Touch Points by Steve Finikiotis

A colleague asked me why I rely on freehand sketching, especially during the early stages of problem solving.  I think I said that sketching helps me conceptualize and frame problems.  It’s a process which is productive and fun, and one I’ve taken for granted.

I prefer those big artists’ sketch pads with sharpened, soft lead pencils to illustrate elements in the form of geometric shapes and arrows.

I draw big expansive boxes and arrows pointing to the various elements of complicated problems.  By drawing those shapes and then inspecting them, new relationships emerge. These “emergent properties” seem stifled when typing ideas on a keypad.

I’ve yet to discover digital tools that can be substituted for sketching. Illustrator or InDesign are too cumbersome.  I’ve had success with hosted white-boarding tools when which work fine for collaborating.  But when it comes to  developing fresh ideas, nothing beats the speed and freedom of free-hand sketching.

Once a concept is clarified on paper, it’s translatable to a digital format for sharing with others.  One graphic is worth pages of text.

Why sketching works seems self-evident. For one thing, it’s liberating to be away from the screen while still working.  I enjoy sitting on the front porch in the early morning with a dense cup of French Roast while sketching my what’s next issues.  What a great way to greet the day!  Sketching on airplanes works well, too.

Another thing is that “mistakes,” which would be erased in a digital medium are in tact and they’re often crucial to  creative discovery. And what a useful way to observe one’s pattern of thinking by inspecting the progression of “problem models”.

I was going to add something about tapping the creative tension between design thinking and systems thinking but, in retrospect, I’m noteven sure what that means.  But sketching’s guiding principle is: if you can’t explain something with a simple drawing, it’s probably not ready for prime time.

Sketching feels effortless. Maybe because I’ve had so much time to perfect it.  Afterall, I learned the technique in kindergarten.

Still, it does bring to mind Czikzentmihalyi’s concept of “flow” and that exhilerating sense of timelessness, concentration and engagement we enjoy when we’re playing. Where work and play come together, you’ll find me there…