Business Thinking for Designers

Use narrative storytelling:
• When you want your colleagues to connect with the 
customer perspective. 
• When you want to inspire or motivate your organization to 
do something new.
• When your product team needs a compelling vision.
Use analytical storytelling:
• When you want to persuade your colleagues to fund an 
initiative or additional resources. 
• When you want to inform partners of multiple paths 
forward to achieve an outcome.
• When you want to highlight the risks and opportunities 
ahead.
Use narrative AND analytical storytelling together:
• When you want your colleagues to see the value you’ve 
already delivered. Use analytical storytelling first, then 

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Communicate the options
narrative storytelling to connect the completed steps to 
the greater vision.
Becoming familiar with a couple established formats will make 
you more comfortable participating in or leading decision-
making activities with your partners. We’ll look at those in the 
next section.