This document discusses using stories to map user experiences. It begins with an introduction to why stories are effective and how they work structurally, with a beginning, middle, and end. It then discusses developing three types of stories: concept stories to explain what a product is, origin stories to illustrate how users discover and adopt a product, and usage stories to map the user journey. The document provides examples and exercises for creating each type of story. It also discusses using stories to strategize, communicate, and support user experience work like requirements gathering.

1. STORYMAPPING
THE USER EXPERIENCE
DONNA LICHAW
DONNALICHAW.COM
@DLICHAW

2. TODAY’S AGENDA
Why story?
How stories work
Developing your stories
Applying stories
Rules of thumb

3. INTRODUCTIONS
Who you are
What you do
Why you are here today

4. THE WAY THINGS WERE

5. Designing for the Digital Age: Creating Human-Centered Products and Services
Table 16.8. Sketching from a scenario.
Scenario step Sketch Comments
1. Laura takes a call from
Mr. Cowell, who needs to
make an appointment for
his cat to have a tumor
removed. Laura finds
him in the client list and
opens his record to see
detail in the client over-
view display area, which
shows that Mr. Cowell has
three cats, one of whom
is flagged for follow-up.
cowell,bob
cowell,tom
find
cowell
client list workspace
fluffy xenaclient
2
1
3
This first sketch draws upon
the organizer/workspace
pattern and the data model,
which indicates that pets are
parts of the client record. The
“find” field is understood as
a placeholder for some way or
ways to locate clients.

6. Hinman, Rachel. 2012. The Mobile Frontier. New York: Rosenfeld Media. www.rosenfeldmedia.com/books/mobile-design/

8. FLAT FLOWS
High bounce rates
Low conversion
Low activation
Low engagement
High funnel drop-off

9. STORYTELLING

10. STORYTELLING
there’s A Formula For That

11. STORYTELLINGMAPPING

12. http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/breaking-bad/27141/see-inside-the-breaking-bad-writers-room

13. http://www.sundance.tv/series/the-writers-room/photos/the-writers-room-breaking-bad#/9

14. Not to be confused with…

15. http://www.agileproductdesign.com/blog/the_new_backlog.html

16. It’s more like…

18. MAKE THINGS GO
BOOM

19. HOW STORY WORKS

20. Beginning Middle End

21. Hero
Goal
Exposition

22. Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition

23. Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition

24. Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition
Crisis

25. Climax or Resolution
Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition
Crisis

26. Falling
Action
Climax or Resolution
Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition
Crisis
Denouement

27. End
Climax or Resolution
Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition
Crisis
Falling
Action
Denouement

28. End
Falling
Action
Climax or Resolution
Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition
Crisis
Denouement

30. EXERCISE
End
Falling
Action
Climax or Resolution
Rising Action
Inciting Incident
or Problem
Hero
Goal
Exposition
Crisis
Denouement

31. 3STORIES

32. CONCEPT STORIES
ORIGIN STORIES
USAGE STORIES

33. CONCEPT STORIES
ORIGIN STORIES
USAGE STORIES

34. Goal Met
Who
Goal
Value & Competitive advantage
Problem
Product Name
Market Category
Takeaway
Competition

35. CONCEPT STORIES
Who a product is for
Why someone would use it
What a product is
How it’s better than the competition
ORIGIN STORIES

36. EXERCISE
Goal Met
Who / Goal
Value & Competitive advantage
Problem
Product Name
Market Category
Takeaway
Competition
} Concept Story

37. CONCEPT STORIES
ORIGIN STORIES
USAGE STORIES

39. Collect & Share
Collect images
Share images
Visual collecting & sharing!
It’s a pain
Discover Pinterest
Sign up
Homepage
Landing page
App store
Email
Ad
Eh

41. Goal met
Who
Goal
Why they should care
problem solved
Problem
Trigger
Painpoint
Discover product
Action
Word of mouth
Paid advertising
Google search
App store
Other channels/touchpoints
Acquisition
Activation
Conversion
Awareness
Measureable
Homepage
Landing page
App store
Email
Ad
}
Resistance

42. CONCEPT STORIES
ORIGIN STORIES
Who a product is for
Why someone would want to use it
How they will discover the product
What value/affordances someone should see
What action(s) they should take

43. CONCEPT STORIES
ORIGIN STORIES
Who a product is for
Why someone would want to use it
How they will discover the product
What value/affordances someone should see
What action(s) they should take
}
Target market
Problem space
Acquisition funnels, Mktg, SEO
Requirements, Copy, Assets
CTA(s)

44. EXERCISE } Origin Story
Goal met
Who
Goal
Why they should care
problem solved
Problem
Trigger
Painpoint
Discover product
Action
Word of mouth
Paid advertising
Google search
App store
Other channels/touchpoints
Homepage
Landing page
App store
Email
Ad
Resistance

45. Sign
up
Collect and share something

46. Sign
up
Collect and share something

47. CONCEPT STORIES
ORIGIN STORIES
USAGE STORIES

48. Goal Met
Who
Goal
Solve Problem
Experience Value
Problem
Incentive
CTA
Flow Finish
Flow
Impediment
Sign up
Payment
Funnel drop-off (metrics)
Mental hurdles
Boredom
Lack of value
Usability

49. Inciting
Incident

50. Rising
Action

51. Rising
Action

52. Rising
Action

53. Crisis

54. Climax

55. Falling
Action

56. End

57. Home
In the KnowWant To Be In the Know
Access + Membership
Friends Are Here?
Sign up
Onboarding Flow
Finish
Flow
Boredom
Lack of value

