Visual Thinking (Sketch-Noting) Workshop: Take-Aways
Visual Thinking Core Concepts
François-Xavier Allaire, professional designer, taught us the basis of Visual Thinking. We use some of the drawings he sketched during the workshop to illustrate the main take-aways.
- Develop your own Visual Vocabulary
There may not be a universal visual lexicon for graphic facilitators, but by looking at TED Talks, cartoon books and visual thinking artists, you can slowly build your own vocabulary. In the next few days, we will be sharing our selection of books to give you some inspiration from professional artists, so check out our Facebook Feed if you want to grab some titles.
2. Upgrade your Stick Figures
People give life to your sketches, and makes the experience relatable to the audience — we are social animals by nature. Trading your stick figures for people with a rectangle shape lets you express a much wider range of expressions.
3. Take Up Space
Think Big. There is no limit to your imagination. Literally.
4. Take your time
How many times do you scribble down notes while talking to a client, only to come back the next day, have one look at that whiteboard and ask yourself “ What the h. did we talk about?”. Slowing down is intimidating on the spot, but those extra two seconds you take to complete your non-stick-figure will give you infinite bonus points.
5. Use Lettering
If you can learn only one thing when it comes to lettering, it is to be mindful of caps. Big ideas stand out when the font is bigger and using caps consciously (and sparingly) will save you some space on that page, guaranteed.
6. Invest in Markers
They make a difference.
In fact, they make such a difference that we will even tell you the best spot in town to get them: check out Papeterie Nota Bene, located 3416, ave du parc.
And we’re not just saying that because they were awesome and sponsored a portion of the notebooks!
7. Practice. Practice. Practice.
There really is no substitute. The great news is you’ll always find a piece of paper, an empty spot on the board, or a napkin, to doodle on. Doesn’t matter where you are. Remember to put a date on your sketch too, so that if you archive it — analog or digital — you will be able to place it back in context.
Workshop : Step-By-Step
Almost as if you were there.
As our workshops have progressed, we see a shift from the theoretical and world of ideas to concrete, hands-on workshops. We found the experiential aspect of Design Thinking activities to be the most critical piece, both from an andragogy perspective and from an engagement perspective.
The workshop started with each person taking notes in their individual notebooks, developing their visual vocabulary.
Some techie participants even got out their tablets!
All along, FX was giving us inspiration and examples from the front of the room.
Ironically, FX’s own notes to give the workshop were… drawings.
Participants were then teamed-up with a challenge: People always sleep on the grass in parks even though there may be benches everywhere. Think of the most outlandish idea you can come up with to solve this.
Use Visual Thinking to work through ideas.
Here are a few peaks at some of the participant sketches and ideas.
One team was a little ahead in terms of sketching. They had not only drawn the manufacturing process (the goal of the exercise), but also the concept and the business model to go with it.
Having run out of space to draw, FX invited them to use the whiteboard to map out and share their visual prototype.
Workshop Presenter: François-Xavier Allaire
As a designer and creative strategy consultant, I work with teams on projects that ranges from architecture and industrial design to branding, arts, and technology. My goal is to combine aesthetics with business and to implement intelligent design thinking in every step. I believe that good design must be accessible, fair and sustainable. That is what I strive to apply on every project I touch. I also like to think of myself as a responsive character and a strong brainstormer. With my sketching abilities, I am able to visually illustrate and develop ideas almost instantly.
Thank you to our Sponsor
Fournisseur de merveilleux carnets pour projeter nos idées!
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Montréal, Qc, Canada h2x 2h5
t 514–485–6587 | 877–993–2527
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