Some of the best pieces of literature and television have complex plots that boggle the mind. Consider the Game of Thrones television series, which spanned eight seasons and contained at least 52 significant characters. Or The Lord of the Rings, a plot so rich that its author, J.R.R. Tolkien actually created an entire book just of his characters’ genealogies. When wrangling complicated works, it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything in your head.
And here’s a secret: No writer or director keeps intricate plots in their head. It’s all written down. Creativity thrives in organization, even if that sounds counterintuitive. So if you’re a UX designer or product manager who wants to understand your customers better and design great experiences, then it's time to get your ideas out of your head and onto the canvas.
The most common method used is storyboarding.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the main elements of a storyboard and why this technique, which is primarily used in film, television, and writing, is a tremendous asset for creating incredible products.
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a shot-by-shot breakdown of every plot point. The end result resembles a comic book, minus the dialogue. It’s a visual representation of a journey. It often contains notes about each step of the journey to accompany each picture of the storyboard.
Storyboard vs. customer journey
Though similar, storyboards are different from a customer journey map. Storyboards are highly specific, whereas customer journey maps are broad, encompassing the entire end-to-end customer experience. They are often more structured, designed to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement. A storyboard is mainly focused on testing a new idea or concept during the ideation phase. Customer journey maps are most effective at the beginning of a project to align stakeholders before the work is started.
Storyboard vs. wireframe
Storyboards and wireframes are a complementary pair. The visual aspects of a storyboard capture the user’s emotion and context, while the static, informative nature of a wireframe provides the logistics. Both play an important role in UX to ensure you are effectively delivering on your users' needs.
Why storyboards are useful
Storyboarding brings the user journey to life. Here’s why that matters:
Show and tell
Explaining ideas in visuals is a highly effective way to convey your ideas. For UX designers, it’s much easier to show a user will interact with your product than to just describe it. Storyboarding is a clear and efficient way to present information, making it easier to absorb.
Share your vision
When large teams work on the same project or product, it's challenging for everyone to align on the vision. But when you show them that vision in a storyboard, there's less room for misunderstanding and individual interpretation. When everyone is clear on the product vision from the start, they can work more effectively and accelerate productivity.
Get buy-in from stakeholders
Clearly communicating your ideas to stakeholders is imperative. You can explain the new online check-out process ad nauseam, or you can show them the process with visuals. When stakeholders can clearly see your ideas in action, they’re much more comfortable giving their approval and lending their resources to help.
Pinpoint errors ahead of time
Storyboarding empowers you to quickly pinpoint any flaws in your design. You can fix them on paper long before you need to fix them in the product, saving time and money.
How to create a storyboard
Step 1. Analyze your data
You’ve likely already done a fair amount of research for your product like focus groups, customer interviews, and surveys. This is the data you’ll lean on when you start storyboarding instead of relying on conjecture.
Step 2. Choose a focus
Different types of users will interact with your product in different ways. For your storyboard, only focus on one use case and one user journey at a time. There are no limits to how many storyboards you can create.
Step 3. Explain your user
Who’s using your product? What kind of solution is the customer looking for? By creating user personas who seem like real people, it’s easier to create a believable storyboard that addresses real problems.
