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List of sketchplanations
Explore the complete list of all Sketchplanations, organized by title or date.
A
A common orb spider webA flat surface has unused potentialA good teacher is a DJ for learningA little bit of slope makes up for a lot of y-intercept.A mistakeA portfolio can reduce your overall riskA release strategy for happier customers, soonerA spectrum of feedback qualityA world of 4 income levelsAblaut reduplicationAccept complimentsAccept offersAccuracy and precisionAcronyms and initialismsAddiction: an alternative definitionAdjust a photo’s levels to maximise your dataAdjust your daily caffeine intakeAdvise vs advice and other s and c'sAffect. EffectAffordanceAir-write before inkingAlign windows level at the top.Alternate ibuprofen and paracetamolAltruism and ambitionAlways accept a mint when offeredAmphitheatre and theatreAn americano and a long black: the differenceAnadiplosisAnalytics maturityAnamorphosisAnatomy of a waveAnchoringAnchors and tugboatsAnimals that regenerateAnti-aliasingAntipodesApe indexApopheniaApproach buffets from both sidesApproaches to asset valuation: Castles in the air and firm foundationsApricityArrange kitchen storage to minimise excess travelAsk a question early at conferencesAsk for what you needAsk the question at talksAsteroids, meteors and meteoritesAsymmetry of returnsAtmospheric perspectiveAttribution biasAutumn leaves and the compounds that cause their colours
B
Babies learn control from the top downBack sleepers, side sleepersBactrian or dromedary camel? Never be confused againBad internet is worse than no internetBanner cloudBe a type geekBe fanatical about refuelling after exerciseBe nice to touristsBe open to be changedBe real on the internetsBe stubborn on vision. Be flexible on detailsBeaches: amazing for playBecauseBellini — bliniBenefits to you from getting startedBest travel choices in LondonBetter to be interested than try to be interestingBeware of local optimisationBiceps, triceps, quadricepsBinaryBirthday creepBlack swan eventsBlending buildingsBloody marysBloom's TaxonomyBODMASBortle ScaleBox breathingBrailleBright light will free your sneezeBrilliance biasBugs and releasesBuild a mindmapBuild a play tentBuilding a good framework is like cutting cubes out of fog — Larry KeeleyBull market, bear marketBuoyancyBus factorBuy half-price stilton after ChristmasBuyer’s remorseBuying a Christmas tree in LondonBy monkeysBycatch
C
Cafe consumption ratesCake wreckCamel identification: 1 hump dromedary, 2 humps bactrianCampbell’s lawCapitonymCatch drilling dust with a Post itChallenge questionsChange your main vowels into u’s and talk more IrishChaos monkeyCheap disposable objectsChesterton's fenceChickens and pigsChihuahua syndromeChildhood is not a raceChindoguChindogu: unuseless inventionsChoose passwords that make you happyChoose the fast lineCircular breathingClap the first talk at eventsClassical columns: doric, ionic, and corinthianClear is kindClear the fog with a redeyeClimate anxietyClose your mouth while brushing to avoid mirror spotsCognitive bias, heuristic, logical fallacy: hidden features of the mindCognitive overheadCollective effervescenceCommitment deviceCommon button statesCommon distributions: normal, skewed, paretoCommon wood jointsComplaining at the weatherCompliment and ComplementCompliments are giftsCompose a cheeseboardCompose with the rule of thirdsConfirmation biasConnect with a colleague through affinitiesConsider starting at the next letter (when scanning address books)Content driftContext is kingContinuous partial attentionContranymControl a cue ballConway’s LawCook delicious, yummy, Thai curryCook rice like a proCooking at altitudeCooking is bucket scienceCore components of riskCore insect anatomyCorrelation is not causationCounter-shadingCrazy English: ghotiCream tea: Cornwall vs DevonCreate a sketchplanationCrossmodal perceptionCurly hair is ovalCut an onion into teeny piecesCut out some fluffCuts of beefCycle with hats not hoods
D
