The general link to a blog on sketchnotes.
I first encountered Sketchnotes 101: The Basics of Visual Note-taking by Craighton Berman.
But you should probably start with Sketchnotes 101: Visual Thinking by Craighton Berman.
From the “Visual Thinking” post:
This post is the first in a new “sketchnotes channel” on Core77 (www.core77.com/sketchnotes) that will explore the application of visual thinking tools in the worlds of design and creative thinking.
The recent rise of the “visual thinking” movement in business borrows from the natural ways designers work—using sketches to explore and express ideas, manipulating complex systems of thoughts on sticky notes, and using rough visuals to make sense of the world. Humans are, of course, wired to be visual thinkers from birth, so it’s only natural that people are attracted to these tools, and the power they have to help solve problems and explore opportunities.
In the long list of tools one could use for visual thinking, sketchnotes are one of the most exciting. Simply put, sketchnotes are visual notes that are drawn in real time. Through the use of images, text, and diagrams, these notes take advantage of the “visual thinker” mind’s penchant for make sense of—and understanding—information with pictures. Often these notes come out of lectures or conferences, and have gained a lot of attention and interest in the past few years when people post scans of their sketchbooks from events like SXSW or various design conferences for the whole internet to see.
Not that this will necessarily help develop a visual language for topic maps, but it could be a useful technique in working with users or others on topic map content and design.
I haven’t used one of those large art sketch pads in years (used in debate tournaments). Perhaps I should practice with one of those or even one of the graphic tablets. The latter would make it easier to share any drawings that merited sharing (a very small number).
Curious what it would look like to use sketchnote techniques when reading CS articles? Or drafting standards text?