1. Erin Liman | @liman
Credit: Robin Hutton
Storyboarding
and
Developing Personas

2. Stories Guide Product Development

3. The story itself, the true story, is the one that the
audience members create in their minds, guided
and shaped by my text, but then transformed,
elucidated, expanded, edited, and clarified by their
own experience, their own desires,
their own hopes and fears.
—Orson Scott Card
American Science Fiction Writer

4. “Up” follows the Hero’s Journey emotional arc

5. • Visual
• Persistent - even when storyteller isn’t present
• Reflects and shapes the culture

6. Compelling stories are about change

7. Figure out
the story
Tell a
new story

8. 3STEPSTO CREATING THE NEW STORY

9. 1
2
3
COLLECT / UNDERSTAND STORIES
RE-FRAME,TELL A NEW STORY
SCALE THE STORY

10. 1
2
3
COLLECT / UNDERSTAND STORIES
RE-FRAME,TELL A NEW STORY
SCALE THE STORY

11. Story Spine
time
tension
and because of that
so, the moral of
the story is
until finally
until one day
and every day
Memorable stories often have this structure
once upon a time
and every day
and because of that

12. Who
What
When
Where
How
Why
Persona
Objective
Timing
Context
Action
Meaning
Questions to Answer

13. time
tension
“rainy” day
wrap-up and thank
reflection
“sunny” day
Interview Flow
Ethnographic interviews have this structure
introduction
build rapport

15. Persona’s enable us to step into another person’s shoes

16. THE
TARGET
POPULATION
SHOULD
FEEL
UNCOMFORTABLY
NARROW

17. 1
2
3
COLLECT / UNDERSTAND STORIES
RE-FRAME,TELL A NEW STORY
SCALE THE STORY

18. Village9991
Persona = composite portrait of a user or stakeholder

19. homestay4studentsmontreal.blogspot.com
Example:
Mai, Student
Montreal

20. www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu

21. I am ...
I am trying to ...
But, ...
Because ...
Which makes me feel ...
“Who” with 3+ characteristics
Objective or “job to be done”
Perceived barrier
Root cause
Emotion
Exercise: Problem Statement

25. 1
2
3
COLLECT / UNDERSTAND STORIES
RE-FRAME,TELL A NEW STORY
SCALE THE STORY

26. Story: Re-thinking the MRI for Kids

27. From Terror to Delight

28. I am ...
I am trying to ...
But, ...
Because ...
Which makes me feel ...
“Who” with 3+ characteristics
Objective or “job to be done”
Perceived barrier
Root cause
Emotion
Problem Statement: Brain Scans are Scary
Max, a energetic first grader with a mass in my head
Get my problem fixed so I can go back to school
MRI machines are scary
My parents can’t come and I don’t know what will happen
Afraid and alone

29. Examine Anxiety Points
1
2
3
4
SEPARATION
WILL MY PARENTS LEAVE ME?
PAIN
IS THIS GOING TO HURT?
THE DOCTOR
SPEED AND EFFICIENCY IS OFTEN SEEN AS DISLIKE
THE UNKNOWN
KIDS OFTEN ASSUME THE WORST

30. Transform Pains and “Meh” Moments into Delight

31. Credit: Maria Hock
Customer Journey Swim-Lanes for Each Persona

32. Credit: Maria Hock

33. Transform Terror into Delight
“As is”
“To be”

34. Story Spine
time
tension
and because of that
so, the moral of
the story is
until finally
until one day
and every day
Memorable stories often have this structure
once upon a time
and every day
and because of that
Plot

35. What Makes a Good Story?
(discussion)

36. Who’s the story about?
It may not be who you’d expect.
Personas

37. Paint the New Future
•Establish characters and relationships
•Show the the character’s objective
•Set the scene (where)
•Show how she overcomes the challenge
•Show outcome, with main character as the hero NOT the product
•Person changes as an outcome of the product or service

38. Exercise: Advance and Color
Warm-up

39. Form groups of 3, and
each pick a letter
A, B or C
Exercise: Advance and Color
Advance + Color

40. Exercise: Advance and Color
(5 minutes)
A = the Director. This is your movie.You choose when to
“advance” the plot or add “color” to draw us in
B = The plot line. Think verbs.You move the hero of the
story from start to the desired outcome.
C = the colorist.Think adjectives.You paint the backstory to
set context, add scenery and other memorable details that
help the story stick.

41. Stories are StickyStories are Sticky

42. 1. Identify, then assume the perspective of a key persona
2. Walk through the plot line, one step at a time, from the triggering
event to the resolution.
3. Play out how the characters overcome the challenge, and what
happens as a result.
4. Add “color” to weave in memorable facts and spark emotion.
5. Step back: and simplify
6. Tell the story. Revise. Repeat.
Steps
photo credit: seier+seier

43. 43
Erin Liman
Innovation Accelerator
Innovation is Social, LLC
twitter: @liman
blog: innovationissocial.com
linkedin.com/erinliman
about.me/erinliman
INNOVATION
IS
SOCIAL