As UX researchers, you know that uncovering insights is only half the challenge. Your work truly shines when you communicate those findings in a way that resonates with clients, inspires action, and ultimately leads to better user experiences. We care deeply about delivering reports that not only inform but also leave a lasting positive impact. That’s where the power of storytelling comes in.
Information is simply sharing data, but communication is ensuring the message is understood by the audience. To ensure your valuable research doesn’t get overlooked or misinterpreted, you need to craft compelling narratives. Below you’ll find actionable takeaways to transform your UX reports into stories that drive action and delight your stakeholders.
Why storytelling matters in UX research
At a high level, great stories capture attention, engage audiences, and make takeaways memorable. In the context of UX research reports, effective storytelling plays a crucial role by making findings clearer, more actionable, and easier to follow. Ultimately, a cohesive storyline focuses your stakeholders on the key takeaways, cutting through any potential clutter and highlighting the most critical insights derived from the research. This also increases the chances that stakeholders will act on your recommendations.
What ‘storytelling’ means in UXR
There are two types of storytelling often talked about in the UX world:
- “UX story” storytelling — puts the audience in the users’ shoes of an experience. Often uses a character and story arc. Think UX stories, personas, journey maps, etc.
- Explanation-based storytelling — Organizing and unfolding information in a way that is digestible, engaging, and cohesive. Think ‘how can I best package these insights for understanding and engagement?’
Your Storytelling Toolkit: Actionable steps
Here’s a practical three-step process to weave compelling stories into your UX research reports:
Step 1: Plan – focus on objectives and revisit the “why”:
Clearly understand why the client initiated the research and their overarching goals. What key questions did they want answered?
- Focus on impact: Revisit the crucial decisions your client will make based on your research. What actions do they need to take? How does your research impact their business?
- Prioritize what matters: Use the research goals and the need for action to filter out less critical information.
Step 2: Outline – determine how to tell your story
- Consider your report style: Will it be a topic/task-based report or a narrative report? This will significantly impact your structure. Confirm this with your client early on.
- Leverage story arcs: Consider the journey your story will take. A common approach is “answers-first,” starting with an executive summary of top findings and recommendations. Ensure your story has a clear beginning (context), middle (insights and implications), and end (call to action).
- Consider frameworks wisely: Explore if visual frameworks like journey maps can enhance understanding. Use them intentionally to convey key relationships and simplify complex concepts.
- Utilize storyboarding: Work collaboratively as a team to pinpoint your top 3-7 most important takeaways that will form the backbone of your report. Then, group themes and findings beneath each of those main takeaways. Next section the report (e.g., by task, topic, key findings). Lastly, within each section, write the slide titles. Then, you’ve created a robust outline.
- Plan at every level: Consider how you’ll advance the story throughout the report, how you section the report, within individual sections, the executive summary, and even your slide titles. Every piece contributes to constructing a cohesive flow.
- Craft compelling titles: Write clear and concise slide titles that actively advance your narrative. If someone only skims the titles, they should still grasp the main story.
Step 3: Refine – make it easy to follow
- Set the stage for your readers: Provide context from the start with a table of contents and a strategic executive summary. Use clear headings, section titles, and visual cues to support wayfinding throughout your report. For complex reports, consider visual indicators for countries, user groups etc. and “how to read me” slides for context.
- Make it easy to skim: Use clear content hierarchy and, visuals to break up large blocks of text, and ensure a logical flow between slides. Perform a “squint test” to ensure key messages stand out.
- Write with precision: Be concise, clear, direct, and front-loaded in your writing. Clear writing is fundamental to easy understanding. Active-voice writing style is preferred.
- Use visuals strategically: Consider when it may be better to show, than tell. Leverage charts, graphs, images, and even short video clips to support your narrative and reduce reliance on lengthy text.
By intentionally applying these storytelling principles, you can elevate your UX research reports to powerful communication tools that not only inform your clients but also inspire them to act.
Have a project where storytelling could make all the difference? Let’s collaborate—reach out to our team at [email protected].
This post draws inspiration from the work of Karuna Harishanker and Dylan Trow, as shared in their insightful Lyft Design+ article.