Storytelling in Product Design

Big project undertakings in product design can be quite a challenge when it comes to documentation. Keeping track of changes, meeting stakeholder needs, and incorporating user feedback over time is crucial.

Great storytelling is a long-term investment!

Solid documentation creates a working history that tells the story of significant design or feature changes and explains why and when they were made. Later, this can be invaluable when conveying decisions to stakeholders, or even when putting together a great portfolio piece.

In this article, we’ll explore the importance of documenting these journeys and how storytelling and data tracking can help build a shared understanding and get everyone on board. To do this, let me tell you about a recent project where we redesigned an underwriting tool to handle joint applicants seeking an auto line of credit.

Pick Purposeful Research

Okay, so when you’re first faced with a massive problem, it can feel overwhelming. Where do you even start? How do you get the data you need with limited time? That’s where purposeful research comes in. It’s important to explain how you’re using your time and what outcomes you expect from your research activities.

Asking these questions can help you better budget your time.

In order to decide on a research method (or methods!), it can be helpful to step back and think about any predefined project limitations, needs, or questions:

• What is the product vision and main business goal behind the project?
• What are the knowledge gaps that existing research does not cover?
• What are the subject matter experts' questions about this new feature?
• How much time is budgeted for research?

On my recent project, I had to rethink an underwriting interface to handle tons of data, but I had very limited time budgeted for initial research. With the project timeline given, I needed to carefully pick out a preliminary research method that hit two birds with one stone: define an information architecture and prioritize the information based on its ability to help our underwriters quickly reach a credit decision. To make this happen, I needed to identify critical data for underwriters and organize it.

By clearly defining the scope, limitations, and knowledge gaps before diving into research, I was able to thoughtfully design a card sort session that helped give the product and engineering teams a better understanding of the upcoming information architecture, as well as the reasons behind it!

Make Your Thought Process Visible

Now, let’s talk about making your research findings digestible and easy to understand. Busy stakeholders don’t have time for lengthy reports — and to be honest, product designers often don’t have time to write them either! So, the trick is to distill your key findings into bite-sized bits. Think of it as creating a cheat sheet that captures the essence of your research.

Visuals are your best friend here

A great visual presentation can help to (literally) draw the lines between your research findings and design suggestions. I love using Figjam because it lets me organize research insights next to their resulting design suggestions, and it allows stakeholders to add comments and questions right where they’re needed. It’s like having a collaborative brainstorming session on a virtual whiteboard!

In summary:

• Distill key research findings into digestible, bite-sized information.
• Connect research data to design suggestions.
• Use visuals and tools like Figjam to demonstrate the journey and invite collaboration.

Keep Track of the Evolution

This is where things get exciting. Based on your research, insights, and initial stakeholder feedback, get ready to make sketches, lots of them. But don’t keep them to yourself — make them visible to others! Bring in your users and stakeholders to join the fun. Show them your ideas, and be open to feedback — and don’t forget to tie those sketches back to your original research findings. It’s like connecting the dots and creating a visual timeline of how your designs evolved. Trust me that this comes in handy when putting together portfolio case studies!

Some things to keep in mind:

• Involve users and stakeholders in brainstorming sessions and gather feedback.
• Tie sketches and design iterations to the original research findings.
• Document changes over time, showcasing the design’s evolution and major feature developments.

In Conclusion!

Documenting big project undertakings is daunting, but it’s all about finding the right approach. By picking purposeful research, making your thought process visible, and keeping track of the design’s evolution, you can create a compelling narrative that captures the essence of your design journey. Don’t be afraid to dive into the unknown, embrace the challenges, and tell your story. By doing so, you’ll build intuitive user experiences and foster engagement and excitement among your product team and engineering counterparts.

With a bit of creativity, some visual magic, and a touch of storytelling, you’ll navigate the complexities of documenting your design projects like a pro. Happy documenting!