đľ Empathize phase & â Define phase & âď¸ Ideate phase & đ´ Prototype phase & đ Test phase
A well-told storyâfilled with rich detail, surprising meaning, and universal emotion affects both the brain and the heart. Stories are a great way to connect people with ideas, at a human level. If you want to make an impression on your audience (teammates, clients, investors), tell a great user-centered story.
How to tell a story
Follow the structure of a story spine to flesh out the narrative arc of your user-centered story:
- Once upon a time…
- And every day…
- Until one day…
- Because of that…
- And because of that…
- Until finally…
- And ever since that day…
- And the moral is…
Remember, your user is the hero of your story, not your concept. Your concept contributes to the transformation of your character, and to the relief of dramatic tension, but itâs not the main character.
Once youâve finished your story, remove the stems from the story spine prompts. Donât say âonce upon a time,â for example, when you tell your story to an actual audience. Just like scaffolding for painters, the story spine prompts get removed once they serve their purpose. What remains should be a believable, compelling user story.
Credit
design thinking bootleg by d.school at Stanford University