Dark and light are the keys to one-way mirrorsDark patternsDarwin’s 5 principles of Natural SelectionData Information Knowledge WisdomDays of the weekDe-seed pomegranates in a bowl of waterDebt’s vicious cycleDecorate a Christmas treeDelete tracks you don’t likeDeseed a pomegranateDesign by committeeDesign for a Glance, a Look and a ReadDesigning for adoptionDesire pathDetecting prostate cancer: old way, new wayDirect and representative democracyDirty thunderstormDo a 2x2Do horses legs leave the ground at a gallop?Does this spark joy?Doing an endoDon't ask the barber if you need a haircutDon’t cut the nose off brieDon't fill the silenceDon’t fix the blame, fix the problemDon’t hold grudgesDon’t let other people get you downDon’t let your thinking be limited by your toolsDon’t make important decisions on an empty stomachDon’t push your socks on. Pull them on insteadDon’t stack letters vertically. Turn your words insteadDouble-landlocked countriesDracula sneezeDraw a basic bikeDraw a chainDraw a grey nurse sharkDraw a unicorn, Ed Emberley styleDraw iconic objectsDraw smooth linesDraw what you see, not what you thinkDrink porn fizzDry your feet firstDry your hands with only one towelDunbar’s number: 150
E
Earth is a big magnet.Easily draw expressionsEat food. Not too much. Mostly plantsEither draw stick men or real people. Avoid halfwayEmotional hot potatoEnjoy your hotel room moreEnough molehills make a mountainEnrich your design processEponymEquality and equityEquinoxEuphemisms for losing moneyEveryone’s a geek about somethingEverything is aimingExpress - Test - CycleExtrinsic motivation
F
Fact tennisFading affect biasFahrenheit and CelsiusFartlekFast and slow thinkingFauxtomationFeatures are like petsFeedback fearFight or FlightFigure and groundFilm credits: the best source of baby name inspirationFind the North starFind your why notFinishing linesFitts’ LawFix out of synch toilet paper.Fix wobbly tables by rotatingFlash-to-bang methodFlatten the curve of an outbreakFlotsam and jetsamFlowFold away keyboard feetFold shirts for better travelFold t-shirts vertically for visibility and easy accessFolding a fitted sheetFor the amour of itFor want of a nailForcing functionForcing function — designForest bathingFortnightlyFramingFreeze lemons and limesFront load names to cue attentionFront of house, back of houseFront stage, back stageFruit vs vegetableFungible - non-fungible
G
GaslightingGelato, sorbet and ice-creamGestalt principlesGet good ideasGet more participationGet satisfaction and a clear record of past to-dos with checkboxesGet to know your techGhost cookingGhost fishingGhost gridGive air a pathway to avoid gluggingGive gifts others can giveGive good feedbackGlacial erraticGoldilocks tasksGoodhart’s Law: when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.Great Britain and the United Kingdom: What’s the difference?GreebleGroupthink
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HalfalogueHalloweenHanlon's RazorHappy talk must dieHara Hachi BuHard things to do with your other handHeat islandsHeating people, heating spacesHedgehog a mangoHerd immunityHeteronym: spell it the same, say it differentlyHit a perfect high 5Hit the product sweet spotHitched to everything else in the universeHofstadter’s LawHomo sapiens. Our place in the order of thingsHomonyms, homographs, homophones, heteronyms… HopeHotel Drying TechniqueHotel HQHow a lip stops drips.How do barnacles move anyway?How long to napHow owls’ necks turn so far roundHow to be a spoil sportHow to get off at Russell SquareHow to grow your own fresh airHow to load a dishwasher wellHow to make Irish coffeeHow to play reverse poolHow to remember if you did somethingHow to speak plainly, by Pooh BearHow to tell a centipede from a millipedeHow to wash your handsHuman riskHump-back stationsHybrid meetingsHyperbolic discounting
I
I bet this’ll get a lot of likesIceberg orientationIdempotenceIdentify a Douglas firIdlingIf its not good enough for bugs, it’s not good enough for youIf this isn’t nice, I don’t know what isIf we plumbed in printersIf you have something nice to say, make sure you say itIf you live ‘til you’re 90 you will have slept for 32 yearsImplementation intentionsImpossible staircaseImposter syndromeImprove your front crawlIn tandemIn theory, practice is the same as theory, but not in practiceIncredibly, we only ever see one side of the moonInformation radiatorInverted pyramid writingInvestments are like building blocksIron lessISAs are like bucketsISAs are like wrappersIsochronesIsometric projectionIt's easier to give privacy than to find itIt’s not so much the weather itself, it’s the unpredictability
