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Reflection on the class - This was a really interesting lecture on the belief that designers are storytellers, and how stories are set up and told. I really enjoyed this lecture and how he started showing the opposite views of the storytelling belief.

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The Power of Storytelling

This was the resource given to us by the class.

Embrace the Power of Storytelling

1. Create a narrative structure - by setting the scene and introducing the user to what they will solve, you will then guide them through it, and end it nicely.
2. Character development - characters are the users who become the center of the design and use personas to understand motivations, desires, and pain points to create a design that is tailored to their needs and preferences.
3. Emotional connection - your design should aim to create an emotional connection with users by tapping into their feelings and desires, you can do this through visuals, language, and interaction design elements.

Incorporating Storytelling

1. Develop a clear story arc - outline the user's journey through your design, when they start facing the problem, it's important to ensure that each step of the process contributes to the overall narrative.
2. Empathise with your users - spend time getting to know your target audience by creating personas to better understand their needs and desires, and use this information to guide your design decision.
3. Use Visuals and Language to Evoke Emotion - Design elements like colour, typography, and imagery can evoke specific emotions in users. Especially in the language you use as the tone is important.
4. Iterate and Refine - Ux design is an ongoing process so continuously iterating your designs using feedback will improve it. Ensuring the story remains relevant and engaging.

https://uxplaybook.org/articles/guide-to-ux-storytelling

Storytelling a Cause

The book Change by Design by Tim Brown is a good example of storytelling for a cause. In 2005 the Ministry of the Environment under the leadership of Yuriko Koike approached Hakuhodo which is an advertising company run by Makoto Kakoi and Maoki. The goal was to make the public more involved with Japan's greenhouse gas reduction goals of the Kyoto Protocol.

The goal was to lower emissions by 6%. The 6 key practices included changing the thermostat temperature at different times of the year, conserving water, driving less aggressively, buying friendly, no plastic bags, and turning off not-in-use electronics.

Cool Biz was created which is from June 1 to October 1 every year business people get to wear more casual clothing which impacts the heating settings reducing emissions. The company set up a Cool Biz fashion show to encourage this and within 3 years 25,000 businesses had signed up and Cool Biz was recognized by 95.8% of the public. This worked so well because people were talking about it and sharing clothes and fashion through stories which lowered emissions.

Change by Design by Tim Brown 94-96

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Reflection on my research - I think storytelling is a really important thing to consider when doing branding specifically as it all means something to the users. I think the example from the book is really interesting and shows the power and impact of stories.

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