On the importance of doodling
A quintessential part of my process, whether that be related to design or illustration, is drawing. The physical action of picking up a writing utensil and scribbling on paper has always yielded the best results (at least for me). Having grown up in the pre-smartphone era, drawing and doodling was my jam. It was my way of communicating to the world whether that be on the furniture, walls, or my older sister’s precious toys. The ability to make a mark is so intrinsic to being human. And it makes me so happy!
My notes on a talk by Eva-Lotta Lamm at CANUX 2019, you can find more of her lovely work here.
In client meetings, I always try to get everyone to draw, of course there is no pressure, but I aim to create a safe space where everyone can feel comfortable in collaborating through sketching. Most of the time though it is just me in front a whiteboard or poster paper scribbling out ideas from everyone. Sometimes I’ll sit beside the client and have them tell me what they’re envisioning, and eventually they’ll pick up a marker and add their own notes and drawings.
A quick wire-flow done in discovery of a step-by-step for a wizard.
When I can collaborate with people through sketching, it is so valuable because not only do they gain insight into the process but I can connect with them on another level. I also find sketching together breaks any barriers, it allows for discussions to happen naturally without feeling intimidated to voice new thoughts and ideas.
In one of our team retrospectives with developers, I held a session on UX and asked them to re-design a TV remote control. They absolutely loved it! They really enjoyed the exercise and gained insight into basic principles.
Through my efforts, the incentive is to humanize the artificial digital world, and to not be afraid to explore and to create. If you’ve ever seen the behind the scenes video of how Material Design came to be, you’ll know what I mean. To sketch, you don’t need anything fancy. All you need is anything that can make a mark on a surface.*
If we ever have the opportunity of working together, know that I put a lot of value in this process. Hopefully along the way, I can spread a little joy through the art of sketching.
I don’t have enough IKEA Alex drawers or shelves to house my sketches. If you have an idea on what I should do, then please let me know. By all means, they’re no da Vinci’s, I’m just a frizzy-haired designer with her pencils and papers.
*Note bene — I don’t like to waster paper, don’t mind if I steal unwanted/discarded scraps from the print room.