Informal Sketching Techniques

In this visually inspiring session, Senior Experience Designer Eric LoPresti will teach you to use drawings and diagrams in your technology projects and beyond. We may not all be trained artists but we are visual beings. Informal drawing techniques can help you understand complex challenges, reduce risk and align teams around shared goals.

Drawing on 25 years designing innovative user experiences, LoPresti will demonstrate how to put this accessible and powerful practice to use. No design background needed: this introductory course provides plenty of  tips for non-designers, especially project managers, software engineers, and business analysts.

What You’ll Learn

• Basics of using informal drawing techniques to understand challenges and align goals
• How to use visual thinking to make sense of a problem
• Practical tips for integrating sketching for immediate, positive effect on your projects

Topics Covered

• What is concept drawing and why should I care?
  • How a napkin sketch can affect your project
  • Who can use the technique
  • Using drawing to improve quality, reduce risk and align your team
• Examples of concept drawing
• What makes a drawing useful?
  • “Visual thinking” to make sense of a problem
  • Diagrams to help teams work together
  • Flexible drawings can benefit any kind of project
• Types of concept drawings you can use on your project
  • Examples and reasons to use each
• How to get started
  • Creating an example concept drawing
  • Asking questions, finding issues
  • Initiate tasks
• Common Issues
  • Blank page syndrome (and how to overcome it)
  • How to use drawings in a software development process, e.g. Agile
  • Drawing fails (and how they can improve your chances for success)