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Creating A Lasting Impression | Smashing Magazine

Creating A Lasting Impression | Smashing Magazine | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From www.smashingmagazine.com - August 20, 2012 12:56 PM
We can all agree that the work we do should inform, be appropriate to the client and their audience, and, of course, look good. But there’s a bonus third attribute worth aiming for—creating a lasting impression.


This article is long but a fascinating read -- especially for anyone who is working with stories in an organization and wants to know about creating visual memories.


Storytelling is creating art in the air. That means it is ephemeral and only lives on in the person who heard the story. That means the story we tell has to be compelling in order for it to stick in the minds of our listeners, and be repeated.


This article on faciliating visual memory is provacative on several levels.

  1. First, it talks about what visual memory is and what goes into making them.
  2. Second, it discusses in depth several examples of how companies have created powerful visual memories.
  3. Third, even though this article talks about graphic design, many of the same principles apply to storytelling.
  4. Fourth, if you want to know about how to bring the ephemeral art of storytelling into the built environment or websites or promotional materials as story triggers, this article is rich in examples and insights.


Once you have a compelling story to share, then start thinking about how you can create visual memories to have your stories stick even longer and more powerfully in the minds of your listeners.


This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 

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Digital Storytelling Evaluation Rubrics

Digital Storytelling Evaluation Rubrics | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From www.educatorstechnology.com - April 8, 5:11 PM
Karen Dietz's insight:

I discovered this from fellow curator Jose and I thought you would find it both interesting and helpful.


The bane of storytellers and biz story professionals are decent evaluation tools. We have scant few. I'd say we don't have any at all, but I'm not aware of everything in the universe :)


How do you know a story is good? If you hear a less than compelling story, how do you know what's wrong?


The same is true for digital stories. And believe me, I view lots of digital stories and pass on most. Now I have some rubrics to help me tell you why.


Standard evaluation measures are essential -- they help build consistency and take evaluations out of the land of white-washing or personality contests.


These rubrics were developed for teachers, but any business can use them! I hope they help you as you craft your stories, and to know why a story (digital or otherwise) falls flat.


Until we have our own Roger & Ebert (so sad they are both gone now), we'll have to find rubrics where we can, eventually develop our own, and keep testing them out and refining them.

Ozzie Gontang, Ph.D.'s comment, April 10, 11:12 AM
Here's a nice story from the word-detective: The Latin "rubrica" meant "red ochre" (a clay-like soil used in coloring) or red coloring itself, as used in makeup and dyes ("ruber" being the Latin word for "red").

One of the earliest uses of "rubric" in English, in the late 14th century, was in reference to the practice at the time of printing directions for the conduct of services, as well as other instructions and explanations, in red letters in religious texts. These sections of the text, designed to catch the eye and command the attention of worshipers, were known as "rubrics." This use eventually produced two other senses of "rubric," that of "an explanation or definition" and "a rule or custom of conduct."

The use of red ink to draw the reader's attention to important points was widespread in secular works as well, and "rubric" was applied to a chapter title or other heading in a book or manuscript printed in red. By the 19th century, this had produced the figurative meaning of "a designation or category"
Karen Dietz's comment, April 10, 4:08 PM
Love the history of the word Ozzie! Thanks for sharing. And I knowing your metaphoric mind, yes, everything out of your mouth is a story :)
Karen Dietz's comment, April 11, 11:46 AM
Thank you Ken, Cavett, and Jose for your comments! So glad you found it useful :) Have an awesome weekend.
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East Palo Alto adds personal touch to planning process by asking residents to tell their stories

East Palo Alto adds personal touch to planning process by asking residents to tell their stories | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From peninsulapress.com - January 16, 12:53 PM
As they draft a new Comprehensive General Plan, East Palo Alto officials are collecting oral histories of residents — a process praised as a novel approach to…
Karen Dietz's insight:

Love this story! It's about a city using the power of storytelling to chart their future. Hooray!


Don't you wish more organizations -- whether businesses, nonprofits, or governments -- would do the same? I know everyone's experience would be much richer with better outcomes, too.


My only little criticism of the process the City of East Palo Alto is using are the questions they are asking. They are OK. But if they reaslly wanted stories they would be using story prompts to make sure they really heard stories. The questions they are now using will get them information or opinions and maybe not stories.


Instead of asking, "How do you make use of the city's parks?" they could ask, "Tell me about some of the best times you've had in the city's parks..."  The first question gets you information like, "We go picnicing, we use the playground, I like running in the park..."


If you ask the second question you actually get a very rich story that tells you more. "I really like to run in the park every morning. The scenery is beautiful and I like how the city replants its flowers each season so the park is constantly changing and pleasant to be in. I run with my buddies. It is easy to find parking and we can hang out at the picnic tables afterward."


You get the idea. We now have meaningful experiences to help guide decision-making about plant maintenance, parking facilities, places to congregate, etc. that we never would have gotten by asking the first information-based question.


