User Tales: Stories That Shape Experiences

Chiara Aliotta

Storytelling by Design: Part 1 (2hrs)

• Once upon a time…

• Learn the fundamentals of storytelling through real and famous examples (movies and books) and see how they relate to UX design – often in surprising ways!

• Three is the designer’s magic number.

• Forget the user journey map as you know it! Through storytelling, we will divide the user experience into a narrative structure easy for everyone to follow and understand, from interface designers and developers to clients.

30 min Coffee break and Fireside chat with participants

Vitaly Fridman

Discovery phase for Smart Interface Design Patterns (1hr)

Chiara Aliotta

Storytelling by Design: Part 2 (2hrs)

• Create an Oscar-worthy experience!

• Learn how a user experience can be translated into a low-fidelity mockup by using the storytelling techniques (storyboard) of prominent writers and directors to test the user journey.

• Understand what makes a great story.

• Examine the deep emotional connections evoked by stories to obtain genuine buy-in from colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.

• Learn methodologies designers use to weave storytelling into their work, from conceptualization to execution.
• Understand the emotional layer of design work, emphasizing how stories can connect with users on a personal level, invoking feelings and responses that go beyond the superficial.
•  Reflect on the importance of storytelling in presenting and pitching design ideas, making them understandable and appealing to clients, stakeholders, or the target audience.

45-minute break Fireside chat with participant

Karapet Gyumjibashyan

Product Success Through Powerful Stories 1hr(45min+ 15min Q/A)

• Introduction to Storytelling in Product Development

• • • Define storytelling in the context of product development. Explain why storytelling is crucial for product success and share examples of successful products that leverage storytelling effectively.

• Understanding customers

• • • Stress the importance of knowing your target. Discuss techniques for gathering insights into user needs, pain points, and desires. Highlight the role of empathy in creating compelling narratives.

• Creating the product narrative

• • • Explain how to distill complex product features into a clear and engaging story. Share tips for aligning the product narrative with the brand and values.

• Communicating across teams

• • • Emphasize the importance of effective communication within cross-functional teams. Offer strategies for aligning product stories with engineering, design, marketing, and sales efforts.

• Measuring success

• • Explore metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of product storytelling.

Eduard Hambardzumyan

Creating Connections։ Understanding Storytelling and User Behavior (20min+10min Q&A )

• Introduction to Storytelling Psychology

• • • The power of storytelling in human communication.
    • Principles of storytelling psychology and emotional engagement.

• Understanding User Behavior

• • • Introduction to user behavior mapping and its importance in product design.
    • The role of empathy in understanding user needs and motivations.

• Intersection of Storytelling and User Behavior

• • • How storytelling can influence user behavior and decision-making.

• A case study demonstrating how well-crafted narratives have impacted user engagement with products or services.

Vahagn Karamyan

Your Story, Your Brand, Your Design /

(25min+5min Q&A )

Chiara

2 x Thinking with Storyboards (4hrs)

• Act 1 - Introduction. Duration: 45 minutes 

• An introduction to the elements of storytelling and the user journey following the 3 act structure.

• • 15 min Coffee break (Fireside chat with participants)

• Act 2 - Think with Storyboard: Duration: 2 hours 

• • • Based on the user journey of a fictional product, participants need to design and think in terms of a storyboard
  • 15 min Coffee break (Fireside chat with participants)
    • They also need to understand how to add different storytelling elements to ensure the user can successfully achieve a goal or complete an action.

• Act 3 - Present your story Duration: 45 minutes

• • • In this last act, participants will be asked to present their storyboards and also learn storytelling techniques used to persuade and sell ideas to clients and collaborators.

• Q/A