Trust the process, and tell your story.
From a young age, I’ve been captivated by storytelling, immersing myself in film trailers, narrative-driven games, and events like The Moth, where personal tales come alive. This passion led me to explore storytelling’s role in human-centered design. Inspired by Genta’s assertion that metaphors shape understanding, I questioned whether storytelling’s universal resonance could make design processes more structured and accessible.
In this project, part of Northeastern University’s Design Degree course, I developed a storytelling-driven framework to help design students organize and present their projects. By aligning design presentations with story beats — narrative units that drive engagement — I aimed to enhance how designers prioritize content, craft narratives, and connect with diverse audiences.
Outcome
Final Print Prototype
The result of this project is a storytelling-driven toolkit composed of structured cards with practical prompts. The sequence of cards will guide design students in organizing their materials, refining their narratives, and creating audience-specific presentations. By providing a clear, step-by-step process, the card deck empowers students to transform complex projects into clear and compelling stories, improving both their confidence and presentation outcomes.
Problem Space
What is the problem?
Design students face significant challenges in organizing and presenting their projects after completion. They often struggle to synthesize complex materials — research data, sketches, prototypes, and testing results — into clear, compelling narratives for diverse audiences. Many face difficulties in prioritizing details, structuring content, and aligning their presentations with audience expectations.
Who?
Design students across various disciplines (e.g., UI/UX, experience design, industrial design).
Why?
Effective storytelling is crucial for communicating design intent and outcomes. Misaligned presentations risk miscommunication with stakeholders and missed insights from peers or mentors.
Where?
Occurs in academic settings during class project critiques or submissions. Extends to professional contexts like internships, job interviews, or stakeholder meetings.
Foundational Research Insights + Initial HMW
Through interviews with design Masters and PhD students from diverse backgrounds, I uncovered key challenges in project organization and presentation. I mapped out the current presentation process to identify pain points and opportunities. Based on these insights, I developed initial "How Might We" statements to guide potential solutions.
Ideation
With the research insights I gathered, and driven by the guiding How Might We questions, I began my ideation process to explore how to tackle this problem. Inspired by Genta’s assertion that metaphors fundamentally shape understanding and reasoning, I turned to storytelling, a concept with universal resonance and deeply intertwined with presentations.
Above are three moodboards—visual, concept, and mediums (from left to right)—that supported my ideation process. While working with the concept moodboard, I noticed a striking similarity between story plot structure and the structure of most common design presentations.
This led me to explore the potential of storytelling as a metaphor for decoding the process of preparing and presenting design projects. Through research and exploration, I discovered story beats—the fundamental units of narrative structure that drive rhythm and audience engagement.
In studying story beats closely, I found that the 15-beat structure from Save the Cat aligns remarkably well with common outlines of design presentations. This realization became the foundation for crafting my project’s core driving HMW statement:
Explorations + Iterations
Concept Cards
Heroʼs Journey Design Guide Toolkit
A toolkit that reimagines the HCD process through the analogy of classical narrative structures (heroʼs journey, tragedy, comedy), with the user taking on the role of the “hero.”
Which Popular Fictional Character is Your User? Card Deck
Leverage well-known fictional characters to help designers build empathy and explore problem spaces. Each fictional character parallels the real user persona.
Sketches
I created visual sketches to explore potential graphic styles for the toolkit. While the project later shifted toward more interaction and experience design, this exploration still provided valuable insights into the toolkit’s visual direction.
Design Drafts
Top: First draft of the card design. Bottom Left: Character Cards used storytelling archetypes to help users personify audiences like professors, peers, or stakeholders. Bottom Right: Early map explorations included a content map for organizing ideas and a timeline map for timing presentation flow, both simplifying planning.
Concept Testing Insights
To refine the toolkit, I conducted concept testing sessions with design students. Participants interacted with prototypes, providing feedback on clarity, usability, and relevance. This process validated key features, revealed opportunities for improvement, and ensured the toolkit aligned with user needs.
