graphic harvesting – Claudio Nichele

27/11/202527/11/2025

Large-Scale Review meeting – Digital graphic recording

If you’re not part of the EU bubble, you may not be aware that the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has asked Commissioner Piotr Serafin to lead a large-scale review of the Commission’s organisation and operations, together with an external benchmarking exercise. The aim is to ensure that Europe has a modern, efficient public administration capable of delivering on its political priorities and improving the daily lives of Europeans.

Since April 2025, I’ve had the privilege of supporting, from time to time, the internal team working on this initiative. I contribute with the tools and capacities I know best, especially participatory facilitation and visual thinking, during consultation and reflection sessions with staff.

Last Friday, all European Commission staff were invited to a meeting, held onsite for some and online for most, where the main actors openly discussed the process behind the initiative. Among other things, they explained that the review seeks inclusiveness and collaboration to help shape a more agile, effective, and attractive Commission for the future. My role in this major event was to visually capture the key points from the discussions. For the first time, I worked from an interpretation booth, alongside the French and German interpreters, where my task was to “interpret” the room’s conversation into visual language.

My graphic recording was widely shared internally afterwards as part of the follow-up communication. The feedback I received, both privately and publicly, has been very positive and truly encouraging: colleagues highlighted how valuable visual harvesting is for complex, high-stakes discussions, appreciated the clarity and completeness of the capture, and praised how the visual summary distilled 1h15 of exchanges into a single, accessible image.

I’m proud to see how my practice of visual thinking, which includes graphic facilitation, sketchnoting, and graphic harvesting, has evolved from a tiny niche within the Commission more than 20 years ago to something now requested and used at high-level events. One of my greatest satisfactions is having helped bring this innovation into the Commission, equipping colleagues to think not only with text but also with hand-drawn visuals (icons, arrows, containers, etc.) for richer, broader and more inclusive reflection. I’m grateful to all those who believed in this approach, who had the courage to try visual thinking, and to everyone today who is keen to learn it.

The European Commission needs more creativity and innovative thinking to meet the complex challenges of today’s world. Visual thinking is a skill to be relearned, not just a tool, and it can help achieve this. This is my personal conviction and it is entirely my own opinion.

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15/11/202518/11/2025

Reflections after the graphic recording at SG REFORM staff away day

On 12 November 2025, I had the opportunity to visually capture the discussions as a graphic recorder during the first away day for staff of SG REFORM, a Directorate-General of the European Commission.

While we often discuss transformation and innovation theoretically or empirically, SG REFORM lives it.

Their teams emerged from the merger of two departments (DGs) during the COVID crisis, rapidly developing innovative solutions like the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which is now deployed to tackle almost every crisis the EU has faced since.

At SG REFORM, they are trailblazers exploring uncharted territories, blending traditional and modern work methods to tackle complex issues collaboratively in a matrix structure. In these challenging times, including workload and political pressures, their management trusts the dynamism and expertise of their remarkably young team.

I am proud to be a colleague, in a way close to these people who are shaping the future of the EU with resilience, expertise, and creativity. I didn’t know them well before, but my role as graphic recorder for their internal event gave me an added perspective and allowed me to forge an emotional connection. It helped me focus on the individuals, the teams, and their overall work context. That’s not necessarily what I conveyed visually, but that’s the impression I got.

My post on Linkedin

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31/10/202518/11/2025

Believe in people and let them fly

Last week, during the Evidence-Informed Policy-Making (EIPM) community meeting in Brussels, I had the chance to do what I love: bringing ideas to life through graphic recording. But this time was special. I was joined by five colleagues I had recently trained in sketchnoting with Célia Pessaud.

For them, it was their first live recording experience. They stepped forward with curiosity, courage and trust, and they did beautifully. Seeing them in action filled me with joy and pride. It reminded me that leadership is not about doing things alone, but about creating the conditions for others to grow and shine. Célia and I wanted to share not just the techniques of visual thinking, but also the confidence to use them. And that’s exactly what happened.

I deeply believe that visual thinking belongs to everyone as a tool for reflection, communication and collective sense-making.
To the five visual thinkers who joined me that day: thank you. You made the invisible visible and you made me proud.

If you are a member of the European institutions and also want to learn the basics of sketchnoting, search for “StartSketch” on EU Learn, our training platform.

My post on Linkedin

EIPM event - graphic recording with new practitioners

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24/05/202521/06/2025

The power of the H in Human Resources

At nearly every event I attend – whether as a participant or a visual notetaker – artificial intelligence is front and centre. People are exploring, debating, and sometimes worrying about how AI is transforming jobs, processes, and mindsets.

This was certainly true at the recent gathering of HR professionals from the European institutions. Speakers and participants shared how AI is revolutionising their roles, procedures, and ways of working. What resonated with me most? Hearing that in the face of this technological upheaval, HR professionals are choosing to double down on the “H” in HR – the human element that makes us truly unique.

