#VisualizeIT Workshop 3: "Sketch The Docs, Chalk The Talk" | Nitya Narasimhan
Tags: sketchnoting, visualizeit, beginners, storytelling
Published: 2020-12-17 00:16:15

---
title: #VisualizeIT Workshop 3: "Sketch The Docs, Chalk The Talk" | Nitya Narasimhan
published: true
description: Join @nitya and learn to use visual thinking to improve tech documentation and public speaking. Let's #VisualizeIT & add creative storytelling skills to your tech toolkit.
tags: sketchnoting, visualizeIT, beginners, storytelling
series: "#VisualizeIT 2020: Visual Storytelling Workshops For Beginners"
cover_image: https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/vm9rmir8mcmwuhaa2hyy.png
---

> ✨✨✨ Join us - it's free and online ✨✨✨
> `Date`: Dec 19 (Saturday)
> `Time`: @1-3pm EST 
> `Live`: [Video Link](https://aka.ms/SketchnoteSeries2)
> `RSVP`: [Reactor Meetup Page](https://www.meetup.com/Microsoft-Reactor-Toronto/events/274768798/)
> ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

---


## 📣 #VisualizeIT: The Series

Welcome to workshop #3 in this event series organized by [Microsoft Reactor](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/reactor/), [Azure Advocates](https://dev.to/azure) and the [Lets Sketch Tech](https://dev.to/letssketchtech) community. 

![#VisualizeIT: The Series](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/kbao7u9g9aamxnxbn70l.png)

Read this post👇🏽 to learn more about the series goals and schedule - then join us and add visual storytelling to your tech tool-belt for 2021!
{% link https://dev.to/azure/visualizeit-a-free-online-series-of-workshops-to-build-your-visual-storytelling-skills-d2b %}

Speaker Cards Artwork: by [Kaitlin Gu](https://twitter.com/_gubean)

---

## 🎨 "From Tech Docs to Tech Talks" 

_Workshop #3 happens `Dec 19, 2020 at 1pm EST`. It is free and online - [register here](https://www.meetup.com/Microsoft-Reactor-Toronto/events/274768798/) to get the event link and other resources post-event._

<br/><br/>


> Workshop Abstract:

If you work in tech, chances are you’ve “written documentation” or given a “technical talk” to a diverse audience. Visual Storytelling skills can help you improve written or delivered content in a way that improves your audience’s comprehension and recall. 

<br/>

In this workshop we’ll explore this space in four segments:

 * Visual Toolkit = quick primer on drawing tools & process
 * Sketch The Docs = apply toolkit to visualizing tech documentation!
 * Chalk The Talk = apply toolkit to visualizing talk flow & slides
 * Scene To Zine = other ideas for applying toolkits

Each segment will provide time and freedom for you to _choose your own adventure_ and explore specific subsets of ideas at your own pace. 

<br/><br/>

> Materials Needed:

Lots of paper, pens, and a few color markers or pencils. Bring your curiosity and imagination. If you have a specific talk or documentation page you want to create _visual notes_ for, that's icing! Most of all, tap into your inner sense of creativity and joy. You won't regret it!

<br/>

---

## 👩🏽‍💻 Speaker: Nitya Narasimhan

Nitya is a community & technology advocate with 20+ years of experience across industry, academia, startups and consultancy. She has a PhD in Computer Engineering with software research & development expertise spanning distributed systems, ubiquitous & social computing, mobile web, cloud & ML/AI.

She's passionate about building inclusive communities and pragmatic software solutions that address real-world needs. Her mission is to help developers translate awareness of emerging technologies & platforms like Microsoft Azure into actionable impact on products, careers and communities.

 * Find her on [Twitter](@nitya)
 * Explore [her site](https://sketchthedocs.dev/visualize-it/) on visual storytelling
 * Follow [#sketchthedocs](https://dev.to/t/sketchthedocs) and [#visualizeit](https://dev.to/t/visualizeit) on dev.to

--- 

## 📑 Useful Resources

Bookmark this [website](https://visualize-it.dev) and revisit the [Resources](https://sketchthedocs.dev/visualize-it/resources/) section periodically. I'll be updating it with content and resources relevant to the 4 segments above. You can also follow these tags on dev.to for updates. 

{% tag sketchthedocs %}

{% tag visualizeit %}


---

## 📹 After The Event

Check back on this post for relevant resources shared at the event, and a link to the video recording when it becomes available.

{% twitter 1340389080039878656 %}

**Update: The recording is now available**

{% youtube uTLP4DvpMuw %}

I also wrote an article on why I do these talks:

{% twitter 1339975219189051392 %}

And since this is the New Year, I will hugely advocate for #sketchercising your mind by spending a few minutes each morning just doodline something fun and whimsical.

Here's an example:

{% twitter 1340295182261088257 %}

---

## The LetsSketchTech Community

If you liked this series, follow [@letssketchtech](https://letssketchtech) on Twitter and right here on dev.to.

{% org letssketchtech %}

---
> This is continuation of a series of free online virtual event series organized by the [Microsoft Reactor](https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/reactor/) team in collaboration with [Azure Advocates](https://dev.to/azure) and the [Lets Sketch Tech](https://dev.to/letssketchtech) community. 

![#VisualizeIT: The Series](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/i/kbao7u9g9aamxnxbn70l.png)