An often ovelooked aspect of good whiteboarding I see my clients neglect is making good connections. While very subtle, how elements on the board are connected is very important. Good connections have the following characteristics:

• They establish an explicit relationship between elements without being overbearing (drawing too much undesired attention to themselves)
• They imply a directional aspect to the flow of information through the use of arrowheads
• They imply a sense of movement or motion
• They can give a sense of formality or fun, depending their style

I’ll bet none of us think much about the lines we use to connect things on the board or on paper. But by the list above we see easy ways to enhance the readability and comprehension of our drawings simply by considering our connections.

What are your ideas? Please be sure to post a comment and tell us how you have seen the skillful use of lines make a big difference!