So if you plan to do something similar in your organization, focus on the "Art of the Question" and investigate story prompts and the Appreciative Inquiry process for more help.


Many thanks to fellow curator Bill Palladino @LocalEconGuy for sending this article my way!


This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling atwww.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Tribe Pictures's curator insight, January 16, 2:26 PM

Story telling makes for good city planning
Karen Dietz's comment, January 17, 4:30 PM
It certainly does! And it is a much more rewarding experience for all involved.
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Consumers Hungry for Brand Stories

Consumers Hungry for Brand Stories | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From sevenstorylearning.com - October 31, 2012 12:52 PM

"An October 2012 survey by Edelman Berland and Adobe found that American consumers are looking for deeper brand engagement than banner ads and social media “like” buttons. 73% of the 1000 adults surveyed agreed with the statement, “Advertisements should tell a unique story, not just try to sell.”

 

Well, there can be no argument now about the case for business storytelling! At least as far as branding and marketing is concerned.


Enjoy the chart this research shows. I know I'll be using this in my work with clients!


Thanks to fellow curator Gregg Morris @greggvm and his Story and Narrative Scoop.it curation for finding this and sharing :)


This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 


Via Gregg Morris
Jim Signorelli's comment, October 31, 2012 1:04 PM
thanks Gregg, great find!
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When Good Storytelling Goes Bad - Biz Myth Busted!

When Good Storytelling Goes Bad - Biz Myth Busted! | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From www.i4cp.com - April 22, 2012 11:53 AM

What we discovered was that neither the Yale nor the Harvard study actually exists. There is no evidence that the studies took place and no papers were ever published. Yet the "goal-setting to-money" study is a particularly imperishable business myth that has circulated for several decades. It persists despite sound debunking efforts on the part of entities such as Fast Company, which conducted an in-depth investigation of the myth in 1996.


Here's an interesting piece about phantom research, business mythology, and evaluating the research stories we hear.


It's a good and interesting read -- not so much about being skeptical, but questioning and thinking carefully about research that is presented to us, particularly when it is imbedded within a story.


No question -- it's a tricky dance. The best way to convey data is through a story -- doing so builds trust credibility, believability, and emotional connection. The easiest way to manipulate and skew research is through the stories you tell about it. 


What to do? Obviously for the teller it is to represent the research accurately.  In presentations when I talk about story research, I always offer the original research up for review for any listener who wants it.


For the listener, it's to check the research you hear about. Don't accept it unquestioningly. Ask for the original document.


Now go read the article to discover what popular biz myth was busted!

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Once upon a Time at the Office: Learning to Recognize, Interpret and Tell Stories in Organizations

Once upon a Time at the Office: Learning to Recognize, Interpret and Tell Stories in Organizations | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From www.sesp.northwestern.edu - March 10, 2012 8:40 AM

This study investigates the use of narrative in organizations by (1) examining current organizational storytelling practices in a variety of industries and (2) identifying key features that characterize stories with powerful impact. Sixty survey respondents reported narrative is used by leaders to transfer knowledge, shape culture, and motivate or curtail employee behavior, as well as by employees to manage stress. Interviews with eight experts on narrative revealed, perhaps surprisingly, that skimping on details is what makes stories powerful.


Consider this post more a long-read but rich with great material. I love the bar charts about the findings, and the articulation of exactly what makes stories 'stick.'


The insights are all replicatable for your business.


Yes, this article is in academic-speak. But don't let that stop you. It's solid research that we can all use to help us get smarter about biz storytelling, and/or to storify to share with clients.


Good job!

Karen Dietz's comment, March 11, 2012 9:19 PM
Glad you like this one too!
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Science & Stories: what every biz storyteller needs to know

Science & Stories: what every biz storyteller needs to know | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From trishnicholsonswordsinthetreehouse.com - March 8, 6:32 AM
The thesis of this study – that storytelling skills gave an evolutionary advantage to our early ancestors – is an original perspective on human development, and in probing how this inheritance affects our modern lives, I draw on ...
Karen Dietz's insight:

In this latest research -- available as a downloadable e-book from the BiteSize science series -- we learn how stories were essential to our evolution. And still are.


And that science, scientists, and storytelling are intimately linked. Love that. And who knew there is a new discipline -- the psychology of narrative -- that's investigating all of that?


Read this article and e-book through the lense of business. Businesses evolve. Learning more about how stories support evolution -- or not -- would be wise to know about. Turns out metaphor is key.


The e-book is $2.99 on Amazon and I am adding it to my library (I have no affiliation with the author or publisher). And then make sure I use this material when working with physicians, engineers, and other science types.


I hope you enjoy this latest research. It sounds like it is written in plain language.


This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 

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How alternative storytelling can help impact project evaluation

How alternative storytelling can help impact project evaluation | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From www.guardian.co.uk - November 5, 2012 3:26 PM
Using digital technology to tell stories can help charities with impact assessment, says Kieron Kirkland...


Using stories to evaluate results? Quantitatively??!! You bet!!

Here is a fabulous article after my quantitative heart.


