RODE Hive Workshop 3: Diagrams

Communication is key to explaining a design, but when we are not there to express the ideas and process behind those designs, diagrams are our best tools. It is important that our message is clear with or without words.

This past week, we spent our 3rd RODE Hive Workshop sharing and discussing what methods of diagramming have worked well for us and some that may need to be updated.

Clarity and simplicity were themes at the heart of our discussion. It is easy to get carried away, adding layers and layers of information only to be overwhelmed with the final result. We strive for a balance of information, trying to find just the right amount of information that conveys our ideas clearly.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic pushed RODE to work remotely, we had the ability to share graphic standards and methods easily and organically across the office. Since then, we have discussed how our diagrams have changed from project to project. It has been interesting to see how the separation has brought about new ideas on graphics. Other influences that we get from our new daily lives have given us perspectives that may not have been cultivated in the same way.

Although we have had to adapt to new ways of working this past year, our goals are still the same. With more virtual presentations and sharing through online platforms, it is even more important now that our diagrams can speak for themselves. Our constant is that we continue to strive to communicate clearly through our diagrams.