5.

13 Concept Sketch
Visualizing concepts as sketches to show how they work in abstract terms

EXAMPLE PROJECT: Recycling in Farmer’s Markets (2011)

Many cities across the United States are embracing recycling as
a major initiative to promote green and sustainable practices for
their residents. A design team determined that successful recycling
programs are those that convert non-recyclers to recyclers, build
community, and create an enjoyable and simple experience. They
also recognized a valuable opportunity area in farmers’ markets as
a way to connect people and build community around recycling.
After conducting primary research on current recyclers, the team
mapped them on a 2 ⫻ 2 space, measuring their motivations from
altruistic to self-centered, and their recycling habits from high to
low. They defined their opportunity space as comprising those with
altruistic motivations spanning non-recyclers to avid recyclers. They
aimed to give an outlet for the passionate, further engage those
who are already recycling, and motivate those who are not.
Design principles covering the areas of engagement, awareness,
and community, guided the Concept Sketch method. The team
sketched many ideas that included a neighborhood recycling fair
with toys for kids that create a game of the recycling process and
where residents buy recycled goods, a pop recycle store, a bench
Copyright © 2012. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

made from recycled items, and modular recyclable furniture. The

free-form exploratory nature of the Concept Sketching pushed the
team to consider ideas beyond what currently exists.

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BENEFITS INPUT
 Facilitates discussion  Concepts that can be
 Helps refine ideas
 Makes abstract ideas concrete
 Reveals relationships
W HAT IT DOES
Concept Sketches convert ideas into concrete forms
that are easier to understand, discuss, evaluate, and
communicate than abstract ideas that are described in
words. Sketches powerfully augment written descrip-
tions and help ideas be communicated more rapidly
and effectively. Since sketching is about making an
abstract idea concrete, it makes us think through the
issues of embodying the idea in reality, and it gets us
closer to refined concepts. Moreover, in doing so, it
often sparks more ideas for further exploration. Sketch-
ing is most often done in team brainstorming sessions
to clearly communicate, discuss, and steer participants
in promising directions. Iterating and reacting to a
teammate’s sketch often leads to many more new con-
cepts, subconcepts, or concept improvements than just
ideation based on only abstract thinking.
H OW IT WORKS
Copyright © 2012. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. All rights reserved.
STEP 1: Assign sketching tasks to team members.
To ensure a smooth work process, assign some team
members as designated sketchers, while others focus
on verbal ideation and communication.
STEP 2: Gather early descriptions of concepts
already generated.
Collect the description of concepts suggested by the
analysis frameworks, design principles, opportunity
mind map, value hypothesis, ideation session, and
other methods. Sketches may be prepared beforehand
and distributed as a prop for discussion or drawn
live as an augmentation to discussion. Often both
approaches are used.
STEP 3: Sketch out the core idea.
One idea, one sketch. Force yourself to capture the idea
in a single representative image. Communicate only
Kumar, V., & LaConte, V. (2012). 101 design methods : A structured approach for driving innovation in your organization. ProQuest Ebook Central <a
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METHODS | 237
OUTPUT WHEN TO USE
 Visualizations that show
explained by sketches what concepts look like
and how they work
the core idea under discussion through this sketch. A
high degree of artistry or realism is rarely necessary.
Sketches can be very rough at this stage and can be
drawn by anyone; no drawing skills are needed. In fact,
if sketches have too many features or details present, it
may hinder communication at this early stage.
STEP 4: Move from rough figurative sketches to
more detailed ones.
Initially make rough figurative sketches that are good
for quick visualization (“What if we did something like
this?”). Later on you can move on to detailed figurative
sketches that are good for seeing the concept as more
real (“What would that idea really look/feel like?”).
STEP 5: Capture every sketch and discuss.
Capture every sketch, from paper or from the white-
board. Document every sketch with small descrip-
tions. A concept sketch that may seem unimportant at
this stage may have more value later in the process
when concepts are combined into solutions. Review
all sketches in teams, discuss their qualities, identify
issues, iterate the concepts, and gain an initial sense
of where further attention is needed.
5.13 CONCEPT SKETCH
conce
!
! concep
t 1 concept 3
pt 6
concept 5
ept 4
concept 2 conc
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