J
K
L
Labyrinths and mazesLake-effect snowLanguishingLateral thinking: 1. Lateral thinking is about increasing the breadth of optionsLateral thinking: 2. Labels are not collectors but signposts. They are not fixedLateral thinking: 3. You don’t have to be right at every stepLateral thinking: 4. Lateral thinking changes perspective just to be provocativeLaw of diminishing returnsLaws of expansionLeading and lagging metricsLeading from Any ChairLearn kind words first in new countriesLearn the Kano modelLEGO facesLenticular cloudsLess and FewerLessons from LewisLet your data speak for itself.Life is 3D. Give edges thicknessListen with passionLive in the presentLondon dog size is roughly proportional to the distance from central LondonLondon running kitLooking under the lamppost
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MaMake a cork pourer.Make a good HDR photographMake a portemanteauMake a Statue of Liberty sambucaMake a Wayne’s World pizzaMake a wine glass singMake art like DuchampMake art like John CageMake art like MondrianMake art like WarholMake Terry’s Chocolate Orange drinkMake Vietnamese coffeeMake your idea stickyManager time, maker timeMangrovesMappingMapping emotionsMarchetti’s constantMarshal frozen peas and suchMaslow's hierarchy of needsMaslow’s Hierarchy of needsMatch challenge with skills for flow at workMatch your energy with the audienceMaximise data-inkMe or IMean world syndromeMeasures of central tendency: mean, median, modeMental accountingMetaphors for ideasMetcalfe’s LawMicro-editing redundant wordsMicroadventureMicrolife: The unit of lifeMicromort: The unit of deathMix big and little bumps for simple, effective thought bubblesMobile is snorkelling. Desktop is divingMöbius stripMoon poolMoore’s LawMore is differentMOSCOW Prioritisation.Muddy puddles, leaky ceilingsMuphry’s Law
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Often missed phobiasOmit unnecessary wordsOn bright days, use a polarizerOn microwavesOn productivity and temperatureOne mug to rule them allOne-point perspectiveOne-size-fits-menOnly dead fish go with the flowOnly quote quotesOODA LoopOpen a coconutOpen bananas like a monkeyOptimism biasOrbitOrdering adjectivesOrganise veg in the fridgeOrigins of Boxing DayOrigins of mandarinsOrthographic projectionOur atmosphere is as thick for the Earth a the skin on an appleOur bodies can absorb 1 cup of water in 15 minsOur senses are built to take in information at human paceOvernight success
P
Pace layersPack food shopping effectivelyPainkillers and vitaminsPalindromes and SemordnilapParallaxParts of a circleParty bottle sizesPassing on an inside bendPatnaik’s Hierarchy of NeedsPeel a Post-it so it doesn’t fall downPerform good social researchPhases of the moonPhD metaphors: a journey, product and quiltPhoenix treesPhone zombiePhonetic alphabetPhubbingPhysics EnvyPick a presentPillars of hopePlan aheadPlay your own ScattergoriesPleonasmPloggingPlug computingPoach an egg in the microwavePoint NemoPoint positivePole starPollution is highly localized: take the back streetsPonderosa pine fire protectionsPortemanteau foodPOSH: Port Out Starboard Home (apocryphal)Post-process a portraitPound cost averagingPour, don’t dip when sharing snacksPowers of 10Prefer open-ended questionsPresent biasPrices written smaller seem more affordablePrimary metaphorPrints and performancesProgressive enhancementProportionality biasProprioceptionProspect theoryProxemicsPsychic numbingPublic commitment pledgePulling rabbits out of hatsPush authority to informationPutting it all together: ExposurePyrrhic victory
R
RACIRain shadowRAS SyndromeRead musicReasons stop matteringRebalancing your portfolioRecession vs depressionRed volcano, grey volcanoRedshiftReef knot and clove hitchReframe your depositRelease Boris Bikes with ease by pulling up on the saddleRemember days in a monthRemember your dreamsRemove text formattingRemove troublesome lidsRepair injured jointsReplicate then innovateResolve a contradiction through separationRewrite to avoid click hereRival and non-rival goodsRivers and bucketsRoll limes before squeezing and you’ll get more juiceRose, Thorn, BudRotate your elbow, not your handRubberduckingRule 1 of indoor games: Play until something gets brokenRules of cuteRules of thumb for cooking steakRules of thumb for remaining daylightRun betterRun further by running far awayRussell's Teapot
