Sketching: A Method for Imagining Journalistic Tech

Abstract

Internet-connected things, wearable computers and smart environments all promise new ways for publics to interact with information and with media professionals. In this environment, journalists and journalism educators have an opportunity to play a stronger role in designing stories and interactions that achieve social and democratic goals. Technical training, critical skills and entrepreneurial thinking are among the ways scholars and educators have grappled with this issue. In this article we add to these approaches, outlining a design-led initiative that introduces sketching as a method for exploring the use of technology in a journalistic context and imagining new possibilities. Rather than teach technological competency, we use sketching as a way to develop enterprise skills and foster creative thinking about how journalism might evolve in light of new and emerging technologies.

Keywords:

• Design thinking
• design
• enterprise education
• innovation
• journalism
• sketching
• technology

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the students whose work we have discussed here. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their constructive and detailed feedback. We are also especially grateful to A/Prof Jane Johnston for her advice.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Queensland Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation under the 2016 Teaching Innovation Grant (Early Career) scheme.