“A whiteboard animation is like a blackboard—it keeps the important points visible, allowing connections to emerge.”
If you could pin down the essence of truth, could you draw it? That’s the question that lingered in my mind after speaking with Dan Ariely for my RSA Animate documentary—a project allowing me to reconnect with some of the most compelling thinkers of our time.
Dan’s RSA Animate, The Truth About Dishonesty, remains one of the most thought-provoking animations I’ve had the privilege to create. At the time, it explored the small acts of dishonesty we rationalise and how they shape human behaviour. The animation took Dan’s research and transformed it into a visual narrative, illustrating ideas like “fudging” the truth, the psychology of moral flexibility, and the surprising ways our environment shapes our ethics. I’ve always felt that this particular animation struck a chord with viewers because it didn’t just inform—it provoked introspection.
Reflecting on that project during our interview, Dan highlighted why he believes animation enhances understanding rather than detracts from complexity. “If a conversation is linear,” he noted, “a whiteboard animation is like a blackboard—it keeps the important points visible, allowing connections to emerge.” That insight mirrors how I see my work: pinning ideas on the wall to open drawers of thought that many didn’t even realise existed.
Dan’s insights on dishonesty, memory, and our changing relationship with information made for a fascinating conversation. He likened visual storytelling to art, describing whiteboard animation as a way to "augment memory"—a tool that distils complexity to its essence while discarding the superfluous. This metaphor resonated deeply with me as a practitioner of visual thinking, always striving to capture nuance without losing clarity.
Dan argued that animation doesn’t just simplify—it structures thought. That perfectly aligns with how I see my work: unpicking the threads of complex ideas, laying them out visually, and inviting people to make connections they might otherwise miss.
Our discussion also delved into weightier matters: the erosion of truth in today’s polarised, algorithm-driven world. Dan reflected on how online discourse has shifted from truth-seeking to identity signalling—a worrying trend exacerbated by the rise of misinformation. His analogy of cars being engineered to compensate for human error, while digital systems exploit our cognitive weaknesses, was particularly striking. It left me wondering: can we design information environments that support, rather than undermine, our psychological needs?
This is where my IDEA framework fits in. Through its ability to Inform, Develop, Enable, and Animate, my work is all about reducing complexity and creating clarity. Dan’s thoughts on dishonesty reminded me how vital it is to design tools—whether they’re animations or systems—that chunk complexity into digestible and relatable forms. Visual thinking provides a way to cut through the noise, encouraging people to see connections rather than fixate on isolated fragments.
Above all, I feel incredibly fortunate to speak with thinkers like Dan Ariely, whose insights bridge disciplines with wisdom and humanity. These interviews reaffirm why I fell in love with visual thinking—not just as a creative pursuit, but as a means to facilitate better conversations and decisions.
So, here’s a thought: would you listen to these interviews as a podcast? I’m seriously considering extending this project into the audio realm. Would you find value in hearing these unfiltered, thought-provoking conversations? Some of the most meaningful insights arise in the pauses between questions and answers—moments too fleeting to capture in a single drawing.
Let’s start a discussion. What’s your view on the interplay between simplicity, complexity, and truth? Do you think tools like animation can guide us towards more honest, impactful narratives? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
In the modern workplace, where attention spans are short, and information overload is common, utilizing innovative internal communication strategies is crucial. This article explores creative internal comms ideas, focusing on the power of animated explainer videos and whiteboard animations.