The author Kieron Kirkland talks about how the organization, Nominet Trust, worked with the org story company Cognitive Edge to capture stories and then have the story authors rank what their stories are about on a scale.


Once the story was captured, there were several types of scales the storytellers ranked their stories on -- generating big data!


See -- storytelling and evaluation can be done effectively if constructed properly.


This article goes hand-in-hand with newer qualitative evaluation processes for arts-based techniques (like storytelling) talked about in one of my favorite books, Method Meets Art; Arts-Based Research Practice by Patricia Leavy (2009).


If you struggle to connect stories about your projects to quantifiable results, then run to read this article. 


Having helped organizations articulate measures so they can see progress, the first critical area to tackle are which measures are going to be used that are the most meaningful, given the project's objectives. 


This article will give you several ideas for how to get started.


Enjoy!


This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it 

SandraVBarbosa's comment, November 5, 2012 10:17 PM
I'm Brazilian. I'm English teacher. Follow me. Thanks.
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What Data Can't Tell You About Customers -- Evoke Stories Instead!

What Data Can't Tell You About Customers -- Evoke Stories Instead! | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From blogs.hbr.org - September 3, 2012 12:25 PM

To really know customers you must engage them face-to-face.

This is a handly little article reminding us all that data and "likes" can only take us so far. If we really want to know our customers to help guide for innovation, marketing, business relationships, and ultimately business growth, then face-to-face interactions are imperative.

OK -- now we've gotten that message, and we are in front of a customer, now what? How do you maximize your time together?

The practical answer is to ask for, and listen to, their stories! That is what this article does not say. Yet that is your path to success.

What stories do you ask for? Ask them to share with you their experiences of your product/service, your company, your marketing/branding, or whatever burning question you need an answer to.

Just remember, most people ask information questions where they get lots of description but little story. That's not so helpful. They will ask someone to describe what they like about their product. In return they will gets answers like, "I like the blue color, and how it fits in my hand." interesting, but not so helpful.

Ask for EXPIENCES instead: "Tell me about the first time you used our product and what that was like ..." In return, you will receive a story rich in material and meaning: "One day I was really struggling one day to open a jar. For some reason my arthritis was really bad that morning and I couldn't get the strength to open that jar. I didn't want to ask my daughter for help because i hate feeling dependent on someone just to open a jar! A friend had given me your handy opener as a gift but I hadn't even taken it out of its packaging yet. That morning I grabbed it but had a devil of a time getting it out of its plastic wrapping! I finally took a scissors to it, which means I probably have blunt scissors now [HINT for changing packaging]. But I finally got it opened and used it on that jar I was struggling with. Voila! It was so easy! I had that jar open in a jiffy. Your design made it very easy in my hands. I checked out your website to see if it came in other colors so I could give it as a gift to friends. Was kind of disappointed in the color selection but I'll make do. I'm sure they will appreciate its ease and cool design like I do."

You get the picture -- haven't customers share experiences is much more valuable. From the little story above you can now dig deeper into the story, or keep asking for later experiences.

Enjoy this process. Take your time -- no need to schedule 20 interviews to aquire tons of material. A handful will do to get you started. Remember you are going for quality, not quantity. You will learn as you go and interviews down the line will be richer and more complex because you will have gotten better at evoking stories from your customers.

I would love to hear about your experiences doing this activity!

This review was written by Karen Dietz for her curated content on business storytelling at www.scoop.it/t/just-story-it

Victoria Morgia Jamolod-Umbo's comment, September 6, 2012 9:32 AM
Yes, I am so impressed about this illustration of a fact. Through consistency and perseverance of digging the actual facts and remedies to problems, we can solve problems. It may not be so easy as we thought it could be, but with the proper motivation, we surely can get the optimum results to our goals.
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Just Story It - The Best Ever Biz Story Book List For You

Just Story It - The Best Ever Biz Story Book List For You | Just Story It | Scoop.it
From www.juststoryit.com - March 10, 2012 7:33 PM

I have finally added a list of my favorite biz story books to my website that you can now access and explore yourself. There are 26 all total!


These books are the best I've found that will help you build practical storytelling skills, and make us all smarter about business narratives. I've added little reviews for each book explaining why I like it.


The books include everything from conducting narrative research within organizations, how leaders can use storytelling, stories in marketing/branding, how to use stories for change and transformation, and using stories for break-through communication.


The books include many business examples, processes, and how-to steps. I hope they prove useful for you. Enjoy!


PS -- and let me know if you have recommendations!

Cyndee Haydon www.SandbarsToSunsets.com's comment, March 11, 2012 4:39 AM
Karen I was going to say "The Story Factor" - my favorite book of the last 5 years - great stuff in there that has helped our business & blog - thanks, Cyndee
Karen Dietz's comment, March 11, 2012 9:17 PM
Thank you for re-scooping this Stephane! Have a wonderful week :)
Karen Dietz's comment, March 11, 2012 9:18 PM
Thank you Gimli! Have a wonderful week :)
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