My UX Toolkit: Storyboards
My UX Toolkit is a series of posts exploring different tools and techniques used in the user experience design and research process, my understanding of them, and when they can be applied. UX is a broad and varied space that can range from quantitative statistical analysis to graphic design, from branding and content strategy to storyboarding. Here I am trying to scratch the surface of how UXers UX, share my knowledge and further my own understanding of this vast career field.
Storyboarding in UX Design
What is a storyboard?
Those who are familiar with the film and television industry may be aware of storyboards and how they are used. storyboard is a set of sequential images that visually block out the main events of a story. They can vary in fidelity, being low or high on details, either hand drawn sketches, graphic illustrations or photos. When filming a movie, storyboards are usually used as a communication tool for the team after the script has been written but before the sets have been built.
How does this fit into the world of user experience design?
Just as storyboards are used as a visual form of communication in movie making, they are also used to communicate ideas in the UX process. Using a visual medium can foster a deeper understanding, reveal more context and create more empathy for those involved with the project. This comes in handy especially when presenting to a cross functional team, with members like stakeholders and developers that may not be involved in every step of the UX process.
Storyboards can be used to show how a user interacts with a product, or where the pain points and roadblocks are. Generally storyboards are used retrospectively, showing how users already behave. Prospectively a storyboard can be used to help visualize and predict how a user might interact with the changes being implemented in a given process.
One specific case where storyboards come in handy is when presenting the outcome of usability testing. You can use storyboards to create a visually compelling narrative of how the tests went and to support the results. Photos or video stills from the test can be used as the visuals, showcasing specific interactions that need to be addressed in the design.
There are three components to a storyboard. The scenario will usually include a persona or main user, and a short description of the story. This gives context that is helpful in understanding the storyboard. The visuals can be sketches, high fidelity illustrations, or photos. Finally captions can be added to describe the user’s thought process or actions.
Storyboards are a compelling visual tool that help get everyone on the team on the same page. They are one of many ways UX designers can support and justify their design decisions, and create a narrative that inspires empathy and understanding for the user.
