{"id":5649,"date":"2025-10-06T13:43:59","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T13:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/?p=5649"},"modified":"2025-10-07T11:12:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T11:12:15","slug":"drawing-is-designing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.gov.scot\/digital\/2025\/10\/06\/drawing-is-designing\/","title":{"rendered":"Drawing is designing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Guest blog post by Andy Robertson, Senior Content Designer in Social Security Scotland.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the age of shiny new Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, I\u2019m making the case for pen and paper. As a senior content designer in government, here\u2019s how I use my drawing skills.<\/p>\n

\"Hand<\/a>

Hand drawn sketch of a messy pile of books labelled \u201cDMG\u201d sits on a table.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I love to draw<\/h4>\n

Some of my strongest memories as a kid are of drawing. Especially my mum\u2019s unconditionally positive reactions. Drawing was the first thing I felt good at.<\/p>\n

I was lucky to have several amazing art teachers at school. And a dad who told me about a place called art school I could go to after high school.<\/p>\n

Drawing is how I found my place in the world in my teens. It\u2019s how I made money after I graduated in textile design from The Glasgow School of Art. It\u2019s helped me grieve. It\u2019s how I uncover ideas for designing public services.<\/p>\n

AI feels like de-skilling<\/h4>\n

\u201cI want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Author Joanna Maciejewska<\/p>\n

\"Hand<\/a>

Hand drawn computer screen image labelled ‘IKM search’<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead of asking AI for help with a problem, here\u2019s when I reach for the pen and paper.<\/p>\n

I need space<\/h4>\n

The past few months I\u2019ve been designing content for a complex social security product. I\u2019m listening to a lot of different people\u2019s answers to a problem we\u2019re solving. I\u2019m seeking inspiration from peers and co-designing with different people.<\/p>\n

This amount of information is hard to boil down into ideas using words. Drawing helps me distil the voices of others into more defined ideas.<\/p>\n

Light-footed prototyping<\/h4>\n

High-fidelity mock-ups can give the wrong impression to collaborators. That the idea is \u2018done\u2019. And the decisions have been made.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A hand-drawn diagram titled “Modular content” with two main sections.<\/p><\/div>\n

Staying lo-fi for longer helps keep collaborators or testing participants involved. Sometimes an option we\u2019re testing isn\u2019t working. Sketching out a new idea in the moment can clarify their feedback and create new ideas to test. I don\u2019t have time to fire up figma and create something new in that moment.<\/p>\n

Sharing understanding<\/h4>\n

I\u2019m not the best verbal communicator. I\u2019m dyslexic, so learning by reading or listening guarantees I miss things. A visual confirmation works well for me.<\/p>\n

This clarification works in two directions:<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t understand what someone is saying. I can draw what they describe and ask, \u2018is this what you mean?\u2019<\/p>\n

My verbal communication isn\u2019t landing. I can show them a sketch and ask \u2018do you see what I mean?\u2019<\/p>\n

Thinking away from the screen<\/h4>\n

Scottish folk might recognise this feeling after the long winter. Usually in about March, the sun is out for the first time in months. When the sunlight hits my face, I feel this ripple of relief. There\u2019s light again.<\/p>\n

Too long staring at the screen without drawing, and I get that ripple when I put pen to paper. Joy.<\/p>\n

Basic shapes<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s dead easy to sketch user interface ideas with these basic shapes:<\/p>\n