I design digital experiences, but I cannot see images in my mind. Not even one. This is the story of how that shapes my work, and why it might actually be an advantage.
Photo by Tommy Diner on Unsplash
A couple of years ago, I learned that “mental image” is not just a metaphor. People actually see pictures in their minds. I was both mind-blown and, apparently, aphantasic. Then life happened and I put the thought aside, until a podcast reminded me of it recently.
I have always been fascinated by how the mind works. Not only cognition, but also physiology. So I dug deeper. I started asking everyone around me, including friends, family, and coworkers, about how they “see” things in their heads. Most of them could not imagine having no images at all. And I still cannot imagine how they do.
Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
In my team of almost 30 people, only two of us are on the aphantasia end of the spectrum. Most others are the opposite and have very vivid mental images. It feels intuitive that designers would visualise ideas in detail. As it turns out, that is not true for everyone.
My curiosity led to a very unscientific study of where we sit on the spectrum and how it relates to the way we work. Suddenly, things about myself made sense. I realised why I enjoy ideation, mapping, and graphics, and why I always sketch low-fidelity wireframes for every idea. That is my way of seeing what I think. It brings my thoughts into the open, where others can understand them, challenge them, and build on them.
The way my mind stores and processes information makes systems thinking natural for me. I quickly notice inconsistencies in flows or patterns. But spotting subtle visual changes is harder. This is why I gravitate toward design systems, where visual consistency is protected. I cannot start with layouts or screens. I need to understand how the problem fits into a sequence. I need to know where it starts, where it ends, which patterns are relevant, and what rules guide the work.
Photo by Alina Grubnyak on Unsplash
I do not imagine. I reason.
Yet I am still a visual thinker, only externally. I sketch, map, and diagram. When I begin a project, the whiteboard becomes my most important tool. I lay out everything I understand to check alignment. When the problem becomes clearer, I often convert it into a dialogue. I imagine the solution interacting with the user. Who speaks first? What questions are asked? Can the answers be provided? Is the conversation complete or does one side get stuck halfway?
Because I do not see ideas in my mind, I do not get attached to them. I cannot assume how something will look or behave, so I ask questions. This helps uncover gaps. I do not present polished concepts early. I present rationale and thought process. Over time, I trained myself to sketch quickly, so ideas can leave my head fast. That is what makes me strong in ideation. Nothing stays trapped inside, and nothing needs to be perfect.
“I don’t present polished concepts early. I present rationale and thinking.”
Of course, there are difficulties. You cannot ask me to “picture this”. I often need support with refinement, not because I lack taste, but because I cannot preview visuals until they exist in front of me.
You do not need a mind’s eye to design well.
You need curiosity, clarity, and the willingness to explore what you cannot see yet.