In User Experience (UX) Design, one can use storytelling throughout the design process to ensure that all work focuses on the users’ needs and the value one wants to give those users.



University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Storytelling is the perfect way to make the audience engage and understand our thoughts and ideas. A story is a description, either real or imagined, of a connected series of events. Good stories always captivate audiences. 

Storytelling

1. Plot – What are users trying to achieve/overcome?
2. Character – Who are the users: not just demographically, but what insights do you need to understand what they (and their needs) are truly like?
3. Theme – How can you establish a trustworthy presence to them and still set yourself apart from competitors? How will you reflect the overall obstacles users must overcome?
4. Dialogue/Diction – What will your design say to users and how? Does a formal/informal tone match their expectations? How much text is appropriate?
5. Melody – How will the overall design pattern appear pleasant and predictable to users, moving them emotionally?
6. Décor – How will you present everything so the graphics match the setting the users can sense? Would a classic design or stylized, niche layout meet their expectations?
7. Spectacle – How can you make your design outstanding so users will remember it?

Components of Good Stories

1. Define your target users with personas – to envision users’ likely experiences and gain empathic insights. Personas are based on user research but tell a story about your insights. An example persona might be “Rick”, a 47-year-old manager struggling with his work–family-life balance. He even works on his train commutes. Feeling drained, he wants better control of his life.
2. Create a plot, with conflict – to make the personas heroes and envision how they can overcome specific problems using your design. Make this a mapped-out journey or storyboard with each persona’s aim/s clearly defined. E.g.:
a. Rick discovers your (yet-to-be-designed) time-management app online. He downloads it and completes your questionnaire about work commitments, family, outgoings, etc.
b. He starts using your app, letting it collect data from his phone and fitness tracker about time on various tasks/activities, stress levels, alertness, etc.
c. After a week, your app charts his tasks and activities, including sleep, heart-rate data, etc.
d. Tapping a phone tab, Rick sees time-management suggestions on how to become more productive, well-rested, etc.
e. He has the option to continue or suspend monitoring (e.g., if on holiday/vacation).
3. Give your design the supporting role – show it improving your persona’s/user’s life and how easy it is to use. For example, consider how many steps Rick needs to use your app and if voice-controlled devices at home might influence its suggestions.
4. Work with the setting – When and where users use your design is vital for building empathy. For Rick, it’s the home, train and workplace. But what about (e.g.) busy professionals working from home?
5. Tailor the look/feel – Your design’s appearance is vital regardless of its functional benefits, so design the most appropriate (e.g.) layout, colors, typography. For example, Rick prioritizes an at-a-glance, easy-to-use design, but soothing colors would complement larger fonts, etc.

Reach Users through Stories

Legal storytelling is a movement dedicated to encouraging people of color to share their experiences of racism, particularly in the legal system. In some cases these have an additive value of introducing silenced or ignored perspectives, and in others they have a deconstructive value, in which authentic narratives challenge the racist narratives of stereotypes and myths (also called counterstorytelling)

Legal Storytelling

Storytelling in User Experience Design

Different from Participatory Video, Digital Storytelling (DST) includes a variety of expressions, including but not limited to movies, animations, photos, recordings, or electronic files. Participants use them to tell their own stories or express ideas. In this process, participants are required to participate in an intensive workshop in which they give an approximately three minute personal narrative. They also record this narrative with images or photographs.  The final product is a first-person voice narrative short film that is produced and edited by the narrator.


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