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Let’s be honest, sharing design ideas when you're not a designer can feel like trying to explain a dream—you know, the one where you're being chased by a giant squirrel that also happens to be your old boss.
Your vision is clear to you, but trying to translate it to your team? Not so much.
As a startup founder, you’ve got enough on your plate: building your MVP, charming investors, and praying that your latest midnight epiphany doesn’t result in yet another pivot.
And while you're definitely not auditioning for a role as a UX/UI designer, you still need to communicate those ideas rattling around in your brain with some degree of clarity (bonus points if you don’t make everyone’s eyes glaze over).
Good news: You don’t need an art degree, fancy tools, or a sudden surge of creative genius to get your design thoughts across. You just need a few practical tricks up your sleeve.
Below, I’ve compiled 10 ways to share your brilliant (or not-so-brilliant-but-let’s-go-with-it) design ideas without breaking a sweat or downloading a 200-page “design for dummies” manual.
Trust me, it’s easier than it looks, and no glue or glitter required.
Ready? Let’s go!
Grab a pen, a napkin, or use a tablet and just sketch it out. No need to channel Picasso—stick figures are welcome if they get the idea across.
Dust off PowerPoint or Google Slides and put together a few slides. Bonus points if you can keep the slides under 30 pages (kidding, keep it simple).
Screenshot everything you love and throw it into a collage. It’s like a mood board but with less glue and glitter.
Canva or Lucidchart are your new best friends. Don’t worry—they’re so user-friendly, even your cat could make a wireframe.
Fire up Loom and talk through your ideas like you’re hosting your own design reality show. No edits needed—raw is real. This is how I often share feedback with my team and they love it!
Call a meeting, grab a whiteboard (real or digital), and talk it out. Just make sure to limit the ‘I’m-not-a-creative-but’ speeches.
Think of it as a virtual playground for your ideas. Throw your concepts on the board and let your team have a go at them—minus the chaos of sticky notes flying everywhere.
Map out your genius-level thoughts and connect them like a detective piecing together a case. Red string optional.
Create flowcharts that show the path users take. It’s like mapping out your morning routine but for your design—minus the coffee spills.
Make a storyboard to show how users will interact with your idea, step by step. No Oscar-worthy illustrations needed, but a stick figure here and there won’t hurt.
Pull in your design wizard and explain your thoughts. They’ll translate your napkin sketch into a masterpiece that makes everyone nod approvingly. This is a great solution if you need to present your design in front of a tough audience, like investors.
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The magic behind this list is that these ideas don’t just stand alone—they play really well together.
For example, imagine you’re trying to share your latest app idea with your team. Start by sketching your ideas on paper or using a simple digital tool. This gives everyone a raw peek at your vision. Next, turn that sketch into a visual presentation with a few slides in Google Slides, adding annotations to explain the finer points. Finally, record a walkthrough video with Loom to talk your team through your design process, adding that personal touch and clarity.
By combining just these three steps, you’re creating a layered approach to sharing your design vision—clear, visual, and easy for everyone to understand.
Give it a try and watch the ideas click into place!
PS. Send me a DM on LinkedIn or Instagram if you have more ideas! I’d love to try them out.
