97 Things Every UX Practitioner Should Know

Chapter 5. Master the Art of Storytelling

Reena Ganga

Human beings have a deep-rooted desire to connect through stories. More than 36,000 years ago, our hunter-gatherer ancestors were recounting stories about volcanoes and wild beasts. That primitive urge to tell tales around a campfire is how we make sense of the world and foster cooperation. In today’s world of tech, effective storytelling is key to driving home the value of your product, because in a world of plenty, what compels customers to buy a new device or app is the belief that this shiny new thing will fill a void they just realized they have.

As user advocates, designers and researchers have critical insight into the way customers think and feel, coupled with an intimate understanding of the product. That gives them unique power to translate the raw features and functionality into an effective story for clients and customers.

Whether you’re presenting at a conference or simply on a conference call, here are my six steps for spinning a compelling yarn:

1. Understand the audience: First and foremost, understand what’s driving your audience. A group of CEOs cares about vastly different things than an audience of developers, and only when you know why you’re giving this presentation can you start formulating the what.

2. Identify the big picture: Zoom out. In my former career as a TV news reporter, I learned that the best stories ...