EVP Podcast season 2, Episode 1: Dana Rulf
Ever noticed how a sketchnote looks different in every hand? We wanted to know why. So in Verona, at the joined event of EVP and the International Sketchnote Camp (ISC), we sat down with Dana Rulf. Karl Mortier hosted the conversation.
Why “camp”?
Dana starts with the word itself. Camp takes her back to school trips: a week away from your parents, plenty of fun, and doing things you would never do at home. The event feels like that too, a reunion of people who love sketchnoting. Karl goes one step further. He sees passion in the room. About 110 participants filled it, all lighting up at the same question: how did you do that?
A sketchnote is personal
Dana shares her own definition, and it has three ingredients. First the note: the words you write, from bullet points to single keywords. Then the sketch: icons, doodles and arrows. The third ingredient is not a material at all. A sketchnote is personal. She makes it for herself and captures what matters to her in that moment.
From lecture hall to profession
Dana already sketchnoted at university, long before she knew the word. About 15 years ago, her husband handed her The Sketchnote Handbook by Mike Rohde. She describes it as if someone had crept into her head at night and printed out the way she thinks. Almost ten years ago, Dana founded her own company and went full time as a visual practitioner.
After years in large international corporates, Dana has a mission: bring more visuals into business. She names three effects: efficiency, engagement and clarity.
Visual thinking in the age of AI
The conversation ends with a big question. AI floods us with text, so what is our human edge? Dana argues that visual thinking matters more than ever. Karl calls it bringing humanity back: human thinking, human feeling, human doing.
Watch and share
Press play and see how Dana thinks in pictures. Or listen on Spotify. Then send it to a colleague who drowns in slide decks, or to someone who still asks what a sketchnote is.
Episode 2 is coming soon. See you there!