Visual Storytelling

Customized storyboards for demos to show the why and the how.

If "slides sell and demos close" telling the story of why a solution is useful and what specific problems it address through the perspective of end users is critical. Storytelling through visual design really helps paint a picture for our clients.

Background

Defense specific imagery

Most of the accounts I support are defense. My squad does a lot of customized demos for these customers. Throughout the year I have helped the solution architect on my team tell the story of how our technology is valuable to this specific population.

Organically this illustration set has become a reusable asset. I have been able to apply these customized illustrations to multiple projects and each time iterating a little further by adding scenario specific new backgrounds and details. This is an excellent example of demonstrating how I have built organization context awareness with focus and responsibility of contribution to the team and portfolio. I have also had designers on other squads supporting defense clients use this illustration set and further customize, for example changing the changing the captain from a man to a woman.

A Network Operators Story

  • Capt. John Smith, a Network Operator, is responsible for the security and performance of a mission-critical forward deployed tactical IT network.

  • He is dealing with a number of Problems: Network size, Number/complexity of disjointed tools, Frequently changing membership, Staffing issues – competence, retention, shortage

  • He recently stood up a new tactical network using only [redacted] for network monitoring, management, and control. He is amazed by the breadth and depth of node-level information he can monitor and direct from a single interface.

  • Network Insights at the Point of Need. In a matter of minutes, the solution-generated set of evidence has convinced Capt. Smith of the legitimacy of this threat. Capt. Smith triggers the appropriate response and remediation Runbooks. [Redacted] promptly executes and reports the removal of the offending nodes from the network.

A Soldiers Story

  • Capt. John Smith, an Army Reserve officer, is assigned to USAR Standby Reserve (Inactive List) and is looking to transfer to an Army Reserve unit or return to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).

  • In addition to his reserve responsibilities, is busy with a full-time civilian job and a growing family. He knows he needs to purposefully plan out his next career moves but he doesn't have the time or inclination to wade through various Army websites, publications, and forms searching for requirements, guidance, and situation-specific questions.

  • Search for Answers using Natural Language Capt. Smith has recently discovered a new Army Career Virtual Assistant on the USAR website.

  • Coherent answers with references The Virtual Assistant, in turn, answers Capt. Smith in natural language, providing a comprehensive holistic answer referenced in clickable links to the underlying source(s).

Impact

As I continued developing these illustration sets I used them for other projects and they became part of the team’s visual language.