This post is about doing visual engagement using Scott Simmerman’s Square Wheels images, a bombproof approach to facilitating innovation and change.

Square Wheels^® images are recognized as the most effective visual facilitation and engagement tools available for team leaders, facilitators, and managers who want to engage people in discussions about change, innovation, and workplace improvement. They are unique and effective tools to change how people think and talk about performance improvement.

Using the images, you can readily involve and engage people in generating ideas for workplace improvement and change. Here are just some of the themes and you can easily see how they can engage talk around the realities of things that do not work smoothly, mud, silos, innovation, spectator sheep, alignment, missions and goals, motivation and so many other aspects around people and performance. I have been using these in workshops since 1993 and they continue to evolve as powerful tools for change.

Here are some of the images in the collection of Square Wheels visual facilitation tools.

With the release of the Square Wheels One image under a Creative Commons license, everyone has quick access to a globally tested resource for sparking engagement and driving meaningful conversations about personal and organizational development.​

Why Square Wheels Tools Stand Out Globally

Visual metaphors directly influence engagement and insight, and Square Wheels tools have an unmatched reputation in this arena. The simplicity of the iconic image—a wagon rolling ineffectively with square wheels, with a cargo of round wheels naturally invites everyone to offer their perspective.

This facilitates psychological safety and enthusiastic participation, addressing real-world problems without blame or defensiveness. The tools have proven successful in organizations around the globe, from the shop floor to the C-suite, building consensus and rapidly generating ideas for improvement.​

Universal Application for Change and Innovation

Square Wheels tools are highly flexible, consistently delivering impact in both face-to-face and virtual settings. They adapt seamlessly to team meetings, strategy sessions, workshops, and executive retreats. Facilitators and managers can use the tools to:

• Break down barriers to open discussion in a safe, non-confrontational manner.

• Enable individuals and teams to recognize opportunities for process improvement.

• Motivate all participants—regardless of background or position—to contribute ideas and drive ownership of next steps.​
  Studies have shown that visuals increase memory retention by as much as 65%, underscoring the power of using engaging images over text-heavy presentations.​

How Anyone Can Use Square Wheels One Free

The Square Wheels One image is now available with a Creative Commons BY-ND license, allowing any facilitator, manager, or trainer to use it in their communications, training decks, client engagements, or internal conversations.

Download the FREE Square Wheels One image under Creative Commons license

There is no barrier of licensing fees or certifications—just download, include, and watch group dynamics shift. This makes it ideal for those seeking practical, high-impact tools to improve morale, teamwork, and innovative thinking, at no cost.​

There are many different themes that open for discussion when using Sauare Wheels One

And, you can build the main image into other tools like Miro or Mural or Stormz to generate active brainstorming and idea collection around the many themes that people see when thinking about how things really work in their organizations. After all, how DO things really work in most organizations?

Practical Steps to Immediate Engagement

• Download the Square Wheels One image package from my website along with a free facilitation toolkit.

• Begin a meeting or workshop by displaying the image and inviting participants to reflect on what it represents in their daily work.

• Facilitate open discussion by encouraging each person to share what they see and how it connects to improvement opportunities.

• Capture group ideas visibly—either on a whiteboard, sticky notes, or collaboration platform.

• Use the resulting insights to co-create actionable plans for change or innovation, generating momentum and a sense of collective ownership.​

Any facilitator or manager can now use the Square Wheels One image as a go-to visual tool to energize teams, unlock hidden ideas, and advance positive workplace change—the gold standard for global engagement.​

And after your initial successes, come back to me to gather MORE of the image tools along with other support materials and ideas to continue your organizational development efforts.

Note that we can collaborate on building out customized programs for organizational development experts and professional facilitators and trainers. We can even collaborate on building simple books about people and performance improvement within your organization as part of my efforts to leave some footprints.

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For the FUN of It!

Dr. Scott Simmerman is a designer of team building games and organization improvement tools.
Managing Partner of Performance Management Company since 1984, he is an experienced presenter and consultant who is trying to retire!! He now lives in Cuenca, Ecuador.

You can reach Scott at scott@squarewheels.com
Learn more about Scott at his LinkedIn site.

Square Wheels® are a registered trademark of Simmulations, LLC
and images have been copyrighted since 1993,

© Simmulations, LLC 1993 – 2025

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