58. Inciting
Incident

59. Rising
Action

60. Rising
Action

61. Rising
Action

62. Crisis

63. Climax Falling
Action

64. End

65. MICRO-STORIES AND HABIT LOOPS

66. Hours 1 2 3 4 5 6 ∞
Days
Months
Years
LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT

73. Goal Met
Who
Goal
Solve Problem
Experience Value
Problem
Incentive
CTA
Flow Finish
Flow
Impediment
Sign up
Payment
Funnel drop-off (metrics)
Mental hurdles
Boredom
Lack of value
Usability

74. EXERCISE } Usage Story
Goal MetWho
Goal
Solve Problem
Experience Value
Problem
Incentive
CTA
Flow Finish
Flow
Impediment
Sign up
Payment
Funnel drop-off (metrics)
Mental hurdles
Boredom
Lack of value
Usability

75. CASE STUDIES

76. DAFFODILS

77. Ben, The Dutiful Citizen
NARRATIVE ARC
CPC donors tend to fit this profile.
Action&Excitement
Timeline
Gives:
“I use the park and
should contribute.”
Lives or works
near the park.
Loves spending
time outdoors.
Asked to donate
• Broadcast media
• Social media
• Mail (paper, email)
Deterrents:
• Trust
• Intangible ROI
• Digital usability
• Geographical relevance
Sees:
“I can see where my money is going
when I’m at the park. I don’t get that
with cancer research. I can’t see cells in
a microscope.”
Feels ownership
and sees utility in
Central Park
Goals met:
• To be a part of something bigger
• To contribute to society by doing their duty

79. Ben, The Dutiful Citizen
CONTENT & FUNCTIONALITY
This content & functionality will help Ben stay informed and remind him to donate.
Action&Excitement
Timeline
Reminders
• Signage about
donations in
strategic locations
throughout park
• Acquisition of e-mail
address at time of
previous gift,
“Remind me to give
in the future?”
• Social reminders,
e.g. Twitter,
Facebook tied to
park improvements
• Simplified mobile
sign-up for gift
reminders (outside of
a gift interaction)
Making a Donation
• Detailed needs and
associated costs in
giving menu
• Focus on what gifts
are supporting now in
the blog, including
recent projects and
the Year in Review
(beyond the annual
report)
• Information about the
number and impact of
smaller gifts
(daffodils)
• Information about
where your money
goes and where
project support comes
from
After the Donation
• E-mail campaign tied
to specific deadlines
• Tangible outcomes,
such as a tote, water
bottle, or lunch box
• Deadlines with
“blunt language” for
donation categories,
which explain why
the deadline exists

80. COMMUNITY
ACCESS
GIVING

81. The Seton Hill University Student Story
Goals met:
• Educated
• Job-ready
• Community
New student goals:
• To learn
• To be job-ready
• To be a part of a
community
Timeline
Action/Excitement/Awesomeness
Admissions Graduation
Thinks that attending SHU is the
best way to meet her or his goal
Attends SHU
Finds and feels:
Strong sense of community
Access to faculty/staff
Spirit and ethos of giving
Extremely happy with SHU
Feels like a part of SHU
THE STUDENT STORY

82. The Seton Hill University Engaged Alumna/us Story
Goals met
Networked
Community
Alumna goals:
• To get a job or extend
professional network
• To stay connected to
her community
Timeline
Action/Excitement/Awesomeness
Graduation ∞
Is asked to volunteer on the board
Participates on the board
Finds and feels:
• Strong sense of community
• Access to faculty/staff
• Spirit and ethos of giving
Extremely happy with SHU
Feels like a part of SHU
Struggles:
• Registering for events online
• Finding out news about campus
• Accessing faculty/staff
• Finding other alumni
• Knowing about job opportunities
• FB is easier way to meet goals
THE ENGAGED ALUMNI STORY

83. Alumna Goals:
• To get a job or extend
professional network
• To stay connected to
her community
∞
The Seton Hill University Differently-Engaged Alumna/us Story
Goals met
Networked
Community
Seeks community of alumni through informal channels:
• In-person meetups, meals, coffee
• Facebook newsfeed, alumni groups
Timeline
Action/Excitement/Awesomeness
Graduation
Misses SHU community
THE DISENGAGED DIGITAL ALUMNI STORY

84. ∞
Alumna Goals:
• To get a job or extend
professional network
• To stay connected to
her community
Visits website and participates
in digital services
Finds and feels:
• Strong sense of community
• Access to faculty/staff
• Spirit and ethos of giving
Extremely happy with SHU
Feels like a part of SHU
The Seton Hill University Future-State Engaged Alumna/us Story
Goals met
Networked
Community
Timeline
Action/Excitement/Awesomenessry
Graduation
Misses SHU community
Becomes aware of alumni website
GAPS & OPPORTUNITIES

86. SPREADSHEETS

90. FINDING YOUR STORY

91. LOOK

92. LOOK

94. AGENDA
‣ INSERT CHAPTER TITLES
94

95. LISTEN

98. USING YOUR STORY

99. COMMUNICATE

100. WRITE

101. ILLUSTRATED
Cheng, Kevin. 2012. See What I Mean. New York: Rosenfeld Media. rosenfeldmedia.com/books/comics/
VISUALIZE

103. VISUALIZE

104. VISUALIZE

105. ACT IT OUT

106. Gap analysis
SWOT analysis
Requirements gathering
Needs assessment
SUPPORT

107. STRATEGIZE

108. STRATEGIZE

109. RULES OF THUMB
Stories are character-driven
Characters are goal-driven
Conflict is key
Goals are measurable
Goals can change

110. WHAT IS THE STORY?

113. DONNALICHAW.COM | @DLICHAW
THE USER’S JOURNEY