inhabitants before committing them
to paper (Figure 6). A diverse mix of
attendees ensured that the scope of
the session was broad and the imagery
illuminating. Sketching on location
became a conversation opener, a master
class, and a social event, lasting well
into the break before the lure of hot
Canadian bread pudding, custard, and
cream split up our close-knit group.
We began in the main hall and on
the front steps of our convention center,
Montreal’s Palais des Congrès. Striking
architecture and curious pigeons found
a home on the attendees’ pads as we
discussed the significance, potential
benefits, and pitfalls of sketching in
HCI. We moved through the venue,
asking how we could increase the
visibility and uptake of sketching within
the HCI curricula, and how to engage
with students who view even physical
computing as a technical, coded skill set
without room for creative expression.
In the public spaces surrounding the
Palais, we brought shop fronts, cafes,
and pedestrians into the embrace of the
sketched image, while considering the
future of sketching in HCI.
Engaging with our students was
perhaps the most challenging aspect
of sketching as a tool for HCI—and
the most pertinent. Enabling and
encouraging our younger community
members will ensure a diverse skill set
and an interest that can be sustained
throughout lengthy academic careers.
celebrating the drawn images as they
arrived amid the predetermined
material. Those who did not use
the platform were able to submit
their images to the authors after the
session, and these contributions were
then added to the feed. This unusual
methodology not only exemplified
audience participation but also
ensured that the forum could continue
beyond the allocated room and time.
By removing the perceived barriers
to sketching (lack of materials,
encouragement, or confidence), we
found ourselves in a room full of
nascent artists and practitioners,
beginning discussions that were to span
the conference and beyond.
Later, during the scheduled Town
Hall meeting, we were driven to ask the
question: Will CHI consider a pictorial
or highly visual format in future
conferences? The positive murmurings
of the crowd suggested there is the
potential for uptake in this area,
further expanding the archival formats
available to researchers at CHI.
THE SKETCHING SIG—
ADVENTURES AT
THE PALAIS DES CONGRÈS
To engage those who already had
an interest in sketching prior to the
conference, we hosted a hands-on
special interest group (SIG) at CHI
[ 7], where our discussions took an
active turn as we roamed the venue,
getting to know the scenery and T
Figure 5. Ultra Haptics workshop sketchnote by Makayla Lewis at CHI 2018.
Figure 6. A sketch by Miriam Sturdee
made in the Palais des Congrès during
the CHI 2018 SIG.
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