![]() ![]() And so should products and services and digital things.Įven the iPad was narratively engineered by professionals before Apple started work on the device. And story architecture should inform and structure the things we build so that that people are more likely to engage and then act. Our goal is not to entertain, but to grab people's attention and make them act. Stories in films and novels are engaging, but there isn't a direct feedback mechanism. We craft things that people actively engage with and have a feedback loop. It's so easy, even young children can be taught to map stories before they jump in and create things. I'm talking about envisioning the experiences with the things we create as great stories, narrative arc, solid story structure, heroes, goals, and all. ![]() They already structure much of what we experience and communicate as humans, so we may as well harness the craft to make the things we design more engaging.Īnd, no, I'm not talking about telling stories. Our brains are wired to make sense of the world through stories. After all, stories are one of the oldest ways humans have to engage one another. What am I talking about? If you've read any of my work, seen me speak, attended one of my workshops, ever studied with me, or have just followed me around over the past year, you know that I'm talking about narrative design and a technique that I arbitrarily call storymapping – literally, mapping out intended stories of use with a product or service to ensure that the story is sound, great, and end-experience is ultimately engaging. Or maybe the stories of use will be the backbone of their prototype and concept testing plans. If they already have ideas they want to prototype, crafting stories of use will be a gut-check along the way. Because of that, I will be teaching my students how to craft stories of use for things like mobile apps, wearables, and non-screen user interface solutions as the very first step in their design process. There is no technology that engages and inspires without an engaging story of use behind it. As I've found through much research and practice, a good experience with product or service has a lot in common with a good story. And by story, I mean, the story of use that envisions a human using technology to get something done. The common thread was the story behind the technology. The entire time, the one common thread between what I saw on the screen and what I did in my daily life as a designer and technologist was not the technology. ![]() I've been making science fictions real as a designer and technologist creating software, websites, and even kiosks and CD ROMS in the olden days. I went on to study science fiction and make movies in film school.twice, for some reason. ![]() I grew up watching Star Trek with my dad. I come from a long history of science fiction watching. The thing about future technologies, however, is this: I believe there is no future of technology or great design without a solid imagination and ability to envision crazy (yet viable) scenarios of humans using technology to better their lives. And because the subject is mobile, I've already kicked the students out onto the sidewalk to start pounding some pavement. Abi Jones will be Googling in from Mountain View to chat about gesture-based interfaces and non-screen-based-UIs. New Yorkers Josh Clark and Liza Kindred will be stopping by to talk about connected devices and fashion technology. This semester, I am teaching a studio class on the future of mobile technology and design. It feels great to be back in the classroom. I started teaching at Parsons School of Design again. ![]()
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