Shipulski On Design

When you want someone to understand your new idea, draw a picture for yourself. Set the constraint that you cannot use words on the page.  Shapes, arrows, cartoons – yes.  Words – no.  Once you’re convinced your one-pager captures your idea, set another constraint.  When you show your picture to someone, you cannot speak.  Your one-page picture must stand on its own.  I think you’ll find that this second constraint will cause you to improve your image, which will help others (and you) better understand your idea.  You can use your words when you explain your one-pager to your target audience, which will improve clarity and understanding.

When you want someone to understand that your new idea is possible, build a prototype and do a demo.  Use your one-pager to create a storyboard of the demo.  The storyboard can be a series of cartoons that describe what will happen during the demo. And like with the one-pager, your storyboard cannot use words.  And once you think your storyboard communicates your idea, set the constraint that you cannot speak during the demo, and try to improve the storyboard to support a no-word demo.  You can use your words during the demo to further improve clarity and understanding.

Make no mistake, the one-pager and the storyboard are for you.  They will help you better understand your idea so you can help people understand it better.

Image credit – Jennifer Moo

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