Idea narratives

Ideas per se count for little. They need to be communicated. And the narrative is a powerful means of expressing ideas. One of the vehicles for this is story boarding which helps ideators envision their ideas, or bringing the idea to life. For 2D design ideas, the simple and effective way of telling a story is using words and images where the freehand sketch in particular is a quick and immediate tool to help articulate ideas. For 3D design ideas, the hand-drawn paper prototype, or sketch model, is equally a fast and direct way to communicating ideas. But whatever the ideation tool, it is important to communicate the story at the right level of fidelity. For example, the sketch mode is typically low fidelity: If the narrative is set at a too high fidelity level, say including details of finish, this might distract the audience from the core idea. After all, the idea is a proposal for what might be, not what is.

Sketching anyone?

As the net generation of designers reach for the digital tablet or the smart phone rather than the sketchbook, design students may wonder if they need traditional drawing skills. But there are different types of drawings associated with different stages of the design process. In the early stages, sketching is the more flexible and spontaneous way of drawing. Sketching out ideas, then, is not so much about technical drawing skills, or drawing in the tradition of the arts academy, but about the ability to express first thoughts visually, either on one's own (i-sketch), or in team settings (we-sketch). Sketching, though, like all types of drawings, is a skill that improves through practice.

In praise of ideation tools

Being conversant with ideation tools facilitates access to designers' intuition and imagination and helps externalising and communicating ideas. Being familiar with ideation tools, moreover, helps promote a practical and goal-oriented approach to idea realisation as well as providing a good sense of purpose and confidence in pursuing creative endeavours.

Multidimensional ideation tools

Ideation tools help give shape (2D) and form (3D) to ideas, help find, explore and make sense of relationships, proportions and patterns, and help create idea dynamics and tension (4D) towards idea actualisation, or making real of what is suspended between illusion and predictability.

Critical use of ideation tools

Excellence in the use of conceptual tools is achieved through rigorous practice and mindful command of their use. Having skills in a wide range of ideation tools, then, help designers recognise and question their underlying assumptions towards well thought out conclusions and solutions, and communicate their ideas effectively with others. In this pursuit, ideation shares traits with critical thinking, or, in short, self-directed, self-monitored and self-corrective thinking.

App ideation tools

Visual appeal is crucial to communicating or "selling" ideas. And so it is in the development of ideas in the early stages of the design process because what is visually appealing also helps motivate ideation and creative expression. And hence the appeal of using creative app tools or web platforms, digital pens and touch screens to generate, develop and synthesise ideas, for getting ideas feedback, for creating interactive timelines, for sharing stories using storyboards, movie posters or customised comics strips, or for creating mobile visual studios - just to give a few examples.

Why ideation skills?

Ideation skills include the skilful use of ideation tools (words, sketching, modelling and computing), which help not only in generating ideas but in developing and communicating ideas effectively. Moreover, ideation skills foster self-discipline, and help build designer confidence. Although different design disciplines may have different visualisation customs and habits, ideation skills apply across subject boundaries and enable designers to capture and convey ideas in any situation and medium.