their goals, you’ll also take steps toward your own.
Like Donna says, “I wish it were more complicated, but it really is that simple.”
So ready your armor, grab a cup of mead, and roll the dice. Here there be dragons, but fear not—Donna gives you the key to defeating them: story first.
—Jonathon Colman
Product UX + Content Strategy, Facebook
Note: All content and viewpoints expressed here solely reflect the thoughts and opinions of the author.
INTRODUCTION
“How do you build your storyline? By using 3 × 5 cards.”
—Syd Field, Screenplay
In his classic tome on screenwriting, Syd Field claimed that he could not teach aspiring filmmakers how to write a screenplay. “This is not a ‘how-to’ book,” he explained. “People teach themselves the craft of screenwriting. All I can do is show them what they have to do to write a successful screenplay. So, I call this a what-to book...”
What Would MacGyver Do?
MacGyver, the eponymous star of the 1980s television show of the same name, could solve any problem or get out of any situation with a needle, some thread, and bubble gum.
Storymapping is much the same. If MacGyver built products, he would map stories. Storymapping can help you solve any engagement-related problem with your product or even create a successful product by mapping the story before you design or build anything.
How do you map a story for your product? All you need are some Post-it notes or note cards, a marker or pen, a whiteboard or wall, data or an imagination, and an understanding of how story works. Then you map your story. Plot point by plot point. There is some trial-and-error involved at first, but once you build your story muscle, you’ll be storymapping like a champ.
I wish it were more complicated, but it really is that simple. And fast. You can do it alone, but I recommend doing it with a team for maximum efficiency and buy-in. While I can’t tell you much more in the how department, I can show you what it takes to build a successful story that works—for you, your customers, your product, and your business. I can also show you how to apply stories once you’ve created them and give you some rules of thumb to set you on the right path.
Let’s say that you want to build a new product, but aren’t sure if it’s a good idea? That’s a story. You want to help people find your product?
Also a story. You want to get people to try your product out? Yup, story. You want to figure out how your product should work? Story. People try your product, but don’t return to use it again? That’s a story, too. A cliffhanger of a story and one that you can easily fix with some props and ingenuity. Just like MacGyver.
You’ll learn how to ask three simple questions before you start any new project:
• What’s the story?
• Who is the hero?
• What is the hero’s goal?
After a while, you won’t just be asking what the story is, but whether it’s a good story. Because a good story isn’t just a random series of events—that’s a flow chart or a terrible student film. A good story makes things go boom! For your customers. And for your business.
Because Structure Is Key
The book is split into three parts. In the first part (Chapters 1–2), you’ll learn why story matters for things that aren’t just entertainment, fiction, or movies, as well as how story functions in products and services. In the second part (Chapters 3–5), you’ll learn about different types of stories and how those frameworks flow through successful products. Finally, in Chapters 6–8, you’ll see how to apply stories to your own work, in different contexts, so that you can build successful products that resonate with your target audience. By the end of this book, you’ll think like a storyteller and work like a storymaker.
CHAPTER 1
Mapping the Story
“You need a road map, a guide, a direction—a line of development leading from beginning to end. You need a story line. If you don’t have one, you’re in trouble.”
—Syd Field, Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
In 2004, I presented my year-end documentary film in graduate school to an audience of around 100 people. As soon as the film ended, before the lights went up, one of my classmate’s hands shot up. I will never forget the first words he uttered—they’re etched into my brain.
I can’t believe you made me sit through that. What was the point?
My film was a dud. It had nothing holding it together: no conflict, no climax, and no resolution—ergo, no story. As a result, I failed to engage my audience. I somehow forgot one of the foundational tenets of filmmaking: if you want to engage your audience, your film must have a story at its foundation.
A website, software, app, service, or campaign—for brevity’s-sake I’ll use the term product for the rest of the book—is similar to a film. They are all things that humans experience. Just like with a film, if you want to engage your audience, your product must have a story at its foundation. You can do this by accident like I did when I created films that people loved. (I did have a few of those, I promise.) Or you can map the story with deliberate care and intent like I eventually learned to do, both as a filmmaker and more recently as someone who helps businesses build products that people love.
Making Things Go BOOM!
Vince Gilligan, creator of the television show Breaking Bad, knows a thing or two about using story to engage an audience. In this photo (see Figure
