For those of us who use graph paper to sketch ideas, design products, or plan projects, we need a way to keep those designs organized. I have lost so many of my hand drawn designs over the years simply because I was using loose leaf graph paper or random notebooks. When I need to go back and revisit a past design, sifting through stacks of paper and uncategorized notebooks is infuriating. So I decided to create a system to keep my design ideas and projects organized and filed away. I ended up liking it so much that I developed it into a product for other designers and makers. I call it the LOGBOOK.
My criteria:
- A notebook small enough to take anywhere. Not all of my design work happens at a desk. I need to take the designs into my workspace and alter them as I work. For me, as a woodworker, this typically involves making prototypes from my designs. As the prototype evolves, I sketch a new revision of the product and make notes about the process. When I arrive at the final design, I make a final drawing and document the steps to make that item. Most of this happens in the workshop, not my office. Sometimes I'm even redrawing a design while I sit in my car waiting for my daughter's practice to be over. So my notebook needs to be sized to go with me anywhere.
- Utilitarian. Nothing fancy that I have to worry about. I need to get it dusty, creased and marked up.
- Not too thick. I want to separate projects into individual books. I find this way easier to organize. So I don't want to end up with 100 different designs or projects in a single notebook. 60 pages of 5mm graph paper is ample space for 1 or 2 of my projects.
- Organization. I want a built-in way to label and categorize these notebooks. I need to be able to quickly and easily find past designs or projects. And I need a way to keep all of these notebooks bundled together.
For me, the LOGBOOK checks all of these boxes. A standardized format with built-in organization. The concept is simple, but it has revolutionized my creative process. And I hope it does the same for you.