Reliance on data raises privacy concerns. Then there are worries about bias. There have been high-profile cases of machine learning discriminating unfairly, making offensive comparisons, and blithely ignoring important distinctions. So what is going on? This information graphic by Peter Stoyko idenfities nine major ways bias can creep into the learning process.
EyeCues 14 (March/April, 2019)
[ Download ][ VISUAL MODEL ]
FRAMING CONTESTS
Executive meetings are full of conversations aimed at getting everyone “on the same page” by negotiating a shared understanding. Highly persuasive executives will try to influence others by reframing issues; that is, by changing the language and implicit mental models that help a group make sense of things. These conversations are called "framing contests". Have you ever wondered why executives can get so preoccupied with context setting, word-smithing, defining terms, and tone-policing around an issue? They are offering their own “spin” on the building blocks of meaning. Such talk may seem tangential but without a shared frame of reference there is a risk people will talk past one another. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko describes the various conversational gambits used in framing contests. This model synthesizes a fragmented literature spanning social psychology, political science, and organizational studies.
EyeCues 13 (January/February, 2019)
[ Download ][ VISUAL MODEL ]
THE CAUGHT-IN-THE-MIDDLE MANAGER
As a cadre, junior executives and middle managers are much maligned as the “clay layer” where change initiatives get bogged down. Is that fair? Take a romp around this information-graphic game-board by Peter Stoyko. Along the way, consider the pushes and pulls faced by the caught-in-the-middle manager. Each pressure is not experienced as a discrete one-off but as a compounding series of bombardments. If you find yourself caught in the middle, take steps to protect your own physical and mental health, as well as the well-being of others in your orbit.
EyeCues 12 (November/December, 2018)
[ Download ][ GAME-BOARD ANALOGY ]
SERVICE INNOVATION LABS
Design labs make public services client-centred and system savvy, not merely convenient for administrators. This graphic shows how they work when based on an ethos of co-creation with stakeholders and clients. As the journey proceeds, everyone engages in design thinking, behavioural insights, systems thinking, foresight scenarios, and rapid prototyping techniques. Development proceeds in iterations of testing and refinement well into implementation. Most importantly, a good service innovation lab gives co-creators new capabilities to innovate themselves, instead of breeding unhealthy forms of dependence.
EyeCues 11 (Sept/October, 2018)
Available for download: forthcoming[ VISUAL JOURNEY ]
THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE
Global warming is melting Arctic ice and changing the ecology. The Northwest Passage—the shipping route through the region—will be open year-round in a few decades. Traffic growth will affect Northern communities and ecosystems in untold ways. Climate change also presents a governance challenge given the sparse population and sprawling coastline. Consider a few trends in this infographic by Peter Stoyko.
EyeCues 10 (July/August, 2018)
[ Download ][ MAP + DATA DISPLAY ]
BOT ARMIES IN PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS
Automated software applications (“bots”) have been weaponized to unduly sway public opinion and online government consultations. A good defence starts with knowing the mischief each type of bot can get up to. Not all bots are bad. Many Internet-enabled services rely on them. Some bots can fight the good fight by improving political transparency. Knowing your bot allies is the second element of an effective defence. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko (now on newsstands) takes stock of both the offence and the defence.
EyeCues 9 (May/June, 2018)
[ Download ][ SPECIES CHART + DIORAMA ]
MULTI-MODAL URBAN MOBILITY
Urban planners focused on moving cars and trucks around (Mobility 1.0) until the city became paved over with roads and parking lots. Long commutes and traffic jams resulted. So the focus shifted to moving people, not vehicles (Mobility 2.0). Public transportation schemes move people more efficiently. Yet few Canadians jump onto buses or trains. Service has been spotty. The commutes are no less soul-crushing. It’s time for Mobility 3.0, a model that offers people more choice for getting around while enhancing quality of life. The amenities that make the system work have already been put to the test in cities around the world. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko shows what a couple dozen smart practices look like when implemented together.
EyeCues 8 (March/April, 2018)
[ Download ][ ISOMETRIC DIORAMA ]
SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
A social enterprise is a firm dedicated to benefitting the community or society. Unlike a private firm, social enterprises are not fixated on profits but, unlike a charity or non-profit, can reward investors to some degree. There is no contradiction between doing good and being commercially self-sustainable in the long run. Governments can encourage these enterprises with tax incentives, seed funding, and financial regulations. They can also spin off internal units as social enterprises. As with any blurring of the lines, there is dispute about what should count as a social enterprise. Nonetheless, an ideal type is emerging, one with four defining features. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko defines that ideal and shows how to fund social enterprise start-ups.
