Who is sketchnoting for?

Who is sketchnoting for? Sketchnoting is gaining popularity among various social groups every year. Initially underestimated, today it is one of the basic forms of recording or transmitting information. The modern world strives to maximize content and simplify form, so sketches are perfect for this. But the question remains, who is it really for?

For an artist or for a child?

Sketchnoting is the transfer of information through graphics. In practice, this means taking notes of various kinds, not verbally, but in the form of pictures. Of course, we can also use words or numbers, but judging by all the “work”, we use them less. When we hear artwork, we usually think it’s only for the talented. There is no shortage of such people in our society, but not everyone can boast of the lightness of the hand. However, it is important to realize that, paradoxically, artists are not very good at sketching. The reason is that they pay great attention to detail and are mainly concerned with aesthetic issues. At the same time, there is no artistry in the sketchbook itself – this style of note-taking is more like careless sketching, as if we were jotting down something in a hurry, without thinking. Some even compare them to careless, childish drawings. However, this is not offensive because sketchnoting is not really focused on creating a work of art, but on a simple form of graphic communication. Experts believe that the ability to think visually, not to draw, is key. Talent is not important here, so we don’t have to worry about a possible lack of talent.

Where are sketch notes used?

In Western Europe and the United States, note-taking became popular many years ago. Today, it is used by companies around the world and even employs experts in visual thinking. They are responsible for taking notes from various types of meetings, conferences or events. At the same time, they teach employees to sketch notes, that is, to create notes in the form of drafts. This is a skill that will definitely be useful during training or when we want to pass something on to another employee, but we don’t have time to write an e-mail. It turns out that sketch notes can also be used in school or college. Students should focus primarily on lectures rather than writing long notes. However, annotations can be images, not necessarily written text. It is interesting, how we use sketchnoting more and more in our daily work, wanting to text our boss or colleague from the next desk. We also use it when we leave messages for family members. Experts believe that sketchnoting will reach a wider audience in the future. Both individuals and companies will be happy to use it. The reason is that the modern world is primarily focused on information and minimal form. Nobody is interested in reading long articles, but we prefer short, concise and interesting information.

How to learn to think visually and transfer information from pictures to paper?

We already know that sketching notes works for everyone, but not everyone immediately puts it into practice. Few of us are born with the ability to think visually, so we must learn to put our thoughts on paper in graphic form. How to do it? First of all, we should focus on having fun. It makes learning easier and more fun. So let’s try to illustrate texts that are easy to understand and that we enjoy listening to or reading. Of course, sketching isn’t just about the kinds of information we like, but it would be perfect to start with. Let’s not be discouraged, remembering at the same time that our drawings do not have to be perfect. Rather, they should be primarily useful, and aesthetic considerations may be in the background. The key to success is constant practice – over time we feel more confident, and taking notes takes us less time. Some people learn visual thinking under the guidance of professionals, but you have to remember that there are relatively few such people in China.

For your own needs and more

Today, we use sketchnoting mainly for our own needs, but experts in this field can count on employment and good earnings. They usually work with large companies, but increasingly they also conduct seminars at schools or universities. Society is slowly moving away from rigid written notes and focuses on slightly lighter forms. Sketchnoting is likely to grow over the next few years, so we should be doing more training in this area.