Drawing Product Ideas

CHAPTER ONEWHY DRAW?

Great digital products start with great design. A great design isn't created in a vacuum. It takes time, research, and the unique perspective of many contributors along the way. I've always viewed the design process as a form of problem solving, and as technology advances, the problems become more complex. As a result, our teammates from all functional areas are participating in this process, whether they realize it or not.

Throughout this process, drawing is the key method for developing, testing, and collaborating on new ideas, and there are several benefits to including drawing in your product development process, as illustrated in the mind map in Figure 1.1.

FIGURE 1.1

Drawings attract people to an idea. It's true that a picture is worth a thousand words, and drawing has withstood the test of time, having been used as an effective communications tool for tens of thousands of years. This isn't an exaggeration. Figure 1.2 is a recreation of a drawing from the rock shelters of Bhimbetka. Some of the drawings in these shelters are considered to be 30,000 years old. In today's digital age, drawing is not only still relevant but needed more than ever.

FIGURE 1.2

Source: Based on Bhimbetka drawings (Kent Eisenhuth)

Drawing is a quick and easy way to ...