Ask HN: Pen and paper vs. using an app to brainstorm ideas | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Pen and paper vs. using an app to brainstorm ideas

4 pointsDCodes112 comments

After talking to other independent developers who build apps, many of them mentioned that they use pen and paper/iCloud notes over apps and tools, mainly due to easy of use and speed. Which method do you prefer?

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Pencil and paper to draw diagrams, sketches, etc. Structured text files to capture thoughts that don't require pictures.

I actually have two desks in my office. One with three LCDs and minitower. Another facing a window with no technology, except the phone. Having a context shift helps better support the very different thinking modes.

Smart. Keep it simple.

What do you use, or what's your method for categorizing ideas for projects? Is that done in text files as well?

Depends on the context. Planning some task list? Something that uses lines of text or task cards. Infrastructure? Draw.io.

I can't say I have a preference - what is easiest to access at the time will do. But never pen and paper - I'll need to share this anyway, so writing it twice seems like a waste of time.

When brainstorming ideas for personal apps, do you use draw.io as well?

I’ve been using draw.io to kinda play with and design high level architectures for some of my projects, mostly out of convenience. I don’t really write or draw stuff out by hand because I don’t usually have a writing utensil nearby.

What makes you use draw.io over other apps like Notion?

To be honest familiarity. I found draw.ok yeah wars ago. I’d be willing to look at other tooLs if they seemed to fit my use.

What would you say your use would be? Or in other words, what would you need your brainstorming tool to be able to do?

For the last 30 years, 90% has been paper, and 10% has been via online notes or whiteboards. I've also led brainstorming sessions among engineering groups.

Nice! Curious - why paper over an online or digital tool?

My process is

Pen & paper Then mock-ups Then high fidelity

Before showing to devs so that there is no ambiguity

I like this. If you're designing an app, as I'm assuming you're a UX/UI designer (correct me if I'm wrong), and you have ideas, do you write down some of those ideas first, or just start sketching screens?

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