Asking questions is something we do every day, whether it’s “have you seen my keys?”, “what really is a flat white?” or “why are we here?”. From the trivial to the profound, questions are part of our everyday life.

Our human brains are wired to question and we primarily learn to ask questions by observing, imitating and interacting with others. Anyone who has had experience with small children will know only too well the notorious “but why?!” and, although of less existential importance now, this need to ask questions originates from an instinct to survive and avoid danger.

The human illustrator is a prime example of the curious homo sapien. When you have a creative business need the illustrator is poised to ask questions that get to the heart of your desired outcomes. Neuroscientific research has discovered that the human brain can only think about one idea at a time, so when your illustrator asks you a question about your project, they are forcing (nicely of course) your mind to consider only that question!

It's true that the illustrator won’t know everything about your project, and that’s where metacognition comes in. Metacognition is the brain’s ability to identify gaps in our knowledge and know where inquiry is needed. When seeking to understand your needs, the illustrator’s brain is working to fill gaps in their knowledge of your project so they can do their best work.

All these impressive, innate skills are just part of what makes the human illustrator win every time over AI. When did AI last ask you powerful questions to truly understand your needs?

At Inky Thinking questions are a core part of every project. From the outset we ask our clients questions which enable us to build a deep understanding of their needs, and not just high level questions either - we’re always asking the detailed questions that lead to a perfect visual result. Can AI do that? We don’t think so.

In Part 7 we will be exploring how the human illustrator can offer solutions that are original.

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