Today, Kathy Sierra from [Creating Passionate Users][]¹ had this quote in her post [Words + pictures > words alone][words]:

The one thing that makes a big difference for me in being able to create pictures: my [wacom][]. I’d give up my iPod before my tablet. There, I said it.> > (Of course, I have an emergency backup iPod)

Besides that, she underlines the importance of pictures in any kind of written documents, because

According to memory expert Kenneth Higbee, The saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is usually applied to the effectiveness of a picture in understanding what was communicated; it may also apply to the effectiveness of a picture in remembering what was communicated.

Personally, I am definitely a strong, visual person. Despite the fact that I was never a real gamer, that is. I also see the importance of well illustrated paper work, be it for specifications, user manuals or even offers I write for clients. They just get it when there are pictures.

All it takes is a little getting used to. I’m always amazed when teachers do eleborate white board drawings, but never put them in their books or articles. Or when engineers can do fabulous napkin drawings to explain things to colleagues, but never put them in their books or articles.

Interestingly, I often find myself struggling to elaborate an accurate, written description of something and it takes some time before I realize I’d be better up drawing this something on paper, using a visual approach to tell the world what I mean. I’m so stupid! :)

[wacom]: http://www.wacom.com/graphire/index.cfm “Wacom Graphire”[words]: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2005/10/words_pictures_.html [Creating Passionate Users]: http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/