Sketches, Models and Annotations: Thinking Through a Design

Draw a coaster on its own and a magnet is just a circle on the page. Draw that same coaster on the side of a fridge and you can see what the magnet is meant to do: give the coaster somewhere to go when it isn’t in use.

The coaster hasn’t changed. The sketch has changed what you can think about.

My original coaster development sketch. The little fridge at the bottom right shows why I was considering a magnet. Click to enlarge.

Sketch the relationship you need to see

In my coaster refinement sketches, I drew the cup over the coaster to see how their shapes related. Then I drew the coaster on the fridge to consider it in storage. Each view helped me think about a different situation. I call this putting the idea back into perspective: show the object, user or surroundings that matter to the decision.

Choose a view that makes the relationship clear. A plan view can show how a cup sits on a coaster. A side view can show what protrudes. A few small sketches can show how a hand approaches, grips and removes an object. For a part you keep drawing, a simple outline at a useful proportion may be enough. Spend your time drawing the changes you’re considering.

Make a model when the sketch leaves a question open

The fridge sketch makes the storage idea understandable. It can’t tell you whether the intended surface will attract a magnet, whether the coaster will slip or whether it will be awkward to lift off.

Here’s a possible next investigation for that coaster. A card cut-out at the intended size could help check where it fits and where your fingers would go. To investigate retention, you would need a trial that represents the intended magnet, coaster weight and surface. A lightweight card shape sticking to the fridge would tell you very little about whether the finished coaster will stay put.

My rapid modelling approach starts with the feature you need to investigate. A model of one part may be enough. Work out what you want to learn before deciding how much of the design to make.

Annotate what the image can’t tell you

“Magnet” names the part. “Try a magnet here so the coaster can be stored on the fridge” explains the intention. “Check whether I can lift the coaster off with one hand” gives you a question to investigate. Each note does a different job.

Point to the exact feature. A short note can explain why you drew an alternative, identify something you’ve assumed, or record what happened when you tried it. Keep those distinctions clear. If you haven’t tried it, write what you intend to check. Once you’ve tried it, record what you actually observed and what you’ll change because of it.

The same habit helps when you sketch and annotate an existing product. Show how the parts interact and mark anything you still need to check. Sketching, modelling and annotating can help wherever a design question arises.

Before you put a sketch or model aside, ask: What can I see, explain or decide now that I couldn’t before? If a question remains, annotate it while it’s still fresh. It may tell you exactly what to do next.

#DesignSketching #DesignModelling #DesignAnnotations #DesignProcess #DesignAndTechnology #DesignJournalSOS

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