Sketchmodeling with Zee Spencer

One of my favorite tools for exploring a systems model is sketchmodeling.

Sketchmodeling is a way to take quickly take ideas from your head and put them into the world so that you and others can interact with them. This allows you to quickly iterate a model, generate shared understanding, and reduce the complexity of highly interconnected systems.

To get started sketchmodeling, there are a few simple steps:

1. Draw about 7 things that are part of your system
2. Label the way these things interact.
3. Redraw the model so it is more coherent.

However, a word is only worth one one thousandth of a picture. So lets walk through three iterations on a model that represents why I like to write short articles.

Sketch Number 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my initial rough pass I drew five things I thought I cared about, connected them by relationship, and captioned the sketches. I didn’t care about lines intersecting, how “neat” it looked, or whether it captured and communicated my thoughts effectively. 

Sketch Number 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my second pass, I wanted to focus on the relationships between the people, ideas, and things; so I removed labels from the objects. I then labeled the lines and used words to help the sketch flow.

I felt like this version represents my thoughts fairly well and could start a coherent discussion. However I feel like this has a bit too much complexity. So, back to the drawing board!

Sketch Number 3 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This version is not much more succinct or effective than the previous one, which means I’ve hit a point of diminishing returns in creating new models for now. Maybe after a few conversations and a few days have passed I could draw it again with new insights and observations.

Now go ahead and show it to someone else. Ask a few questions, listen to feedback, and draw a new model. This creates new understanding between you and the other parties. The model should change to reflect their insights.

The Uses of a Sketchmodel

I like to use sketchmodels to focus a meeting. Because it is tangible, I can easily point to it when we start getting off track.

You can also use a sketchmodel to open up conversation:

•  “How does X relate to Y?”
• “What are we missing from this model?”
• “What do we have on the model that is unimportant?”

These questions can be incredibly enlightening if your sketchmodel is of your business strategy, team dynamics, user workflow, or any other reasonably important thing for a group of people to understand.

Sketchmodels also make excellent information radiators. If you title them provocatively, stick them on a wall in a highly trafficked area, and provide means of feedback you can start conversations with interested people you never would have thought interested.

But don’t let this list limit you! Share some other uses in the comments!

 

*This post was contributed by featured guest blogger Zee Spencer. With a fascination for neuroscience, sociology, and business Spencer works at Leandog, a small business and technology consultancy.