Formality in Sketches and Visual Representation: Some Informal Reflections

This paper provides an overview of the ways that sketches function as informal representation tools, especially when used in design contexts. We then consider the tension between this essentially informal practical function of sketches, and two different factors that drive toward formalization. These are 1) the need for a computational interpretation, and 2) the desire to specify visual formalisms as scientific, critical or technical tools.