Sketchmapping is a combination of Sketchnotes and Mind Mapping. They are both visual methods of organizing thoughts. I like to combine the two into a single process, identifying important ideas and relationships as I draw little pictures and diagramatic elements. The final result is an image that captures many ideas in an inter-related visual swirl that I like to contemplate.
The examples in this section presents a history of my sketchmapping.
Visualizing Obstacles
This quick sketchmap helped me visual abstract obstacles in terms of terrain. It’s also fun to shade rocks.
Details: [TBD]
Third Space Visualization
In 2022 I recognized the desire to have a physical community space where people like me could belong. I called it “The Colony” and imagined what features it should have. This sketch outlined the key ideas.
Details: [TBD]
Master Vantage Point 2009
After a few years of trying to make blogging a viable business, I was stuck. When you are stuck, you look for a map. I didn’t have a map, so I made one.
This depicts obstacles on the way to the distant horizons of success.
Master Vantage Point 2017
In 2017 I drew a new Master Vantage Point diagram, updated it with what I’d learned in my eight years of wandering. It’s less a work of confidence as it is an acknowledgement of confusion. After all, I was ten years into my Groundhog Day Resolutions…wasn’t it supposed to only take a couple of years?
Self Mapping 2017
This is a companion piece to MVP 2017. I started drawing it from the botton I think, sketching in pencil and adding inked section as I made decisions.
The result of this thinking is surprisingly structured, a result of the way I think through these kinds of problems.
Multi-stage Sketchmapping
The following examples are part of a continuous multi-step sketchmapping phase, keeping my thinking more in the “sketchy realm of possibilities” rather than rely on computer tools. The reason for keeping away from computers it that these tools tempt me to polish the graphics instead of thinking about ideas. Working on paper is also helps me think differently as I move from place to place, letting the environment influence my thinking.
MVP 2025 Step 1: Brain Dump
2025 was a year of many transitions, and I felt I needed a new map. This time, I broke it into several steps.
This stage was writing everything down on my mind on a piece of paper.
Details: Braindump on Paper!
MVP 2025 Step 2: Collage Mapping
In this next stage, I distilled the braindump into key ideas and arranged them on a big piece of paper until they “made sense”.
Details: Reorganize around Important Stuff
MVP 2025 Step 3: Finding Conceptual Metaphors
In this stage, I took the ideas swimming around in my head and started mapping them into another space to see if a system naturally emerged.
The shapes grow organically as I try to make room for different ideas. The borders are drawn after-the-fact as the different functional groups reveal themselves.
Details: Sri’s Busy Busy World
MVP 2026 Step 4: Reframing Chores as Ship Operations
In this stage, the main elements from Step 3 are distilled into a simpler diagram. It is this diagram that is the blueprint for production of a finished diagram.
And with this, the sketchmapping process concludes.
The finished production pieces can be viewed in the Ship Diagrams article.
