| Overview: VizCommunication
was founded in January 2006 through a series of acquisitions,
integration and improvement of intellectual properties (IPs).
There
are 8 sets of Intellectual Properties (IPs):
|
 |
IP
set 1:Precursor to VizLanguage
|
1981-1989
TBP Format
invented as a result of learning difficulties |
1981-1983 (Manchester, England): Junior High School
Ray Emrani in Grade 7 began developing various pedagogical
solutions to his reading and learning difficulties. He begins
converting lectures and textbooks into formats that he could
better understand.
1984-1986 (Los Angeles, California): High School
By
12th grade, he develops subject specific pedagogies.
1987-1989 (Los Angeles, California): Early College Years
In order to test the benefits of the pedagogies with other
students and also pay for his tutors, Ray began a tutoring
service. Students who were tutored using the pedagogies
reported significant gain in comprehension
and retention. However, no quantifiable results were systematically
maintained. The pedagogies continued to improve with student
feedbacks.
While
taking a class in Microbiology at UCLA, Ray creates his
first major invention called TheBigPicture Format (TBP format).
TBP format represented a breakthrough in information design
with built in pedagogies to boost understanding and memory.
TheBigPicture
Format serves as the precursor to VizLanguage-- a visual
language.
|
|
|
IP
set 2: Precursor to VizContent |
1990-1991
TheBigPicture Series:
TBP format applied to academic disciplines |
The
positive feedback from students motivated his desire to
develop and publish study guides in Math, Sciences and languages
in "TheBigPicture" format. He had already created
storyboards in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, English,
and French for undergraduate classes.
Before
approaching publishers, he wanted to learn about the human
body, and also find out if the format was applicable to
medical subjects. He transferred to a Chiropractic college.
During his first year, he re-wrote / converted textbooks and lectures
into TBP format by going to UCLA Hospital's cafeteria and
connecting long tables, and rewriting the material on scrolls.
After
completing Anatomy, Physiology, Embryology, and Pathology,
he
leaves school for the next year and packages the material
for publication under a project called "BigPicture
Series". |
1991-1992
Publishers face obstacles publishing
content in
TBP format |
With
positive feedback from students and educators,
TBP Series was introduced to textbook publishers
in early 1990s. The proposal to publishers was to develop
a series of study guides in TBP format to accompany popular
textbooks.
Many
publishers welcomed the idea, but were unable to undertake
the project due to high cost of production. Two factors made the cost of production
prohibitive-- the oversize dimensions of the proposed study
guides (11x17) and the cost-intensive manual process
of related graphics. |
1993-1995
TBP format applied to medical topics
& ongoing
tutoring experience |
Trusting
that the publishing obstacles could be solved at a later
date, he returned to Chiropractic college to complete the
conversion of textbooks for medical topics by hand. He
continued to convert various topics including Neuroanatomy,
Physical Diagnosis, Clinical Diagnosis, Radiology, Neurology,
Orthopedics.
He
also continued to tutor students and became increasing interested
in instructional methodologies. Ray’s private and
classroom tutoring sessions brought him the important experience
of interacting with thousands of students from diverse cultural
and educational backgrounds. These experiences would later
be turned into software processes.
TheBigPicture
Series study guides serves as the precursor to VizContent. |
|
|
IP
set 3: Precursor to a VizLanguage Course Module |
1995
Edutainment is
founded |
With
the proliferation of educational software, the delivery
medium for TBP format became apparent. Computer screens
removed the barrier of printing oversized pages of text
in VizLanguage. In fact, by pure coincidence, TBP format
provided an ideal alternative model of presenting and interacting
with text on computers screens.
Dr.
Emrani noticed the business potential and proposes a partnership
to Dr. James J. Showghy, an accomplished business man and psychiatrist.
Edutainment,
Inc. is founded by Dr. Emrani and Dr. Showghy in 1995 with
the goal of producing CD-ROM educational "titles".
