At last weekend’s Sketchnote Symposium Mike Rohde (@rohdesign), author of The Sketchnote Handbook, shared some pro tips for sketching on whiteboards in meetings. Below is my sketchnote of Mike’s talk.
- Do your homework. Learn the topic beforehand so you go into the meeting with a shared understanding of the content.
- Plan your layout. Plan ahead and have a layout in mind as part of your facilitation plan
- Keep your presenter’s notes handy. When presenting on a whiteboard, post your presenter’s notes in the corner for easy reference
- Conference room markers are junk. B.Y.O.M. (Bring Your Own Markers)
- Color code. Use multiple colors to distinguish the agenda from the topics and annotations.
- Use simple drawings. The simpler the better so you can sketch fast and sketch effectively.
- Invite others to draw. Sharing thoughts by drawing will foster connections and “ah ha” moments that would otherwise remain hidden.
- Share space. “Having shared space is really valuable” so that all ideas are surfaced.
- Be neat. Prevent marker color bleed/smear by using your finger to erase intersection points.
- Be clear about next steps. Note task assignments with check boxes.
- Bonus Tip: Share a pic of the whiteboard as meeting notes.