EyeCues 7 (January/February, 2018)
[ Download ][ ISOTYPE DIAGRAM ]
BRIEFING MATERIALS
A communications revolution has taken place but you would not know it by looking at the way officials brief up the chain of authority. Briefing documents remain a throw-back to the days of typewriters, form memos, and tabbed binders. Technology enables deeper engagement. It also makes it easier to dump poorly crafted text onto decision-makers without meeting their needs. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko explores the problems with old-school briefing formats and proposes several fresh alternatives.
EyeCues 7 (October, 2017)
[ Download ][ COMPARATIVE CHARTS + PERSONAS ]
OPEN SCIENCE
Scientific inquiry requires transparency. Yet most scientific studies remain hidden within institutions and behind paywalls, causing research to go underutilized and under-appreciated. Change is happening thanks to technology, renewed interest in scientific first principles, and a realization that openness enables powerful forms of collaboration. How would a system of open science work for government scientists? Peter Stoyko answers that question with an information graphic.
EyeCues 5 (July/August, 2017)
[ Download ][ SYSTEM DIAGRAM ]
LEADERSHIP ANATOMY
Who qualifies as a leader? What is the ideal leader? We all have a sense what a good leader would be—we would know one if we saw one. Yet, to the chagrin of leadership coaches, few of us critically examine the implicit leadership model that guides our thinking. What role models come to mind? What sets them apart? What about them appeals and why? And what about the bad bosses—the “anti-leaders” with authority? What makes them so bad? Research suggests that these preconceptions can be revealed through visualization. Our language is deeply metaphorical. So why not use visual metaphors as a foil with which to list our implicit assumptions, biases, and ideals about leaders so that they can be scrutinized? Leadership may be more than the virtues, values, abilities, and sensibilities of individual leaders. Nonetheless, that may be a good place to start our metaphorical exploration. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko shows an example of how visualization can to reveal our implicit mental models.
EyeCues 4 (June, 2017)
[ Download ][ ANATOMY DIAGRAM ]
ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOURS
An organization struggles to succeed unless everyone routinely goes “above and beyond the call of duty” by contributing to the work of others. Small but important tasks fall by the wayside if workers refuse to put in the extra effort, cooperation, and care by simply invoking the excuse, “that’s not my job.” How can executives encourage employees to act as good organizational citizens? The challenge is that it is virtually impossible to track, evaluate, and reward such behaviours. Nonetheless, research from workplace psychologists reveals a great deal about what these behaviours are and how they can be encouraged (and discouraged). This information graphic by Peter Stoyko synthesizes that research.
EyeCues 3 (March, 2017)
[ Download ][ ISOMETRIC STORY PATH ]
GOVERNMENT BLOCKCHAIN
Traditionally, the stock and flow of assets are tracked in a ledger book. These days, digital ledgers are stored on computers. Those who control access need to be trusted to not make self-serving changes and to protect the ledger. Whenever you make a simple transaction, such as wire someone money or charge a credit card, the ledgers of intermediary organizations are updated. What might appear simple is, behind the scenes, a cumbersome and rickety coordination process. A blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger that tries to overcome these problems. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko is a crash course in blockchain technology and its applications in government.
EyeCues 2 (February, 2017)
[ Download ][ VISUAL MODELS AND PROCESS DIAGRAM ]
ALLEVIATING CLIENT BURDEN
Clients are diverse. They lead busy lives. How well does your service cater to their varied needs, wants, abilities, and circumstances? What burdens are imposed on them? Consider a fewcases from their point of view: what is involved setting up a new business or settling the estate of a dead relative? Those are not simple transactions but bundles of services that involve many providers. Clients have to juggle a long list of tasks, many of which are not evident initially. Too often, those tasks are designed for the convenience of administrators, not clients. Accounts are set up, forms filled out, information verified, applications processed, and so forth. To clients, those impositions and frustrations can feel like endlessly pushing the wheel of pain. Clients know what good service is. They expect empathy and convenience. It is time to rethink service design from the tiny details of interaction to the broader systemic entanglements. This information graphic by Peter Stoyko explores all the pain points experienced by clients of public services and how to alleviate them.
EyeCues 1 (January, 2017)
[ Download ][ VISUAL MODELS AND COMPARATIVE TABLE ]