OUTCOMES
A coherent story of how your user interacts with your offering
A clear understanding of how you could improve user experience
USING THE TOOL
Storyboards are great tools to help you visually illustrate how your product or service will work. As a rough, low fidelity prototype, a storyboard is not only helpful for spotting issues in your offering, but it also enables you to envision how your users will use it and how you can enhance that experience.
Plan what you want to prototype: Start by determining what you want to materialise. It doesn’t have to be the entire product/service experience. You can also choose to depict certain aspects or features.
Build a story: Use a series of comic book style frames to illustrate the various characters, locations, props and their interactions. Try to capture what the characters think, feel, say and do. Try to put yourself in your user’s shoes by recalling your engagement with them. Refer to your empathy map and persona and analyse if your offering is bringing about shifts in their behaviour, addressing the right pain points or creating value.
Refine: Use the story to identify any shortcomings in your offering and understanding when and how to overcome them. Ideally, do this with other stakeholders who might be involved in the experience.
good sequence
Concept Capture > Storyboard > Role Play > Wireframes
Tips
A storyboard is meant to be a low fidelity prototype. Don’t get too hung up on your drawing skills. Rather, focus more what you’re trying to convey.
You can follow up the storyboarding exercise by acting out the scenes. This might help you in drawing more insights and identifying areas for refinement.
The process of creating these stories encourages you to think more critically about the experience. Therefore the outcome of the tool is as much about your improved understanding of the dynamics of your offering, as it is about the storyboard itself and being able to communicate the concept to other people.
