Create a Vision Storyboard

Show your proposed solution idea in action

The purpose of the Vision Storyboard exercise is to define a future scenario in which a persona uses a proposed solution to reach their goal.
As final result of the exercise, the team creates a storyboard which can be used as a prototype to communicate and validate early ideas with different stakeholders, such as end users and project sponsors.

GOAL

Prototype a proposed solution idea as a storyboard

PARTICIPANTS

Designers, Architects, End Users

TIME NEEDED

60 - 90 minutes

PHASE

Design

Before You Start

Ideation and Idea Napkin
You have generated a lot of ideas in an Ideation session and used those ideas for creating an Idea Napkin. These ideas will be the basis for your storyboard.

Materials You Will Need

Resources for Download

Download All Resources

Use the AppHaus tool “Scenes” to visualize your story and create your storyboard.

Templates for Virtual Collaboration

(Registration to MURAL is required)

Steps

Creating a vision storyboard includes several steps. We recommend completing them in one session.
  • 10 - 15 minutes

Brainstorm Capabilities

Imagine you are creating a commercial about your solution idea: what makes it stand out? What can its users achieve with it? How does it improve their lives? Write as many capabilities / aspects as possible and vote for the top 5.

  • 20 - 30 minutes

Draft the Storyline

Write a story about how your end user (the protagonist) uses your solution idea to reach a goal. Focus on what the protagonist does and thinks at each step, and incorporate the selected capabilities as mini situations along the story. We recommend the use of a narrative structure like the Freytag’s Pyramid as guidance.

See Storyline Example

  • 20 - 30 minutes

Create a Storyboard

Separate your storyline in different scenes and give each scene a name. Use the AppHaus tool Scenes to visualize your story and create your storyboard.

Once you have aligned with your team on a storyline, you can create the different scenes simultaneously in pairs or individually to speed up the creation of the storyboard.
If you are using the physical version of Scenes, use the caption markers to describe what happens in each scene. This will make it easier for others to understand your story after the workshop.
Take a picture of each of the scenes on a white background for clear documentation.

  • 10 - 15 minutes

Test Your Storyboard

Once all the scenes are complete, assign a title to the story. Present your story to stakeholders or end users and ask for feedback.

See Completed Storyboard

Record a video of the presentation with your phone camera to capture relevant details.

You're Done!

The resulting storyboard can be used as the basis for more detailed representations of the solution idea, such as interactive prototypes, user stories and implemented versions. A logical next step would also be to validate your business model.