On a more personal note, I’m grateful to be considered part of this HR community, even if I’m not officially an HR officer. Over the years, I’ve worked closely with HR colleagues across the institutions, from supporting internal communication efforts in the past, to more recently helping them develop their community of practice, and capturing their events through graphic recording, which they seem to particularly enjoy.

This community, which has now officially opened up to all HR professionals across the institutions, is one I often cite as a powerful example of what it takes to build and grow a successful community of practice.

A heartfelt thank you to those who work tirelessly to keep this community alive – and who trust me to visually capture its key milestones.

The power of “H” in Human Resources - Graphic harvesting

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09/04/202517/04/2025

Third meeting of the European Citizens’ Initiative network

Here is my graphic recording from the 3rd meeting of the ECI network, the European Citizens’ Initiative.
For a full day, European partners working to promote and communicate this unique tool of participatory democracy gathered at the invitation of the Secretariat-General of the European Commission. Their goal? To explore how they could better collaborate so that more EU citizens are aware of and make use of the initiative.
From my external perspective, one key takeaway stood out: to truly reach citizens, we must meet them where they are, with stronger, more effective communication. This means better campaigns, clearer tools, and more resources. Partners also expressed the need for financial support from the EU and called for a simplification of the administrative procedure, so that reaching the goal of one million signatures becomes more realistic. Incentives, encouragement, and active support from the Commission would help initiators stay motivated throughout the process.

And you, have you heard of this unique European tool for participatory democracy?

I would like to thank Barbara Walentynowicz and Adriana Mungiu for trusting me for the second consecutive year with the graphic recording; and thank Mira Bangel and Marina Lynch with whom the facilitation of the event is so natural and efficient.

ECIgathering_20250408_CommunicationChallenges

ECIgathering_20250408_Knowledge CaféSessions1of2

ECIgathering_20250408_Knowledge CaféSessions2of2

ECIgathering_20250408_QuestionsToDiscuss

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04/12/202416/12/2024

Workshop on burnout

Burnout is a scourge that affects a large number of people, both in the world of work and outside. The European Commission is no exception. Since this year, a group of volunteers within the institution has formed a network to try to provide help and support. They are either specialists in burnout/mental health or are particularly interested in the subject due to a previous experience of burnout. I am happy and proud to be part of it.

At our last meeting, we discussed the conditions and characteristics that are conducive to leading an individual to burnout. We also discussed the aftermath of burnout, and this is what I personally focused on and took visual notes on. We talked about the warning and protection mechanisms that need to be put in place after a burnout, the sometimes radical decisions that need to be made, and the changes in attitude, behaviour, and mentality that need to be made in the ecosystem of our life.

The conclusion, not easy for everyone to accept, is that burnout is a life opportunity to get to know ourselves better by understanding the deep reasons that led us to it, and an opportunity to change the perspectives of our life. For this reasons, it is important to be grateful, to see the positive that burnout has brought us. The network will continue to work to provide preventive assistance to colleagues, to prevent burnout with more awareness, and to assist those who return to work after burnout.

And you, what have you put in place in your workplace to prevent and/or help burnout victims?

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24/11/202416/12/2024

Graphic recording and Communities of Practice

Developing a community of practice is both an art and a challenge. Growing it dynamically and organically, keeping it vibrant, and ensuring it thrives requires specific actions, continuous energy, and unwavering dedication at every stage of its life cycle. While elements like clear purpose, committed sponsorship, strong governance, and an engaged core team can lay a solid foundation, what truly drives a community forward is the passion of its members for their craft.

The HR professionals’ community of the EU institutions exemplifies this beautifully. Through their commitment, energy, and collaboration, they have created a space that feels alive, which is warm and dynamic. I have the privilege of following this community closely, through my normal job but also through my activities as a visual thinker within the EU institutions.

Recently, they invited me for the graphic recording of their meetup and to facilitate a Knowledge Café. The focus of the Meetup was on “trends in the world of Human Resources”.

What stood out to me was not only the relevance of the topic but also the enthusiasm, goodwill, and deep engagement of the members in the room and online, extending even to other EU bodies. Their passion for the discipline of HR is truly inspiring.

This event was particularly special for me because I wasn’t working alone. I had the joy of being joined by two talented colleagues from my own community of sketchnoters, @reiter_petra and Sara Serrano Perez . After attending the sketchnoting training I provide within the institutions with Celia Pessaud , they accepted my invitation to join me for their very first live sketchnoting experience. Their work was remarkable, especially for beginners, and gives me so much hope for the future of visual thinking in our institutions. Seeing their joy and pride in their work warmed my heart and reinforced my belief in the power of communities to nurture and inspire.

The EU institutions are evolving and innovating, often more than it seems from the outside. Vibrant communities of practice, paired with an increasing number of colleagues embracing visual thinking, are at the heart of this transformation. I’m grateful to witness and contribute to this journey.

Graphic recording at the EU HR Professionals community meet-up

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