What are some practical frameworks that you use to consistently tell better stories?

Great question! Most of the storytelling frameworks I go back to repeatedly are focused on: Identifying audience challenges and needs Structuring your ideas clearly - the before → after, from → to states Laying out your audience’s problem, your solution, and the benefit in a clear and easy to follow way Pressure testing the story to see if you can add more excitement, interest, or suspense to keep the audience engaged To that end, here are some frameworks I use: Duarte’s storytelling resources - ...Read More

Here are a few of my favorite storytelling frameworks. I like these because they've stood the test of time and have been flexible enough to extend to multiple different companies and circumstances. It's important to note that storytelling frameworks are different than positioning frameworks and you'll need both. Positioning is more lasting and fundamental. Storytelling is a way to bring that positioning to life in a way that reflects a moment in time. Here are the frameworks: The transformationa ...Read More

It depends on the audience, medium, and the main goal of the story you’re telling, but a very basic framework I use—and one that I’ve found to be the most effective for business storytelling—looks like this: State the pain/challenge – What’s the core problem or need? This draws the audience in by addressing something relatable. Present the solution – How are you solving it, and what makes your solution different from others? This is the heart of the story where the value is communicated. Highlig ...Read More

I'm a huge fan of Donald Miller's Storybrand framework. I typically like to use a simplified version of it, as I find that the full framework can be onerous and heavier than we need it to be in our fast-moving company: Define your hero (your customer) and what they are trying to accomplish. For example, at Seismic our hero is an enablement leader, and she wants to improve her ability to impact business outcomes--and demonstrate that her team directly contributed to those outcomes. Articulate the ...Read More

Easy - when working on storytelling, the framework I find most helpful is:  Define the 'before state' - what was life like before / what was the normal  Define the catalyst - what changed to alter the ^ before state^  Define the challenges/pain that have arisen since the catalyst  What is the 'boiling over' point - When does it get so painful/anxiety-inducing that the person who holds power must act  What is the solution? - How does what you provide directly fix/solve the pains you described  Wh ...Read More

To help you consistently tell better stories internally and externally at work, here are the top three storytelling frameworks I’d recommend: SCQA: Great for logical, clear problem-solution stories, ideal for both internal strategy presentations and external product messaging. I learned this one in my earlier consulting days & still use it all the time! Pixar Storytelling: Evokes emotional engagement through transformation, making it relatable and memorable in product narratives. Great for c ...Read More

Here are a few frameworks I've either used or seen to help tell a compelling company and product story: The HERO's Journey: this framework positions the customer as the hero and your product as the guide or tool that helps them overcome obstacles. It works well because it keeps the focus on the customer’s challenges and how your product can lead them to success. FAB (Features, Advantages, Benefits): this framework ensures that your storytelling focuses on what your product does (Features), why t ...Read More

[Insert shameless plug for the my template that is being shared for this AMA]. :-) Kidding aside - the template does reflect my thinking on the framework for good storytelling: Intentional focus on crystalizing core "story inputs" --> e.g., personas, function and emotional pain points, market / industry / competitive context, etc. Using this to fill out core story components such as: Every story needs a protagonist and antagonist, so mapping the persona and pain points to these elements helps ...Read More

There are many tried and true frameworks or this. Here are some I use: STAR Method There’s one you’ve likely been told to use in interviews: The STAR method, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. You can apply this same framework to product storytelling. For example, what Situation is your prospect in? What are they Tasked with doing (and what are the obstacles)? What Action were they able to accomplish with the help of your product? And what was the positive Result? Duarte Method Na ...Read More

There was a book (probably 15+ years old now) by Nancy Duarte about storytelling. In it she uses the example of Steve Jobs’ iPhone release presentation. The framework she highlights in that is the Before/After framework, where you keep shifting the story between “what is” and “what could be”...this rectangle in my hand is a phone…but it can also play music. This rectangle in my hand is a way to send SMS…but it can also browse the internet in (at the time) blazing fast 3G speeds, etc etc. At the ...Read More

One of the most critical times to tell a great story is your sales pitch. And for that, the classic is the old world / new world framework that Andy Raskin popularized: https://medium.com/the-mission/the-greatest-sales-deck-ive-ever-seen-4f4ef3391ba0 Another valuable framework for strategic narratives is the ABT method (and, but, therefore). It distills a story down to its core elements, which you can then elaborate on: We believe that [statement] and [statement]. But, [tension/problem]. Therefo ...Read More

The best frameworks are the simpler ones that have proven effective in our everyday lives. One of my favorites is to use the Disney/Pixar storytelling approach laid out in the book “Storybrand” by Donald Miller. It takes the following format:  A character (the customer) has a problem. They meet a guide (your company) who has a plan. The guide calls them to action. The action helps them avoid failure. The story ends in success. “The Hero’s Journey” is another effective framework for stories. You ...Read More

I rely heavily on Andy Raskin's strategic narrative framework, which starts with identifying the problem in the world. This framework has been my base template for first call decks at companies like New Relic and Splunk, as well as for numerous keynotes at Unity. While the framework evolves over time and merges with other approaches (especially for larger initiatives where keynotes become collaborative experiences involving multiple stakeholders), it provides a solid foundation. Having worked at ...Read More

Most storytelling frameworks share similar components, but the key is how you weight those components and personalize the approach. The basic structure I follow starts with addressing the pain point to connect emotionally with the audience. You build tension around this pain, then explain how you're solving for that tension, and end with a payoff. While this linear framework is common, what makes it effective is how you emphasize different elements. For launches or keynotes, I like to begin with ...Read More

There are three storytelling frameworks I love, all for different reasons and uses: Pixar Story Spine: This one's great for product demos and feature storytelling. Used by Pixar animators, it’s a structured narrative progression focused on creating a story that is both relatable and memorable. It follows a framework of: What if…? Once upon a time… Everyday… Until one day… Because of that… Because of that… Because of that… Until finally… And the moral of the story is... So for product demos, thin ...Read More