Abductive sensemaking through sketching

This paper proposes design sketching as a way to make abductive reasoning manifest and concrete. Through sketching, the abductive sensemaking leaves the domain of abstract logics and becomes part of the researchers or practitioner’s reflective practice. This practice is especially evident through incorporating sketching as more than a specific technique, but also as ways of applying design thinking through acting upon the world. The paper presents sketching as an integral part of the design epistemology. Furthermore, a categorization of different dimensions in which sketching can be represented is presented. The main contribution is a discussion of whether this broader view on sketching capacities in design leaves room for further exploration into extended sketching capacities for design.