JourneysNarrative ~25 min · 6 steps

Storyboarding

Storytelling is innate to us, and a powerful way to deeply think through the experience you're building.

Overview

Often it's easy to generate ideas for features. But the real work happens when you think about how they string together into a usable experience that makes sense for people. Storyboarding is like making your own comic book of how someone would experience your product or service. It's a powerful tool for designing and refining user experiences, helping ensure the final product is both intuitive and engaging.

Storyboarding can map a variety of things: a new feature flow showing how a user navigates an experience; a new checkout process, step by step; a new amusement ride and its twists and drops; a new show and how performers and effects come together; or a new patient journey from consultation to follow-up.

Storytelling Secrets

Telling stories is at the core of what makes us human. We develop this skill at a young age, yet often forget it.

Comic strips are a great method for conveying ideas and emotions. They're easy to follow, don't require explanation, and help others grasp the key parts of an experience.

Pixar has an incredible format they use for storytelling in all their films. Try this mad-lib to craft the right flow: Once upon a time… Every day… One day… Because of that… Because of that… Until finally… And ever since that day…

The worksheet

Lay out the key moments of the journey, frame by frame, like a comic strip. Add a caption and an owner to each frame.

How to do it

Identify the key moments in the user's journey through the product or solution.

Use the frames to capture each key moment. These can be simple sketches or detailed illustrations. On a board or in a tool like Miro, try different colors for different elements (people, data, decisions, actions).

Arrange the frames in a logical order. Challenge your thinking by rearranging steps — what if you move payment later, after someone tries the feature?

Add captions or notes to each frame for context. Capture who owns each step and any follow-up action items. Review the storyboard with a partner or team to ensure it tells a clear, compelling story.

Thought Starter

One great option is to expand on the Scenarios you sketched in the previous exercise. See if you can take the three steps you sketched and expand them by filling in the gaps in the experience.