The Hidden Plot Device

“Storytelling" appears to be a magic word when it comes to creating user experience—we use it to evoke design ideals, to summon the creative spirit, or to cry out for a narrative link across the complex world of devices and short attention span. But is this all there is?

Unconvinced that storytelling could be so superficial, I spent a few years learning from the art of making documentaries, crime fiction, novels and the shortest of stories. As I uncovered the parallels in the making of stories and the research/design processes of UX, I began to formulate a framework where these two worlds meet, unearthing a different angle on what do in order to take our skills to greater heights.

In this talk, I showed how understanding the essence and practice of story opens a world of possibilities and adds another dimension to your UX toolset. Better still, it’s less of a mystery than what you might think.

Transcript

1. The Hidden Plot Device Stephanie Troeth @sniffles Beyond Tellerrand Berlin November 2015
2. In the spring of 2013, I was in Belgrade for a conference.
4. Photo credit: Lošmi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrade#/media/File:The_confluence_of_the_Sava_into_the_Danube_at_Belgrade.jpg
5. Photo credit: Vladimir Nolic https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgrade#/media/File:Belgrade_Panorama.jpg
12. What is a story?
13. “The cat sat on the mat” is not the beginning of a story, but “the cat sat on the dog’s mat” is. — John le Carré
14. Are we … programmed? Hardwired?
15. “We are programmed through our evolutionary biology to be both consumers and creators of story.” — Jonah Sachs, “Winning the Story Wars”
16. The word “hardwired” crops up …a lot.
18. “Narrative can offer us either particular social information to guide immediate decisions or general principles we can apply in future circumstances.” — Brian Boyd, “On the Origin of Stories”
19. Stories are a cognitive framework to help us make sense of our world across time, space and social constructs.
20. “Stories are like flight simulators for the brain.” — “Made to Stick”, Chip & Dan Heath.
21. Universal stories? Book icon by Tyrus for The Noun Project
22. Aristotle simple tragic simple fortunate complex tragic complex fortunate
23. Aristotle simple tragic simple fortunate complex tragic complex fortunate 4
24. Norman Friedman action plot pathetic plot tragic plot punitive plot sentimental plot …
25. Norman Friedman action plot pathetic plot tragic plot punitive plot sentimental plot … 14
26. Robert McKee love story horror film modern epic western war genre …
27. Robert McKee love story horror film modern epic western war genre … 25
28. Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories
29. Three lessons from Vonnegut
30. An individual’s point of view
31. Emotional energy time fortune
32. Good things come in threes!
33. Good fortune Ill fortune Beginning End "Man in hole" "Boy Meets Girl" Cinderella
34. Three acts: Beginning, middle and end.
35. Act 1: Setting it up. What is the context? Who is the main protagonist? What does he or she desire?
36. Act 2: Conflict & Obstacles Crisis and escalating tension. Things get dramatic!
37. Act 3: Finale Things get as intense as it can go. When the story finally resolves, tension dissipates. Leave your audience in a safe place.
38. Exposition/ Set-up Confrontation / Rising action tension Resolution / Falling action Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Beginning End Middle Turning point Turning point Inciting incident Second thoughts Obstacle Obstacle Obstacle Disaster Crisis Midpoint (twist) Dénouément Climax time
39. How does this knowledge of stories enhances what we do in UX?
40. problem space solution space research design modelling listening telling
41. When we design, we are looking to help people make better decisions.
42. When we conduct research, we are seeking to understand how people arrive at decisions.
43. attitudinal vs. behavioural Understanding narrative-based decision making Beyond
44. Story is the ultimate mental model.
45. How … and when?
46. research design listening
47. Listening: Frame the design problem Gather information on user context, motivation, circumstance and behaviour Surveys interviews usability testing analytics user data contextual inquiry
48. Use a story framework to ensure you get the full picture from your design research. influential people? Check Mark icon by Darren Wilson for The Noun Project causality? circumstance?
49. character plot place Gregg Mosse’s story source triangle
50. The Switch Interview by Bob Moesta & Chris Spiek http://jobstobedone.org/ Audio example: http://jobstobedone.org/radio/iphone-jobs-to-be-done-interview/
51. Timeline Jobs-to-be-done Timeline http://jobstobedone.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jtbd-timeline.png
52. Use stories to communicate research insights. Use your powers of narration. the customer documentary Check Mark icon by Darren Wilson for The Noun Project
53. With thanks to Richard Hewitt, Aarron Walter/MailChimp and Clearleft.
54. “What drives your train?” What produces the emotional energy?
55. Plot, character, or question? circumstance cause time issue person
56. research design modelling listening
57. Modelling: Translate findings and insights Construct user models personas customer journey maps mental models empathy maps user journeys
58. Use a range of story aspects as core tenets for a comprehensive user model, especially points of view. cover your bases Check Mark icon by Darren Wilson for The Noun Project
59. after during before touchpoints activities emotions Customer journey maps Musketeer icon by Simon Child for The Noun Project
60. Timeline Jobs-to-be-done Timeline http://jobstobedone.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jtbd-timeline.png
61. https://mkuphal.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/us.jpg User Story
62. https://blog.intercom.io/using-job-stories-design-features-ui-ux/ Job Story
63. • A persona is a model of a character • A customer journey map is a model of a character’s journey, therefore a plot • A user story is a description of a character’s goal • A job story describes a set of user’s situations, motivation and expected outcome — place and plot.
64. Character User Plot Circumstance Place Context Question Issue / struggle Drama Consequence of decisions Characters Influencers
65. “Drama comes from human decisions.” — Matthew Hall
66. Victim Persecutor Rescuer Karpman’s Drama Triangle Voodoo Doll icon by Samu Parra for the Noun Project
67. Part of our job is to find and document the points of conflict … so we can resolve them.
68. research design modelling listening telling
69. Telling: Explore solutions or responses Explore expression sketches style tiles mood boards prototypes mockups storyboards
70. What happened to storytelling in design? Stop icon by Alex Audo Samora for the Noun Project
71. http://airbnb.com/
73. http://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/2015-09-11/cya
74. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/29/upshot/obamacare-who-was-helped-most.html
75. http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/
76. There is a tendency to talk about story in design as if it’s something flattened on a screen. Devices icon by Pham Thi Dieu Linh for the Noun Project
77. http://beyondtellerrand.com/events/berlin-2015/speakers/steve-and-mark Steve Souders & Mark Zeman
78. In your user’s mind, the story begins before they arrive at your app and can continue long after they leave.
79. encounter begins somewhere here service story time content story time spent on your app or your website visual story brand story
80. hero!
81. hero!
83. character place
84. character
85. character + place
86. Use story elements to: a story is incomplete without an audience Check Mark icon by Darren Wilson for The Noun Project 1. To suggest a story, or; 2. To drive a story forward.
87. character / role plot / time place
88. “What drives your train?” Plot, character, or question? circumstance cause time issue person
89. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02l40d5 Audio snippet: Bridget Kendall interviews Will Self on story
90. Thank you! Stephanie Troeth @sniffles