Thumbnail Sketching

Thumbnail sketching is a quick, low-pressure way to explore ideas visually.

These small, fast drawings help teams test multiple concepts early, without getting stuck on perfection or details. You don’t need to be an artist, just curious and willing to draw!

It prompts teams to ask:

• What could this idea look like in practice?
• How might we express this visually or spatially?
• What are a few different ways we could approach this?

By making rough ideas visible, thumbnail sketching supports better conversations, faster feedback, and stronger design decisions.

Best Practices

Set a clear prompt. Ground the activity in a shared “How Might We…” or problem statement.

Keep it moving. Time each round (e.g., 3–5 minutes) so people focus on momentum, not perfection.

Rather than judging, focus on building. Focus on “yes, and” thinking instead of critiquing.

Encourage variety. People can change the format, add visuals, or take the idea in a new direction.

Make space for reflection. After the rounds, review all ideas and identify themes, surprises, or standouts.

Basic Steps

1. Set the stage. Choose a clear focus (e.g., a problem to solve, an experience to improve, or an audience to design for).

2. Generate first ideas. Each person writes or sketches a starting concept.

3. Pass and build. After a few minutes, everyone passes their idea to the next person. The new person adds to or builds on it.

4. Repeat. Do 2-3 rounds to evolve each idea through multiple contributors.

5. Share and reflect. Lay out the finished chains of ideas. What’s exciting? What patterns or breakthroughs emerged?

Benefits

• Encourages co-creation over competition
• Surfaces unexpected ideas and combinations
• Builds on the strengths of diverse thinkers
• Reduces pressure to be “brilliant” alone
• Creates momentum and energy in group settings