100 Things: Every Designer Needs to Know About People

33. People Process Information Best in Story Form

One day, many years ago, I found myself in front of a classroom full of user interface designers who did not want to be there. Their boss had told them they had to attend the talk I was giving. I knew that many or most of them thought the class was a waste of time, and knowing that was making me nervous. I decided to be brave and forge ahead. Certainly my great content would grab their attention, right? I took a deep breath, smiled, and with a strong voice, I started the session with a big, “Hello, everyone. I’m certainly glad to be here.” More than half the class wasn’t even looking at me. They were reading their e-mails and writing out to-do lists. One guy had the morning newspaper open and ...