This week we started looking ahead to our next project, which will focus on the Sustainable Development Goals. Instead of diving straight into research and ideas, we explored storyboards as a way to begin shaping our thinking.
Storyboards essentially let us visualise an idea unfolding from start to finish. I’ve always associated them with film more than design, but seeing how useful they are for mapping interactions and emotions was interesting. Seeing moments drawn out gives clarity to the story, you start noticing gaps, awkward transitions, or opportunities that weren’t obvious before. It’s a reminder that even rough sketches can do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to communicating intent. I think they help bring ideas down to earth, if you can sketch the experience simply, your idea probably has something real behind it.
We then paired storyboards with user personas, which added another layer to the process. Thinking about who is moving through the story changes everything. You start questioning motivations, frustrations, goals, and what success looks like for that person. Personas stop ideas from becoming “designer fantasies” and push them closer to real world needs. I find it useful to think about the user as a character in the narrative, someone with emotions, limitations, hopes and context. It also highlights barriers and pain points early, which ultimately saves time later.
Another point that stood out to me was how characters and communication need to feel authentic and emotional. Storyboarding isn't just about boxes and arrows but clarity, simplicity and sincerity. The emotional tone matters as much as the visuals. A character reacting, struggling, celebrating, it all reinforces why the idea matters. It’s a good reminder that design should always feel human, not mechanical. Translating emotion into frames is a skill I want to get better at as it makes the narrative more believable and engaging.
We looked at Airbnb’s approach to storyboarding which focuses on the journey around the product, not the product itself. I thought that was a powerful shift. It’s easy to get caught up in features, but real experiences live in the transitions and environment around them. We also reviewed IDEO’s framing process, which simplifies how to build narratives around user needs. It made me realise that the best design principles often sound simple, but execution is where the challenge lies.
We created our own storyboard exercise which helped solidify the process. Sketching out small scenes made the idea feel more real, and honestly it was fun. It reminded me that design at this stage should still feel playful and explorative, not overly formal or rigid.
