Sketch Notes

Sketch + note = sketchnotes.

Yep. That's it.

I started using sketch notes during Fall 2019 as one of my courses evolved from Photography and Film  to Photography, Film and Design. First, I started using them myself. As I was creating the new syllabus for this course I struggled with how to present the philosophy of the course to students that presented the inter-related nature of these three disciplines at this time in our world.  A written description alone felt limiting and flat. I needed something more multi-dimensional that I could present in a digital space without moving into the use of 3D modeling software which felt like a tool that was more complex than I needed to express myself. I wanted to present to my students this premise- as each discipline evolves it impacts and influences the others. The influence and evolution is continual, both interdependent and independent and all seeded in a cultural context in a world where cultures are rapidly evolving both independent of and influenced by other cultures with the matrices of new complex identities as a result of our increasingly interconnected world (#intersectionality). I began to doodle which evolved into a visual syllabus for the class, in a series of images.

Above are two examples of student created sketch notes for the design assignment about their personal organizational systems for school. The discussion began about a common item we all use-  a bag to carry items back and forth to school- and the evolution of this system of carrying items. Students shared their experiences with school bags based on their own experiences in different countries and cultures- satchels, messenger bags and backpacks. We looked at the backpacks we were all carrying (we'd all chosen to carry a backpack, not a shoulder bag or messenger bag or-). After a careful slow examination of our bags and a class discussion sharing the reasoning behind the bags we chose we then engaged in the thinking routine  parts, purposes and complexities to develop a deeper understanding of our chosen backpack and the choices of other people. 

Some students shared "My Mom bought this for me and I use it..." 

Some students shared "I bought this because it it popular, but it doesn't actually meet my needs."

Others told complex stories of researching their backpacks and trying on bags for comfort, functionality and durability- "I wanted to have one bag for my high school years that was different from Middle School."

This conversation evolved into what we put in the backpack and why, which led to the creation of sketch notes to illustrate the evolution of their organizational systems as they have moved through school.

This deep dive into a tools and self-designed systems that we use everyday led to a broader discussion between students about how their chosen organization system supports their learning and for some helps them manage their stress around school. Students shared with each other their feelings about the concepts of structure, predictability and routines. Students who had not yet taken agency over their choice of bag or thought deeply about how they keep up with their many school items and started thinking about systems in a new way. The sharing of different perspectives led to reflection and discovering opportunity as we then began to design for ourselves a physical portfolio for this course. Below are student created designs.

• Mini sketchnote tutorial

• Sketch notes: A Guide to Visual Notetaking by JetPens (a company that sells pens)

• Sketch noting 101: How to take Awesome Visual Notes by UX Mastery (a website focused on user experience)

• Using Sketch notes with Novels and Plays

• Sketch notes 101: How (and Why) to Start Doodling at Work by Lucidchart (a software company)

• Verbal to Visual: How to Avoid Cluttering Your Sketch notes by Verbal to Visual (a website about visual note taking and idea expression)

• 10 Brilliant Examples Of Sketch Notes: Notetaking For The 21st Century by TeachThought (a teacher website)

• Student Sketch note Classic Kafka & Contemporary Black Mirror

• Sketchnote Army, a sketchnote enthusiast community, portal and information hub