Diagrammatic Sketching: Exploring Infographic Design Alternatives in Parallel

Abstract

Designing effective and memorable infographics requires both aesthetic creativity and strategic data binding decisions, demanding intensive exploration and iterative trials and errors. Existing sketch-based tools automate binding for rapid prototyping, yet, their serial workflows constrain freeform exploration. We introduce the concept of diagrammatic sketching to enable parallel prototyping. Diagrammatic sketching reimagines sketches as interactive objects for expressing design intent, defining what visuals to use, how to bind data, and where to arrange elements. We then materialize this concept in a system probe, providing a freeform canvas for organizing multiple disjoint ideas with an on-demand preview that lets users decide when and how bindings are applied. Through the structured yet flexible representation, our approach fosters divergent thinking and supports parallel design alternatives exploration. Our user study with 12 participants found diagrammatic sketching intuitive and expressive, aligning with natural sketching habits while enhancing clarity and iterative exploration.