They worked together until 2002, and remained associates
until James Showghy's death in 2005. |
| 1996-1997 |
During
this period, Dr. Emrani develops a detailed and concise presentation explaining
the difficulties encountered during the learning experience
and strategies to address each difficulty.
The
presentation serves as the precursor to a VizLanguage
course module.
Although
computer screens removed the barrier of page size, the
cost associated with creating content in TBP format with
existing tools was not feasible. Ray leaves Edutainment
to continue R&D.
|
|
|
IP
set 4:
Precursor to VizTools Processes
|
1997-1998
Software
Processes
Invented |
The
next two years Ray investigates software capabilities and
related fields-- Business Automation, Information Visualization,
Information Architecture, Interactive Multimedia, Human
Computer Interaction, Interface Design, etc.
Putting
all the new findings together, he invents software-based
processes to create content in TBP format. For the next
year, he develops the rules to explain the processes of
authoring and transforming various categories of textual
information into TBP format.
Copyright (c) 2006, VizCommunication
The
processes serve as the precursor to building VizTools. |
|
|
IP
set 5: Precursor to a Portfolio of New Patents |
1998
A
new vision |
Dr. Emrani returns to Edutainment, Inc. and pitches the
new inventions to Dr. Showghy with a new vision: To transform
the "world's knowledge" into a TBP format
by developing "authoring and conversion tools"
and by deploying through the Web.
|
1999-2000
Patent
filing |
The
next few years are spent in preparation of patent filings
and business planning.
The
patents serve as the precursor to VizCommunication patent
portfolio.
|
2000
Advisory
Board formation |
Edutainment
starts gathering a mastermind of experienced professionals on its
Advisory Board. |
|
|
IP
set 6: Precursor to VizTools Prototypes |
2000
Global
Edutainment
|
Edutainment,
Inc. is restructured and the company changes name to Global
Edutainment, Inc. (GE). |
2001
Angel
Funding
|
In
January 2001, Global Edutainment receives additional funding with the
direction to develop a prototype and improve its business
plan.
|
2002
Concept
Prototype |
GE
makes technical advances in developing a concept prototype. The prototype demonstrates the ability
to create and interact with content in TBP format for the first time on
computer screen.
The
prototypes serve as the precursor to building VizTools.
|
2002
Summit
Meeting |
Summit
meeting of advisors and consultants.
|
Dec
2002
Unsolved
Puzzle |
Occasionally,
the team referred to TBP format as a visual language.
However, Robert Horn's book Visual Language: Global
Communication for the 21st Century provides an insight
into the importance of realizing that TBP format should
be presented and discussed as a new language-- a visual
language (VL). Discussions with Dr. Spohrer of IBM also
shifted our focus towards this model of thinking.
Image by permission:
www.macrovu.com
(publisher)
The
implications are both exciting and discouraging. How would
one develop, define and commercialize a NEW VISUAL LANGUAGE?
Many technical and business challenges remain to be solved.
|
|
|
IP
set 7: Precursor to components of Viz Tools for the
Workplace |
2003-2005
VizTools
for the Workplace |
Dr.
Emrani takes a management position at a fast growing educational
company for the next 3 years. Under the provisions of NCLB,
the company received multi-million dollar government contracts
to provide free tutoring to thousands of students across
Southern California.
During
this period, he developed many new visual techniques for
the work place. The visual techniques apply to all phases
of business development: HR, training, management, scheduling,
quality control, conflict resolution, expansion roadmap,
resource allocation, back office support, etc.
The
techniques serve as the precursor to components of VizTools
for the workplace. |
|
|
IP
set 8: Precursor to VizCommunication site |
2001-Present
Vizorg, LLC |
During this period, Dr. Emrani theorizes
that organizational styles parallel learning styles. He
develops the concept of a new line of physical organizers
for organizing tangible objects in order to reduce clutter
and speed up productivity. (www.VizOrg.com)
Vizorg
organizers are specially useful for highly visual thinkers
who need to see their active files in front of them.
The
system serves as the precursor to VizCommunication
site and domain names. |
|
The
above 8 sets of intellectual properties have been acquired
by VizCommunication.
|
