How to Get Stakeholders to Sketch: A Magic Formula

Summary

This script offers a strategy to involve non-designers in sketching activities, crucial for gaining buy-in and understanding the UX process. It suggests using fat markers to emphasize idea generation over precision, limiting detail by using small drawing spaces like index cards or 8-up sheets, imposing time constraints to prevent overthinking, and showcasing rough sketches to alleviate the pressure for perfection. These tactics aim to make stakeholders comfortable and encourage creative participation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Getting non-UX professionals involved in collaborative sketching increases buy-in and understanding.
• 😟 People often feel stressed about sketching in front of others, especially if they don't do it regularly.
• 💡 To make stakeholders comfortable with sketching, emphasize that anyone can draw and it's about generating ideas, not creating detailed designs.
• 🖍️ Use fat markers to discourage detailed drawing and support the idea generation process.
• 📏 Provide small drawing spaces, like index cards or 8-up sheets, to reduce anxiety and prevent detailed sketches.
• ⏳ Set time limits to prevent overthinking and over-censoring of ideas.
• 📉 Use timers with visible countdowns and audible alerts to enforce time constraints.
• 🖼️ Avoid showing polished, finished sketches as examples; use unpolished, hastily-sketched visuals instead.
• 📝 Combining these four variables—fat markers, small spaces, time limits, and ugly examples—helps stakeholders feel at ease while sketching.
• 🚀 With these techniques, you can facilitate effective and anxiety-free sketching sessions, generating great ideas quickly.

Q & A

Why is it important to involve non-UX professionals in sketching activities?

Involving non-UX professionals in sketching activities helps increase buy-in and allows them to understand the UX process better, fostering a collaborative environment.

What is a common concern expressed by those who are not used to sketching?

A common concern is the fear of not being able to draw well, often expressed with statements like 'I’m not a designer! I can’t draw!'.

What is the speaker's formula to help stakeholders feel more comfortable with sketching?

The formula involves using fat markers, providing tiny spaces to draw, imposing time limits, and showing unpolished examples to reduce anxiety and encourage participation.

Why are fat markers recommended for sketching activities with non-designers?

Fat markers are recommended because they suggest that the focus is on generating ideas rather than creating detailed designs.

How can the use of a tiny space to draw help reduce anxiety during sketching sessions?

A tiny space, like an index card or a small cell on an 8-up sheet, limits the scope of the sketch and reduces the pressure to produce a detailed and perfect drawing.

What is the significance of time limits in sketching activities?

Time limits are crucial as they prevent overthinking and over-censoring of ideas, encouraging quick and free-flowing creativity.

Why is it suggested to use a timer with a visible countdown and an audible signal in sketching sessions?

A timer with a visible countdown and an audible signal helps maintain the pace of the activity and ensures that participants stop sketching when time is up, preventing overworking on a single idea.

What is the potential issue with showing beautifully composed sketches as examples during sketching activities?

Showing beautifully composed sketches can inadvertently send the message that the sketch must look good to be accepted, which can increase anxiety and hinder creativity.

What alternative to beautiful sketches is suggested to help stakeholders feel more at ease with sketching?

Using unpolished and hastily-sketched visuals as examples can help stakeholders feel more at ease, as it shows that the focus is on idea generation, not on the quality of the sketch.

How can the combination of the four variables help in generating ideas during sketching activities?

The combination of fat markers, tiny spaces, time limits, and unpolished examples creates an environment that encourages quick, uninhibited idea generation without the pressure of creating a perfect final product.

What is the intended outcome of using this formula for sketching activities with stakeholders?

The intended outcome is to create an inclusive and anxiety-free environment where stakeholders feel comfortable contributing ideas through sketching, leading to a richer pool of ideas.