S
Sales aren’t always the bargain they seemSampling biasSankey diagramSanta has special wrappingSanto libre, cuba libreSave some landfill with reusable nappies/diapersScan your Oyster card while walking to avoid angry LondonersSchadenfreudeScoville scale: chile heat via capsaicin contentSea jelly, sea starSeasonsSecond cousins once removed.Second rule of improv: Be spontaneousSelf-serving biasSet an anchorSet up for poolSet your table in time-honoured positions.Settlement patternsSexy valueShapes of ValleysShare by DefaultSharing your workSharpen the sawShop healthyShort speechesShort words are bestShut one eye to keep your night visionSink a strawpedoSiphonSix thinking hatsSketchplanation statisticsSleepy foodsSmaller plates help you eat lessSmart little peopleSneaky averagesSneaky casinosSneaky cognitive biases: hindsight bias, loss aversion, recency biasSneezes and coughsSolar system planets — distances to scaleSolsticeSolve the 9-dot problemSolvitur ambulandoSome optical illusionsSome sensible interaction designSonar + EcholocationSonic boomSpend betterSpend time on activities with long-term value firstSpoonerismsStages of competence frameworkStages of griefStalactites, StalagmitesStand diagonally on transportStand sit lieStand, don’t sit, in bars, if you’re there with a big groupStart three mindmaps at conferences and workshopsStarting a companyStates of matterStationary and StationerySteer a parakiteStock, Broth, JusStop chopping board slipStore whiteboard pens with the nib downStrahler stream order: Streams, rivers, the Amazon and how to organise them.Strand lineSubmarine showerSupermoonSurfing breaks: Beach, reef and pointSurvivorship biasSurvivorship biasSwimrun
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T-shaped people need breadth and depthT-shirts make a teamTake a photo with your iPhoneTake photos of maps, to travel light and have backup before a hikeTake the stairsTame unruly crisp packetsTax freedom dayTectonic plate interaction boundariesTemptation bundlingThe ‘Virtuous Cycles’ of Amazon and UberThe 10 EssentialsThe 3 tallest mountainsThe 3-day effectThe 4 horsemen of relationship apocalypseThe 9 times table on your fingersThe Abilene paradoxThe accountability ladderthe Angle of Incidence equals the Angle of ReflectionThe Automation ParadoxThe availability heuristic (and bias)The bandwagon effectThe Barnum effectThe basic colour wheelThe beard cycleThe best way to get fitThe best writing is re-writingThe Betty Crocker EffectThe big data equationThe Big Ideal ™The blind and the elephantThe Boaty McBoatface effectThe browse lineThe BS asymmetry principleThe Bullwhip EffectThe business flywheelThe Bystander EffectThe cave you fear to enterThe classic twit-twoo is actually a duetThe coastline paradoxThe cobra effectThe content is the interfaceThe continental axis hypothesisThe cost of being lateThe cost of doing nothingThe cost of fixing bugsThe curb-cut effectThe customer value chainThe dangers of just this onceThe data prisonThe decoy priceThe Destiny InstinctThe Diderot EffectThe different faces of downhillThe dilution effectThe doorstep mileThe Doppler EffectThe Droste effectThe Effect EffectThe Egg Float TestThe expanding circle of attentionThe Feynman Learning TechniqueThe Fifth Fuel: energy efficiencyThe finger-dip test to not overwater houseplantsThe Firehouse EffectThe first draft is always perfectThe folk economics of ins and outsThe four pillars of too muchThe frequency illusion: we notice what’s top of mindThe fresh start effectThe frog boil metaphorThe front page testThe fun scale: understanding the types of funThe Fundamental Attribution ErrorThe Gartner Hype cycleThe Generalised Peter PrincipleThe Gini coefficientThe goal-gradient effectThe golden circleThe golden ratioThe Goldilocks ZoneThe half-life of caffeineThe haversine formulaThe Hungry GapThe ice mileThe IKEA effectThe Implicit Association TestThe importance/urgency matrixThe improv attitudeThe isolation effectThe Keeling curveThe kitchen working triangleThe knowledge funnelThe Lake Wobegon EffectThe law of diminishing browniesThe law of lockersThe law of unintended consequencesThe Learning PitThe liar paradoxThe Long