The Art of Visual Storyboarding

Storyboards are more than design documents — they're powerful learning roadmaps. Many people see storyboards as just a collection of visuals. But they’re actually your secret weapon for designing impactful learning experiences. Here’s how to make storyboards that truly drive learning: 1️⃣ Align with objectives   → Don't just list topics.   → Match each slide to specific outcomes. 2️⃣ Know your audience → 2020: One-size-fits-all content. → 2025: Personalized learning paths. 3️⃣ Structure for success   → Break content into digestible chunks.   → Use consistent templates across modules. 4️⃣ Detail each slide   → Include visuals, text, interactions.   → Leave nothing to interpretation. 5️⃣ Visualize the journey   → Show how learners navigate the content.   → Use flowcharts to map decision points. 6️⃣ Plan for engagement   → Static slides are dead.   → Design interactions that spark thinking. 7️⃣ Integrate accessibility   → It's not an afterthought.   → Plan for diverse needs from the start. 8️⃣ Embed assessments   → Sprinkle in knowledge checks.   → Reinforce learning at every step. 9️⃣ Collaborate and iterate   → Involve SMEs, designers, developers early.   → Refine based on real-time feedback. 🔟 Version control is crucial   → Label clearly (v1.0, v1.1, v2.0).   → Track changes meticulously. Storyboards aren't just about layout. They're about crafting experiences. Master this approach: → Boost engagement → Improve retention → Generate tangible results What's your storyboarding strategy?

This is how I perceive my work as a Storyboard Artist. First and Foremost, I am a team member--a collaborator. I'm helping to wrangle options and seize upon the solution. The Producer or Director reaches out to me for several possible reasons: --They need a trained pair of hands to illustrate the shots that exist only in their mind’s eye. “Draw X doing Y in this manner of framing exactly…” --They need someone with a vision that complements that of the existing creative team. “ Draw X doing Y in this manner of framing… and add some of your personal spice to it.  I wanna see how you might interpret what I’m after.” --They would like someone to bring their own ideas to the table to help them develop the final shot list for a given scene. Maybe a shot they're having trouble envisioning. Maybe a few gags are called for and it's not their strong suit. Maybe they are devoting their energy to another scene and would like some slack picked up elsewhere in the script. “Draw X doing Y. I leave the manner of framing and camera movement to you for the moment.  We want something to react to and that will help us decide how we wish to proceed.” For example, this often occurs in developing an action sequence or during VFX or Special FX shot development. I often provide additional quick sketches that the team can either “Explore or Ignore” as the shot list develops. *Added bonus They would like someone to help identify opportunities within the existing screenplay to further the story with every shot or sequence— whether that is written or open to interpretation. I sometimes pose questions to the team about how a character might behave in a sequence that has not been detailed in the script.  These sorts of things can help me determine how I might board the sequence, so I’m never afraid to ask. An example: A character discovers the remains of a murder victim.  The script doesn’t indicate how they react to this. If it’s not obvious, then I will ask the team about what they think the character would do. Will they behave coldly or callously?  Will they exhibit horror or sorrow? How they react can reveal much about the character ( or hide something about them). This is important to how I board the shot in terms of expression, camera angle, blocking, and framing. You can expect these types of questions from me as a visual storyteller, if it’s not yet in the script.

💡 Storyboarding in Product Design (Tips and Tools) Storyboarding is a visual storytelling technique that originated in the movie industry. It's a visual presentation of how a film sequence will execute chronologically. In product design, we use storyboards to visualize and explain the user's story. Every storyboard has a character (persona) and story (that explains the scenario of interaction). Visuals and text captions of the storyboard help identify and emphasize users' pains, gains, and emotions when interacting with a product. Tips for effective storyboarding:  ✅ Never base storyboards on assumptions. Storyboarding should be rooted in user research.  ✅ Write the steps the user goes through before sketching them and read them out loud to ensure that the steps sound logical. ✅ Don't make sketches too complex: show one activity per frame. ✅ Don't create long storyboards: try to include 8-10 frames max. ✅ When finished, read the story to ensure it's clear to anyone. 📖 Storyboarding guides: ✔ Using comic strips and storyboards to test your UX concepts by Chris Spalton https://lnkd.in/drQwhUJj ✔ Storyboarding: step-by-step by IBM https://lnkd.in/daanNx6q ✔ Visual representations of UX stories that capture attention by Rachel Krause https://lnkd.in/dAJhRyVM ✔ How to use storytelling in UX research reports by Allison Grayce Marshall https://lnkd.in/dtv2_Q62 ⚒ Storyboarding tools: ✔ Storyboard Mix-and-match Library for Figma by Lucian Popovici https://lnkd.in/dvx5hUcn ✔ Storyboard Toolkit for Figma by Science & Design, Inc. https://lnkd.in/djMAjuUZ ✔ Storyboard Toolkit for Miro by Ben Crothers https://lnkd.in/dUUMRqjZ #storyboard #storyboarding #uxdesign #ux #userexperience #productdesign #userexperience