The Back of the Napkin (Expanded Edition): Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures Paperback – Illustrated, February 26, 2013

If money or portability are your primary considerations, then get a used copy of the first edition, as it communicates the central ideas in an almost identical fashion and is easier to carry around. However, if a few more dollars and a slightly-bigger book don't bother you, consider buying this new edition, as it's subtly-revised diagrams and improved explanation of key brain science concepts make it easier to understand on the first read. For more detail on the differences between this and the previous edition, read on...Both books are hardcovers and much of the content (including, sadly, the Resources listed in the Appendix) is the same. However, there are a number of important differences between these editions:SIZEAt 8.2 x 8 x 1.3 inches, it is bigger than the first edition, which clocked in at 7.1 x 7.1 x 1 inches. While this does allow for the pictures to be bigger and slightly easier to see, it also means a larger, oddly-shaped book to carry around. This only matters if, like me, you like to schlepp your favorite books around and carry them on the bus.PAGES & TEXTIncludes more pages at 304 pages, rather than the previous edition's 278, making it a mere 0.2 pounds heavier. 10 of those additional 26 pages are the new "Appendix A: The Ten (and a Half) Commandments of Visual Thinking." This is a very useful set of 11 rules of thumb to keep in mind when applying Roam's visual thinking technique. Most, if not all, of these rules are mentioned elsewhere in the book, so don't let this appendix be your only reason for purchasing the newest edition. In addition, these 11 rules are summarized nicely in a slideshow elsewhere on the internet ([...]/visual_think_map/the-10-12-commandments-of-visual-thinking-the-lost-chapter-from-the-back-of-the-napkin). Nonetheless, it is helpful to have them laid out, visually, in one place. Another 8 pages are the new Foreword, which explains Roam's experience of visually attempting to sell the idea for this book to the publishers at Penguin. While interesting and a good example, it is also not a reason to buy this edition.COLOR & PICTURESInstead of just black text/pictures, red is now used to highlight chapter headings and subheadings, as well as help readers distinguish between parts of Roam's originally-all-black illustrations and diagrams. This is astonishingly helpful - as it is much easier to understand his diagrams at first glance. Given the table on page 66 (identical to that on page 72 in the first edition), it is no surprise that a small change in color makes it easier for our eyes to distinguish among the parts of his diagrams. In addition, he has added some additional sketches in the book to better visually explain some of his concepts. I was particularly impressed by his improvements to chapters 4 and 5 on how to look better and see sharper. Both his pictures and his text in this section have been revised to provide more clarity for potentially-confusing sections that are partially dependent on communicating a few key brain science concepts. His diagrams illustrating the 6 ways of seeing/showing are also a bit clearer than in the first edition.OUTLINE OF BOOK CONCEPTSFor an outline of the major concepts in the book, see my blog post ([...]/blog/review-back-of-the-napkin-solving-problems-and-selling-ideas-with-pictures-expanded-edition-2009) for more details.

Appropriate subject for a consultant. I already used illustrations, often stick figures to illustrate a point, but the author discusses many other uses of quick visuals to drive home key points or get commitment. The used book was in great condition, as described, and arrived quickly. Thrift Books is a preferred provider for me.

Using the principles of the book - keep it short. The book has 3 basic premises: (a) the RIGHT picture is worth a thousand words and (b) there are only a few basic picture types. Match the right picture to the right situation and you have powerful communications that can make the sale before losing the audience. The book does show you how to do this, and how to think about it. However, the book overthinks itself and could be better for following its own advice!Longer, more traditional review.Based perhaps on the simplicity of the title, some reviewers have expressed disappointment that this book does not provide a simple silver bullet than can turn chaos into strategic plans and market dominance, all in the space of a paper napkin. True, it does not do that. What it does provide is a bundle of silver bullets that attack specific problem types -- and then a whole bundle of "user's manuals", one for each type of bullet and each way you could use it, and that does create levels of complexity that defy the original premise.The book sets up the basic frameworks (the types of story that need to be told and the ways in which those can be depicted). The author then creates a matrix (codex) of those combinations - well, OK, we can live with that ... But then we add another level of elaboration for each of the axes of the matrix. That is where it gets pretty complicated in there. To some extent one wonders whether this extra throw-weight comes from an effort to create a "serious" book rather than "powerful business presentations for dummies". The parcel of extra pages actually are useful once you get past the point of saying "well, yeah" to the basic premises, and once you wade through them carefully and long enough. Of course that is the anti-thesis of the original idea! That could put you off the whole project, but it would also be a mistake.The book's themes and illustrations will definitely help you think about what message you are trying to sell to whom. In narrowing down your presentation to a few proven themes you will definitely force yourself to separate the essence from the "cool graphics" or the "tons to words to convince you that I really have spent a lot of time thinking about this". The truth is that if you have not convinced someone of your position, saying more of the same thing isn't going to convince them either; you need to say something that appeals to their understanding of the world. For the most part, a briefing is supposed to be short (hence "brief"), not a battle of attrition. You want a head-nod because people agree with you, not because they are going to sleep. The approaches laid out in this book will help you get positive buy-in rather than sleepy acquiescence, and in the end that will have lasting impacts.Buy it, use it. Use the principles and frameworks. As you get familiar with them, the additional drill-downs will become clearer.