Visual Inquiry is a creative research practice led by Dr Nic Dickson, focused on the use of visual notes as a method for ethical engagement, inclusive representation, and impactful dissemination. It explores how hand-drawn scribing – created live and in collaboration with communities – can be developed into meaningful research outputs that extend beyond traditional academic formats.
Visual Inquiry positions visual note making as both a process and a product. These illustrations are co-created with participants and used to reflect complex experiences, support trauma-informed practice and make research accessible to those it represents. The emphasis is on how visual notes are utilised effectively as a form of research; shaping understanding, sparking dialogue and influencing change.
Visual Inquiry is grounded in ethical care, participatory values and a commitment to portraying lived experience with dignity and respect.
Nic is a researcher, illustrator and creative facilitator whose work bridges visual practice, adult education and social research. She founded Visual Inquiry to explore how visual notes, created live and in collaboration with communities, can be used as both a research method and a meaningful form of dissemination. Her visual work is known for its clarity, warmth and ethical sensitivity, and has been used in academic publications, policy briefings and public exhibitions.
Nic has worked at the University of Glasgow across several schools, and most recently within the School of Health and Wellbeing. She completed her PhD in Adult Education in 2023.
Nic will join the University of Stirling in December 2025 as a Research Fellow on the C4 Project, which is an ESRC-funded initiative across five UK sites focused on community-led responses to health inequalities. In this role, Nic will work as a community-embedded researcher, using visual methods to support inclusive research, co-production and creative knowledge exchange. She will retain affiliate status with the University of Glasgow, continuing to collaborate across institutions.
Oscar is a young designer whose digital illustration work brings hand-drawn concepts to life with precision and impact. Using Procreate and other digital software, Oscar transforms Nic’s sketches into polished, professional visuals that support participatory research and community engagement.
Oscar has illustrated two published comics:
Oscar designed the cover for Chance to Change (2025), a collaboratively written novel by the Chance2Change peer support group and illustrated the cover of Learner-Centred Education for Adult Migrants in Europe: A Critical Comparative Analysis (2021), co-authored by Maria N. Gravani and Bonnie Slade. DOI: 10.36399/gla.pubs.325779
Our approach is designed to enable reflection, advocacy and systemic change.
Through innovative visual approaches, we make complex narratives accessible, transforming discussions into visuals that enable reflection and deeper understanding.
Our process is grounded in respect, ensuring that lived experiences are represented truthfully and sensitively.
Collaboration is at the heart of our approach. By working closely with participants, we ensure their voices shape the visuals, empowering them to actively contribute to both the process and the outcomes.
Our visuals are adaptable and refined for diverse uses. Handwritten notes are digitally transformed to maintain their impact across various formats, from reports to social media, whilst preserving the original content.
Our visuals inspire action, provoke thought and contribute to meaningful change.
We strive to create useful materials which capture, reflect and communicate lived experience of marginalised groups in powerful, visual ways.
