like pencils and pens, we can
express ideas in lower fidelity
very quickly. The expediency
of this process tends to yield
visualizations that communicate
best to the author/designer but
often fail in communicating to
others. To better understand the
role that drawing can play in the
design process, it’s best to have
fairly simple expectations and
goals for hand-drawn activities.
Explicit goals for drawing and
sketching are 1. to externalize and convey the process of
thinking—to transform intangible ideas to tangible information for others; 2. to reveal ideas/
relationships, not results; and 3.
to engage discussion around the
subject/problem as an inclusive
activity. The common link to
all of design drawing is in constructing a graphic representation in a coherent format, one
that speaks to alternative ideas
and the evolution of an idea. The
images that result from this process serve as vehicles to bring
others into the designer’s mind
to better facilitate conversation
and collaboration.
Envisioning ideas and transferring the ideas in your head
onto paper can be challenging. The style of drawing, the
methods of collecting ideas, and
the media used can all vary
greatly—thumbnails, Post-its,
napkin sketches, and doodles are
valid when trying to capture an
idea. There is only one rule when
drawing to capture ideas: Each
idea must be explored from many
different perspectives. Too often
people try to capture an idea with
one solitary sketch that edits the
amount of information. Drawing
ideas in variations, details, and
from multiple viewpoints can
enhance communication and
enable the author to think more
critically about the completeness
of an idea as well as to provide
reference points to more effectively express each thought.
One of the most powerful uses
of sketching is to record ideas
A child’s visual interpretation of Alice in
Wonderland. Children often will draw with
any available implement on any available
substrate to explore ideas and tell stories.
Is it possible to sustain our interest in the
world and develop the ability to tell visual
stories beyond childhood? (Sketch by Ana
Baskinger, age 4)
