Storytelling for Designers – 3 techniques to present your designs

Summary

In this video, designer Kerala shares three powerful storytelling techniques to present designs more engagingly. He explores the use of a narrative arc, the hero's journey, and the undeniable story to make design presentations more captivating. Kerala emphasizes how designers can narrate their design process like a story, helping stakeholders connect with the design journey. From introducing the design challenge to showcasing the final solution, Kerala teaches how to present your designs with purpose, build trust, and gain support. This approach is beneficial for interviews, design reviews, and pitching ideas to clients or teams.

Takeaways

• 😀 Start with storytelling: Presenting your design is more effective when framed as a story rather than just a problem-solution framework.
• 😀 Use the Narrative Arc: Structure your design presentation with a beginning, middle, and end to build tension and guide your audience through the design journey.
• 😀 The climax is key: The most intense part of your design story should be when you reveal your final solution, showing the highs and lows you encountered.
• 😀 The Hero’s Journey: View your design process as a journey where you, the designer, are the hero who faces challenges, tests, and ultimately triumphs with a solution.
• 😀 Don’t just show your design—tell the story: Instead of simply opening your design files, narrate the thought process, iterations, and decisions behind the design.
• 😀 Emphasize the stakes: Show how the design aligns with broader company goals and why it’s the right solution at the right time.
• 😀 Build emotional engagement: Use storytelling to make your audience emotionally invested in your design, making them feel part of the process.
• 😀 Use the Undeniable Story technique: Present a vision of what could be and show how your design removes obstacles to achieve that vision before diving into problems.
• 😀 Don’t start with problems: Rather than opening with a problem, start by presenting the opportunity and why your design matters to create a more positive, engaging narrative.
• 😀 Create a memorable resolution: End your presentation by showing how the design achieves the desired impact and contributes to the bigger picture of the product or business.

Q & A

What is the Narrative Arc, and how can it be applied to design presentations?

The Narrative Arc is a storytelling framework used to structure a story with a beginning, middle, and end. In design presentations, it helps you introduce the context of your design, build up tension as you reveal the challenges you faced, and then climax with the solution you've crafted, followed by a resolution that summarizes the key takeaways and feedback you're seeking.

Why should designers use storytelling techniques when presenting their designs?

Storytelling helps engage stakeholders by framing the design process as a journey. Instead of just showing a finished product, designers can take their audience through the problem-solving process, making the design more relatable and memorable.

How does the Hero’s Journey framework relate to a designer’s process?

In the Hero’s Journey, the designer is the 'hero' who starts in the 'ordinary world' (their current design process), faces challenges, and eventually overcomes them to reach the 'special world' (the solution). This journey is meant to make the design process feel more like an adventure, where the designer navigates obstacles and comes out victorious.

What is the first step of the Hero's Journey for a designer?

The first step is the 'Call to Adventure,' where the designer is presented with a challenge or problem to solve. This could come from a stakeholder, leadership, or a user pain point.

What is the importance of the 'Climax' in a design presentation?

The 'Climax' represents the moment where the designer reveals their final solution, after having navigated through various design iterations. It’s the peak moment of the presentation, where all the challenges are addressed and the solution is showcased as the resolution to the problem.

What is the Undeniable Story, and how does it differ from traditional storytelling methods?

The Undeniable Story is a technique where the presentation starts not with the problem, but with the opportunity—showing the big picture and the potential of the design. This shifts the focus from problems to possibilities, helping to create a more optimistic and convincing argument for the solution.

Why is it important to avoid starting a design presentation with the problem?

Starting with the problem can put the audience in a negative mindset, as it triggers a sense of concern or crisis. The Undeniable Story method suggests leading with the opportunity, which inspires excitement and curiosity, before introducing the problem and supporting data.

How can data play a role in the Hero’s Journey or Undeniable Story?

In both frameworks, data serves as the 'mentor.' In the Hero’s Journey, data helps inform the designer's decisions after they cross the threshold into the unknown. In the Undeniable Story, data backs up the opportunity and helps convince the audience that the solution is not just possible, but valuable.

What should a designer do during the 'middle' phase of a design presentation using the Narrative Arc?

During the middle phase, designers should show how they explored various solutions and went through iterations. This section builds tension and keeps the audience engaged as they see how the design evolved and the decisions that led to the final solution.

How can designers use storytelling techniques when creating a portfolio or case study?

Designers can use the Hero’s Journey to structure a portfolio or case study by framing each project as a story. They can introduce the challenge (call to adventure), describe the process (testing, iteration), and showcase the final design as the victory that solves the problem, ultimately transforming the 'ordinary world' of the product.