Nose of InnovationThe Lucretius problemThe magic of soapThe magnificent sevenThe making of the MedThe Mercator projectionThe metrics onionThe middle floors are the bestThe misattribution of arousalThe Monty Hall problemThe moon illusionThe most beautiful equationThe nocebo effectThe Normalisation of DevianceThe number of ideas produced in an ideation session is proportional to the size of the stack of paper in front of youThe offside ruleThe Olympic FlagThe one-hoss shayThe open-air kitchenThe Overton WindowThe overview effectThe Oxford commaThe paradise paradoxThe paradox of choiceThe peak-end ruleThe Peter PrincipleThe pistonThe placebo effectThe Plimsoll lineThe Pomodoro Technique ®The position of a rainbow is predictableThe potato radiusThe power of streaksThe prisoner’s dilemmaThe Pyramid PrincipleThe Rashomon effectThe real shape of a crossingThe Rhyme As Reason EffectThe ring-segment illusionThe Rosetta StoneThe rule of 7The S-curveThe Shirky PrincipleThe singularity effectThe spectrum policyThe spotlight effectThe Square-Cube lawThe steeper the slope the greater the lean forwardThe story spineThe Streisand EffectThe Stroop testThe sun rises Early in the EastThe Swiss Cheese ModelThe tastes of victory and failureThe Third PlaceThe third teacherThe tomato testThe tragedy of the commonsThe transparency paradoxThe travelling salesman problemThe trust battery: A handy metaphor to think about trustThe trust equationThe two generals problemThe tyranny of small decisionsThe Union JackThe Upward SpiralThe Village Venus EffectThe virtuous cycle of exercise and sleepThe wedding bar goes up the more weddings you attendThe Wheel of DeathThe Windscreen PhenomenonThe Writer's in the Writing. The Artist's in the Art.The XY ProblemThere are 2.2 trillion combinations of an 8 character passwordThere is no "away"Thesis, antithesis, synthesisThings get more complex before they get simpleThink cradle to cradleThink through the whole objectThoughtless actsThree Types of "No"Three-point perspectiveThunder cloudsThunderclap or rumbleTie a sheet bendTime hierarchyTiredness can kill. Take a breakTopple-fit a sheetTravel and new foodsTreat your ideas with respectTrim beans in one cut through the packetTrust your pictureTry a mindmap travel journalTry stair kickturns to preserve momentumTsundokuTurn carrots while cuttingTwice as much thought and half as much contentTwist your spaghettiTwo socks helps prevent blistersTwo types of checklists: Read-Do, Do-ConfirmTwo-point perspectiveTypes of phishingTypical gastropod anatomy
U
UK vs US date writingUmbrellas and funnelsUnderstanding apertureUnderstanding gifs, bitmaps and jpegsUnderstanding ISOUnderstanding reliability and validityUnderstanding shutter speedUnderstanding the ChasmUnlike most plants, grass grows from the baseUrge to underline? Use bold or italic insteadUrinal etiquetteUse a compass with a mapUse both sides of a towelUse crushed garlic and ginger in most of your cookingUse of the car hornUse serrated knives for foods with a hard outside and soft insideUse styling instead of colonsUse the Southern Cross to find SouthUse white space with care to make your pointUseful mixtures and their proportions
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Wabi sabiWant to compose? Just sit down without any musicWatch for the lie factorWatch out for barnaclesWealth inequality in AmericaWeather and climate: an analogyWhat drives us: autonomy, mastery, purposeWhat gets measured gets betterWhat is a blue moon?What’s the difference between a crocodile and an alligatorWhat’s the difference between a dolphin and a porpoiseWhat’s the difference between a tortoise and a turtleWhat’s the difference between mandarins, clementines, satsumas and tangerines?When combining cereals, layer milk-resistant cereals at the bottomWhen drinking tea, just drink teaWhen facilitating, if you’re talking too much, or working too hard, you’re probably doing something wrongWhen visual recordingWho cut down the last tree?Whose job is it?Why camp 50 yards from waterWhy do birds migrate sooooo far?Why ice doesn’t sinkWhy we sometimes walk in circlesWin at BoggleWin at MonopolyWinking in the darkWishcyclingWithout data you're just another person with an opinionWord spectrumWrap cheese in paper towel to reduce mouldWrap up your keys for running
