There have been several blog posts recently about user experience and storytelling. However, storytelling is an artform that is not easily obtained and can be a bit of a misnomer if not truly understood. If you want to bring UX and storytelling together successfully you have to dig deep- way deep.

Pulling It Off

I recall my writing instructor’s guiding words of wisdom when it came to putting pen to pad, “if you want to write a good story, write about something you know.” And you know, that’s great advice when you’re just starting out. But at some point you’ll be given an assignment that will require you to step out of your box.

The only way to succeed in that assignment is to research the heck out of the subject. And when I say research, I mean pound the pavement, face-to-face interviews, transcripts, and online database searches. It can be an arduous task- especially if you only have a few days or weeks to tell the story. But storytelling is about reaching down in the muck and mire and finding that gem that makes your insight authentic.

In UX we spend lots of time researching and testing. But when you combine UX and storytelling you have to discover the gems first in order to create the right web strategy. For instance, when working with a higher education client we uncovered a negative brand perception issue but by digging deeper in our interviewing we also discovered a remedy to the problem. The story addressed the perception issue head on followed closely by the solution. The message was conveyed in the content strategy, the information architecture, and visual hierarchy.

Harken back to the days of the great novels or short stories that you read. What grabbed you? It was likely a passage or storyline that resonated deeply with you. It’s this shared experience that separates the wheat from the chaff. So when you start your next UX/Storytelling project make sure you plan ahead for the research. Put on a good pair of walking shoes and get to pounding that pavement.

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