Explaining the world one sketch at a time

Sketchplanations makes complex ideas simple with clear, insightful sketches. Explore topics from science, creativity, psychology, and beyond explained in pictures.

New sketches by email

Learn something new in a sketch each Sunday

Recent sketches

Hedgehog a mango

The most fun and satisfying way to prepare a mango. If you haven’t already, try it.…

10 Mar 2014

A teacher gets more participation and minds whirring by asking "What else?" instead of "Anything else?"

Get more participation

Instead of ‘Anything else?’ ask 'What else?’. The slight shift in frame makes all the difference.…

9 Mar 2014

Yesterday’s weather

I learned about this nice principle from agile software development. Basically, that when thinking about how much you’ll get done next week, what you got done this week is a good proxy. Sure this week was different because you had that external presentation and an offsite, a bug to fix on live and Amy was sick. But the reality is things will interrupt you next week too. Just like the weather, what happened before is a good first guess at what will happen next.…I learned about this nice principle from agile software development. Basically, that when thinking about how much you’ll get done next week, what you got done this week is a good proxy. Sure this week was different because you had that external presentation and an offsite, a bug to fix on live and Amy was sick. But the reality is things will interrupt you next week too. Just like the weather, what happened before is a good first guess at what will happen next.

8 Mar 2014

Classical columns: doric, ionic, and corinthian

Always good to share with friends and family your knowledge of doric columns, ionic columns or corinthian style classical columns when you spot them in the wild.…

7 Mar 2014

Mapping

The standard reference for this is The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman where he discusses stovetops and their controls in some detail(!). In this case it should be clear, unlike for our stove, which burner each control controls. Same goes for light switches. Same goes, as much as possible, for controls in a nuclear power plant.…

6 Mar 2014

Survivorship bias

We usually only see the winners. The losers tend to disappear from the record. Which is why all the fund managers in the papers seem to be giving great returns, or starting the next Whatsapp or Instagram seems like such a sure fire way to get rich. We don’t see all the funds, apps and entrepreneurs who never made it.…

5 Mar 2014

Search·Categories·Archive·List