Story Structure and Modern Storytelling

Amit Kapoor

argument | STORY

analysis | SYNTHESIS

function | DESIGN

logic | EMPATHY

serious | PLAY

accumulation

| MEANING

We are all Storytellers

Discover your Structure

Choose a story

Outline your story

Use five post-it notes

Beginning | Middle | End

Beginning | Middle | End

Base Reality, Setup

New Reality,

Resolution

Struggle, Complication,

Higher Stakes,

Development

Change/ Conflict

Inciting Event

Climax /Resoluti

on

Moment of Truth

Context

Character

Change

Challenge

Credible

Concrete

Connect

A Retail Story

Customer | Employee | Company

Story Spine

Once upon a time...

Everyday...

But one day...

Because of that...

And then…

Until finally...

Ever since then...

Once upon a time...

Everyday...

But one day...

Because of that...

And then…

Until finally...

Ever since then...

Base Reality

New Reality

Struggle

Change/ Conflict

Climax /Conflict Resolved

Retail Story Exercise

Introduce the New

Connect with Customers

Pitch to Investor

Engage Employees

…

Who I Am / Why I Am Here

The Vision / Leading to the Future

Sparking Action / Change

Teaching / Sharing Knowledge

Values-in-Action

Communicating Who the Company is

I Know What You Are Thinking

Talk

Image

Text & Image

Talk & Image

Role Play

Video

Hans Rosling – Joy of Stats

Solve the

Problem

Build the

Message

Tell the Story

• Define problem • Develop

hypotheses• Collect facts• Conduct

analysis• Synthesize

output

• Structure thoughts

• Develop message

• Map audience • Understand

outcome

• Apply story spine /pyramid principle

• Develop storyboard

• Mock-up story and visual

• Develop the story /visual

• Practice - Retell and Relive

• Revisit the output

Develop the Story

1 2 3 4

Shows the Data

Focuses on Substance, not

Graphic

Makes the Insight Jump

Out

Allows the User to Engage

‘Killer’ Elements

Builds on Users’

Perspective

Shows the Data

Focuses on Substance,

not Graphic

Makes the

Insight Jump Out

Allows the User

to Engage

‘Killer’Elements

Builds on Users’

Perspective

Tablet Case Example

Device Installed Base in 2015 by OS and Device Format(In million units, estimates for 2015)

334

Tablets (643 M units)

1,143

282

388

206

47

54

1,027

805

147Others

101

Notes: Windows 8 from 2013, Lifecycle for Tablets – 4 yrs, PCs – 5 yrs and Smartphone – 3yrsSource: IDC, Gartner, Morgan Stanley, Amit’s Analysis

Smartphones (2383 M units)

PCs (1851 M units)

423

218

Android

iOS

WindowsPhone

Blackberry

Others

Windows Legacy

Windows 8

OS X

Synthesizing

Disciplined

Creative

Respectful

Ethical

Amit Kapoor

www.amitkaps.com

me@amitkaps.com