Physical Whiteboards
Physical whiteboards are tangible, wall-mounted or freestanding surfaces, typically made of melamine, porcelain, or glass, that allow users to write, draw, and erase with dry-erase markers. They are widely used in collaborative environments such as offices, classrooms, and meeting rooms for brainstorming, planning, diagramming, and visual communication. Their simplicity and immediacy make them effective for real-time idea generation and team discussions.
Developers should learn to use physical whiteboards for collaborative design sessions, such as sketching system architectures, mapping user flows, or planning sprints in agile methodologies, as they facilitate quick iteration and group engagement. They are particularly valuable in co-located teams for face-to-face problem-solving, reducing reliance on digital tools during early ideation phases. However, their use is declining in remote or hybrid settings where digital alternatives offer better persistence and sharing capabilities.