Feedback on the Cards
The cards were appreciated for their clear, step-by-step structure, simplifying organizing presentations, and supporting storytelling. They help break down complex projects into manageable steps. However, participants suggested adding examples, templates and prompts to guide first-time users and prioritize key content. Customization for different audiences (e.g., academic vs. professional) and both physical and digital formats were also requested. To improve flow, participants recommended statement starters and stronger connections between cards.
Feedback on the Maps
Participants valued the maps for visually organizing workflows and linking story beats, seamlessly integrating them with the cards. Improvement suggestions included adding clear phase labels (e.g., “ideation”), flexible layouts, and guidance examples. Time management tools, such as color-coded sections, were also recommended. Additionally, prompts for prioritizing content and connecting research insights to storytelling were highlighted as useful additions.
However, many felt maps were unnecessary for solo users, as the cards alone provided sufficient guidance. Given this feedback, the maps will not be included in the final design, allowing the toolkit to focus solely on the card system for simplicity and efficiency.
Final Design
Card Design
The final cards provide a structured, step-by-step framework with prompts and note sections to help users prioritize content, craft narratives, and tailor presentations for their audience. They come in two versions: double-fold cards and trifold cards, allowing users to choose based on their experience level and preferred note-taking space. A color-coded system further enhances organization and flow.
Use Case Scenarios (Rulebook)
1: Avery
Avery’s extensive design intervention project requires a logical presentation structure for his thesis defense.
Scenario
Avery has been working on a complex design intervention project for months. His work spans interviews, observation notes, scenarios, and systemic design concepts, creating an ecosystem of interconnected ideas. With such an extensive amount of material, Avery struggles to figure out where to start organizing his presentation. He feels overwhelmed and is unsure of the logical structure needed to synthesize his research into a clear and engaging presentation for his thesis defense.
How the Toolkit Helps:
Avery uses the toolkit’s structured cards to revisit his research materials, reconnecting with key insights and reframing his project into a cohesive narrative. The step-by-step prompts help him synthesize complex information and organize it into a logical flow. Using the note sections, Avery captures high-level summaries that translate seamlessly into presentation slides. By the end, he feels confident in his ability to communicate his design ecosystem clearly and effectively.
2: Amber
Scenario
Amber has finished both her slides and script for her thesis presentation. However, when practicing, she finds that it takes her 12 minutes to present, even when rushing through the content. She struggles to prioritize key points and manage her time effectively, making it difficult to meet the strict 7-minute limit.
How the Toolkit Helps:
Amber uses the toolkit to review her script and slides, summarizing and prioritizing key points with the help of structured prompts. By following the toolkit’s color-coded system, she allocates specific time slots for each section of her presentation, ensuring a balanced flow. With clear guidance on what to emphasize and what to omit, Amber practices and refines her delivery, gradually condensing her presentation to fit the 7-minute limit. The process boosts her confidence and ensures her thesis presentation is concise, clear, and impactful.
Reflections
Lessons Learned
Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone
This project has been a journey of growth for me. As a graphic design major, stepping into the world of interaction and experience design was a big leap. It pushed me out of my safety zone, and I gained valuable experience exploring another branch of design—something I’ve always wanted to try.
Designing for Designers
One unique challenge I faced was designing tools for designers. It’s different from creating for a general audience because designers have a deep understanding of the process. This made the experience both challenging and rewarding, especially as I explored ways to support my fellow designers through educational tools.
The Power of Design Research
Through usability and prototype testing, I learned the importance of validating designs. Conducting intensive research gave me confidence in my work and helped refine my ideas. This process underscored how critical feedback and iteration are in creating meaningful tools.
The Universal Power of Storytelling
Another key takeaway was rediscovering how universal and resonant storytelling is. I was fascinated by how story beats align with common design presentation outlines, reinforcing storytelling’s importance in organizing and presenting work.
Favorite Part
My favorite part of the project was concept testing. When designing alone, I often doubted whether my ideas would work or resonate with others. Concept testing not only validated my design decisions but also boosted my confidence. Hearing participants’ feedback, seeing them engage with the toolkit, and discovering how much they appreciated the physical cards were incredibly rewarding moments.
One surprising insight from testing was participants’ desire for a human facilitator to guide them through the toolkit. While I initially designed it as a standalone tool, this feedback made me think about the value of turning it into a more collaborative and practice-driven experience.