How to Use Sketchnotes to Explain Processes
Go from unstructured to clear communication with the support of sketchnotes.
Do you ever struggle to explain what your company does, or how a process works, in English? You know in your head what you want to say, but the explanation becomes too long or unclear, and your listener loses focus. This is a common challenge in international business, where clarity is essential and time is limited.
One simple solution is to combine words with visuals. Sketchnoting—using quick sketches, shapes, arrows, and keywords—can help you describe services, workflows, and processes in a way that is both memorable and easy to understand. With just a pen and some basic shapes, you can transform how you communicate at work. And don’t worry, you don’t need to be an artist.
Why Use Sketchnotes at Work?
Make your words memorable, clear and accessible by using sketchnotes and visual thinking techniques.
Sketchnoting has many benefits at work. It makes complex workflows easier to understand by showing them as clear, step-by-step visuals. Using keywords keeps your English simple and precise, which also helps you build vocabulary. Pictures make information more memorable for colleagues and clients, so your message has a stronger impact. Adding visuals can also reduce misunderstandings in international teams, making communication across cultures clearer and more effective. Your explanation is clear and easy to share with your audience.
How to Sketchnote a Service or Workflow
Start with any process you know well. For instance, how your team delivers a service, how a client order is handled, or even how to make a cup of coffee. (You can see how I map out my tea-making process here)
Practice makes perfect - sorry, I mean Practice makes Progress!!
1. Identify the key steps. Choose 3–6 stages. Too many details will overwhelm your listener.
2. Sketch simple icons. Use boxes, circles, or stick figures to represent people, tools, or actions.
3. Add keywords. Write one or two words for each step (e.g., request, approve, deliver). This is your chance to research any English words or phrases you need.
4. Show flow. Connect the stages with arrows or numbers.
5. Check clarity. Ask: “Could someone understand this in 30 seconds?”
💡 Tip: Use sticky notes so you can change the order or add a step easily.
Examples
Describing Services
Imagine you need to describe your engineering consultancy to an international client.
A sentence like “We design, manage, and maintain efficient building systems” may be accurate but not very memorable. A sketchnote could look like this:
• Blueprint (Design): Draw a blueprint to show how you create tailored designs.
• Hard Hat (Install): Sketch a hard hat to represent overseeing or coordinating the installation phase.
• Thermometer & Fan (Systems): Use an icon of a thermometer, a fan and lightning bolt to stand for heating, ventilation, and power systems.
• Wrench/Spanner (Maintain): Draw a wrench or spanner to illustrate ongoing maintenance.
This four-step visual—design → install → systems → maintain is short, clear, and easy to remember. You could write key words for your description on the sketchnote to help you speak about the services more smoothly.
Describing a Workflow
You can map out a process digitally, if you prefer. I use Miro boards in my online sessions, it’s easy to create a flowchart. Don’t forget to add icons for a visual thinking boost (I recommend freepik.com, for a wide selection of free images and icons)
The onboarding process at a client’s company.
Try It Yourself… ✏️
Here’s an exercise:
1. Choose a simple process from your job (e.g., approving an invoice, booking a meeting room, delivering an order). I chose running a workshop in my example below.
2. Draw it in 4–5 steps with boxes and arrows.
3. Label each step with a English keyword or phrase.
Now check your sketch: could you use it tomorrow in a meeting or presentation? It could be very helpful in communicating your know-how. With practice, your vocabulary and confidence will both grow.
My initial plan for a workshop on how to use sketchnotes to help describe processes.
Sketchnoting is not about drawing beautifully, it’s about communicating clearly. By combining pictures with key English words, you can explain services and workflows in a way that captures attention and reduces confusion. Whether speaking to clients, colleagues, or managers, sketchnotes help you keep explanations short, sharp, and effective.
Next time you need to explain a process, don’t just tell, show it.
If you’d like to explore more ways to make your Business English clearer and more effective, my English language coaching workshops offer practical tools such as sketchnoting to support better communication at work. Please get in touch at jane@jcenglishtraining.com if you or your team would like to try these techniques in your work.
Hello,
I’m Jane Carvell, a business English trainer, language coach and visual thinking enthusiast. I help German-speaking professionals improve their English communication skills, so that they can build better connections in an international working world.
