There’s different types of sketchnotes?

I like to group this visual note-taking process into three groups, lecture-based sketchnotes, experience-based sketchnotes and sense-making sketchnotes. 

Lecture-based sketchnotes  

Lecture-based sketchnotes document the key information points from events like conferences, lectures or talks. These could also include online content such as Ted Talk videos, Youtube videos, Netflix shows, and the list goes on. Where there is information to be documented from another source, there are lecture-based sketchnotes. 

The main factor in this type of sketchnoting is the visual note-taking process rather than the verbatim style note-taking. When using a keyboard to take notes, information is more likely to be regurgitated word for word and quickly forgotten. We use more brainpower when visualising, organising, and forming the contents into a story format. By making these deeper connections, we create opportunities for more comprehension and provide more chances to remember. 

Experienced based sketchnotes  

Experienced based sketchnotes are great to use as personal reflection. The chance to reflect on what's past and present and plan for what's coming. The aim is to capture an experience by reflecting on the events and then visually expressing your understanding of that experience later. Being in the moment is essential. Putting that into a visual story can help find interesting and meaningful insights. Experienced based sketchnotes involves unpacking our thoughts, our ideas and our feelings and then organising them into some sort of clarity.   

Visual sense-making sketchnotes  

Sometimes we just need to stop and make sense of the overwhelming complexity of our lives. Getting what's in our head out on paper and shaping the contents in visual form is a great way to bring clarity to our complex thoughts.

Unpacking our everyday experiences opens up a meaningful self-exploration and allows sense-making to happen. Using a framework to map our actions and reflect on the insights that have been discovered, we can understand ourselves on a deeper level. Visual elements and diagrams help spatially organise and synthesise insights. Personal sense-making is happening on the go and is ongoing.