This document discusses the benefits and uses of sketching in user experience (UX) design. It notes that sketching is popular in the UX field and there are many resources available, both online and in software/books. Sketching is typically used early in the design process for discovery, idea generation and exploring scenarios. The document emphasizes that sketching is about idea generation and problem solving rather than visual perfection. It is useful for defining personas, stories and contexts beyond just the user interface. While quick and low-cost, sketches also have limitations as they lack detail and clarity.

1. Sketching UX
Low-Fidelity Method; High-Fidelity Results
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015

2. Sketching is Hot in the UX World
UX people love
to talk about
sketching
• We probably talk about
sketching more than we
actually sketch, but
that’s another story…
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015
http://newlitcollaborative.ning.com/profiles/blogs/visual-literacies-and-the-depiction-of-war

3. There’s No Shortage of Resources
There are books
There are articles
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015
There’s even software
There are paper templates
Like gardening or yoga, UX Sketching is an ever-popular subject

4. When is Sketching UX
Typically Done?
Discovery Phase
• Capture information
• Idea generation
• General non-directed exploration
Design Phase
• As first iterations of UI patterns
• Explore alternate scenarios
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015

5. A Few Secrets about
UX Sketching
There is no “right” way to sketch UX
• There’s no wrong way either
• Relax. Ignore the experts. Do what feels
comfortable to you.
Sketching UX = idea generating
& problem solving
• Focus on the thinking, not making a
pretty picture
• Don’t sweat the details
Sketching UX: It’s not just UI
• It more than the screen, it’s about the user
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015

6. It’s More than the Screen; It’s
about the User
Rob Fitzgibbon 2015
Use sketching to imagine in
what context your design
will be used.
What will
the user
need to
do?

7. What’s the personas behind the
Personas?
Rob Fitzgibbon 2015
Use sketches as a jumping off point to define
user types, tasks and goals

8. UX Sketching & Collaborative
Design
Rob Fitzgibbon 2015
Quick sketches can be especially useful during
collaborative design sessions
Participants use sticky notes to add definition to personas

9. More Examples
Rob Fitzgibbon 2015

10. The Benefits of Sketching UX
Every Picture Tells a Story, Don’t It?
• Low cost
• Quick to create
• Ideal for narrative, i.e. creating “paper
prototypes”
• Suitable for testing, refining – and discarding
– potential solutions
• Great for defining personas & user stories
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015

11. But to everything there is a
season
Sketching has limitations
• Abstract
• An artifact, not a deliverable
• Good to convey intent, but not details
• Lacks clarity
• Contextual
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015

12. Thank you!
© Rob Fitzgibbon 2015