The word IdeaGram was conceived in 2011 as a description of the charts and outlines of written material developed by Dennis Starkovich over the years from 1975 to the present. The intent was to look for a word that augmented and/or replaced network diagram, network analysis, chart, etc. as a description of the charts and process. The unique aspect of the Ideagram charts as prepared and presented is that they succinctly and graphically extract the core ideas from a narrative, in a visually sequential and legible manner.

 

    The reference to Alchemy is an acknowledgment that concentrating and focusing on ideas in this way helps initiate a change in one’s understanding, perspective, and perception. The concentration required to study and extract the information from a written narrative is unique, somewhat difficult to perform but exceedingly rewarding to undertake and accomplish.

 

    The reference to Artistry is that the presentation to an audience of an Ideagram prepared by another person provides a view into the mental framework and understanding of both the person who created the Ideagram as well as an illustration of the thought that had been essential to the development of the initially written narrative.