What makes or breaks a comic? At UXcamp Europe 2017 talked about seven success factors for comics. Furthermore, I drew some parallels to the domain of user experience design.

1. HOW UNDERSTANDING COMICS
MAKES YOU A BETTER UX DESIGNER
UXCAMP EUROPE 2017
THOMAS WALSER
SENIOR EXPERIENCE DESIGNER
15th September 2017

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#uxce17

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Who is this guy?
&
What to expect?

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Bild von meiner Comicsammlung
I’m an Experience Designer

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Bild von meiner Comicsammlung
I love comics

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I like to draw
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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What are key elements for a good comic reading experience?

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WHERE TO START?
Storytelling / StoryboardingComic CreationCharacter Design

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Bild von meiner Comicsammlung
I can use that knowledge at work!

10. WHAT MAKES OR BREAKS A COMIC?
COMIC READING EXPERIENCE

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7 SUCCESS FACTORS
there might be more, but let’s focus on the ones I have chosen

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Characters & Story

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CHARACTERS
It all starts with
good character
descriptions
followed by
thorough character
design.
Karen Paik, The Art of Monsters University (I haven’t read this one)

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AND STORY
Make sure you got
a satisfying
dramatic arc.
Gustav Freytag’s Pyramid

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Recognizable & Consistent

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Art Spiegelman, Maus
CAT
MOUSE

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Jeff Smith, Bone, Issue #1
TALL & SLIM
NO T-SHIRT
T-SHIRT

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LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

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STAY CONSISTENT
AT LEAST WITHIN ONE PUBLICATION
Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, Issue # 4, 1985 Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, Issue # 1, 2016 Marvel, Rocket Raccoon And Groot,
Issue # 1, 2016

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Flow & Guidance

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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The Moment

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Which panel(s) could be removed,
without changing the core
message?
THIS STORY CONSISTS OF
4 MOMENTS / PANELS
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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Framing

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WHAT TO INCLUDE IN THE FRAME AND WHAT TO EXCLUDE?
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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STORYBOARD EXAMPLE

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Text

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WHAT’S THIS?
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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LIGHT BULB OR IDEA?
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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by Thomas Walser
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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LOST by Thomas Walser© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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Style

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SUPPORTS THE OTHER SUCCESS FACTORS
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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FOR EXAMPLE
BY EMPHASIZING A CHANGE OF LOCATION WITH COLOR
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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MAKES A COMIC ATTRACTIVE

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LOST by Thomas Walser© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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LOST by Thomas Walser© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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FIND YOUR OWN STYLE
https://xkcd.com/501/Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes, Lazy Sunday BookMarvel, Rocket Raccoon and Groot, Issue 5, 2014

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CARRY A SKETCHBOOK
AND USE IT
45
Felix Scheinberger, Mut zum Skizzenbuch

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EXPLORE WITH
THUMBNAIL SKETCHES
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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AND REFINE
THUMBNAIL, PENCILING, INKING, COLOR AND LETTERING
© Thomas Walser, all rights reserved

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Characters & Story
Recognizable & Consistent
Flow & Guidance
The Moment
Framing
Text
Style
7 SUCCESS FACTORS

49. © nexum 2017
Alle Inhalte dieser Präsentation, insbesondere Texte, Fotografien und Grafiken, sind
urheberrechtlich geschützt. Jede Verwertung, Weitergabe oder Verwendung, auch in Teilen, ohne
Zustimmung der nexum AG ist unzulässig. Die Inhalte dieser Präsentation sind vertraulich zu
behandeln. Sie stehen unter dem Vorbehalt einer finalen Prüfung der Umsetzbarkeit.
nexum Agency Switzerland AG
Könizstrasse 23
3008 Bern
Tel.: +41 31 377 05 00
Web: www.nexum.ch
Thank you!
THOMAS WALSER
Senior Experience Designer
E-Mail: thomas.walser@nexum.ch
Twitter: @thowalser
IHR ANSPRECHPARTNER:

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Due to copyrights, I did not include comic pages of other artists in this
presentation.
I show some cover images, which are publicly available in online book
stores or publisher websites. If this causes any copyright infringements,
please let me know and I will remove the image. Or just buy the given
comic and enjoy it ☺
I am not affiliated with any of the mentioned publishers and I don’t get any
money from them.
DISCLAIMER