They incorporate various elements of storytelling such as scenario generation, storyboards, theme, character, and dialogue, to map an ideal user experience that has considered the entire journey. UX designers create personas that represent the target audience to embody their perspective. Storytelling from the perspective of the target audience is used in UX design to guide the process and design decisions so that the result will be optimized to satisfy their needs. Ensuring that their experience is optimized on every level from visual satisfaction to ease and simplicity, is obviously essential.

When we are designing products, experiences, and communication for marketing campaigns, we are designing for an audience. The demand for UX designers is massive, with an 18% growth in demand forecast for the next ten years.

“User experience” is another buzzword in the design and marketing world, but this 'trend' will only grow in importance. Trends are always shifting, but the ones we look at below include elements of storytelling and design which will only continue to evolve, so these will always be relevant! Interactive design and user experience Bringing storytelling into this process helps us to return to the purpose of the project, and not get lost in the messiness that creativity can sometimes be.īeing guided by emotion, empathy and connection results in design work and visual communication that gets the audience on the same team as the brand, the product, the artwork. Like anything creative, the design process is an iterative process. The purpose of a designer is twofold: to create connection (usually by evoking emotion) and to solve problems.Įmpathy is how we relate to one another- it puts us in the experience of another human or group of humans so that we can understand from their perspective and tap into what they might feel.Ĭreating captivating stories helps to guide us into the experience of others. While utilizing the arc in the design process, particularly in UX design, is necessary, we can also just focus on one element at a time, for example: Often, we can just focus on one or a few narrative elements to tell a great visual story or enhance a product experience. To tell a compelling story in design, we don't necessarily need the entire narrative structure like a film or novel might. There's a beginning, a middle, and an end that follows the arc of exposition, climax, and dénouement. You're probably familiar with the traditional story structure of the narrative arc, which is a journey with a set of circumstances that require resolution. We use it to define ourselves and our creations, as well as to entertain. Traditional storytelling helps us understand the experiences we have, to empathize and emotionally connect with one another. When one human recognizes their individual experience in another’s, a connection is formed. Image source: Heritage DailyĪs social beings, humans need to express their individual experiences to connect with others. Storytelling has always been part of the human experience. We can see the very first evidence of storytelling in prehistoric cave paintings from the first humans, who wished to share, record, and understand their experiences. Utilizing these trends will increase your capacity to inspire and solve problems through your projects.

In this piece, we’ll look at the top storytelling trends for design in 2021, that will enhance your design process and the impact of your projects.

In the context of design, storytelling shares information through visual elements in a way that encourages engagement, activates the imagination, and deepens understanding.Īs design and technology evolve, we are seeing just how central elements of storytelling are to our everyday experiences, from web design to marketing and particularly social media in all its story-obsessed glory.

Design is storytelling