This document provides an overview of the Sparkline methodology for persuasive storytelling. The Sparkline involves starting with what currently is, then shocking the audience with what could be. This creates a gap that is the central idea to be addressed. The presentation then moves between past, present and future to prove the point and call the audience to action. It ends by envisioning a new normal with the idea adopted and tools for the audience to implement the idea themselves. Regular retrospective meetings are recommended to improve the process.
2. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Our Goal Today!
!Make your next story, your best story!!
! ! ! ! !We want to move people.
3. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Other Principles!
Storytelling Patterns!
- Story Arcs
- Hero’s Journey (Monomyth)
The problem? These are both
used for narratives.
5. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Sparkline Overview !
Sparkline !
Created by Nancy Duarte
“If I could draw a shape of what
the best presentations would look
like and be, then that would be
very cool because this could be
used as a methodology.”
6. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Sparkline Overview !
Sparkline !
What
is
What
could
be
You
start
your
presenta4on
sta4ng
what
currently
is;
facts
or
historical
events
that
have
brought
us
to
this
point.
Then,
shock
the
audience
with
your
perspec4ve
of
what
could
be.
7. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Sparkline Overview !
Sparkline !
What
is
What
could
be
}The
gap
CALL
TO
ADVENTURE:
create
an
imbalance
by
sta4ng
what
could
be
juxtaposed
to
what
is.
The
gap
is
the
most
important
part
of
the
presenta4on
because
this
is
your
big
idea!
For
the
rest
of
the
presenta4on,
you
have
to
move
the
audience,
and
they
want
to
see
how
you
prove
your
point.
8. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Sparkline Overview !
Sparkline !
What
is
What
is
What
is
What
is
What
could
be
What
could
be
What
could
be
CALL
TO
ADVENTURE
CALL
TO
ACTION:
summarize
what
is
going
on;
the
finish
line
the
audience
is
to
cross.
The
middle
of
the
presenta4on
has
to
move
back
and
forth,
crea4ng
a
sense
of
rhythm
with
what’s
happened
in
the
past
and
what’s
going
to
happen
in
the
future.
9. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Sparkline Overview !
Sparkline !
What
is
What
is
What
is
What
is
What
could
be
What
could
be
What
could
be
New
bliss
(new
norm)
End
your
talk
with
explaining
how
the
world
is
going
be
with
your
idea
adapted,
with
everyone
believing
how
you
believe.
This
can
be
very
powerful!
10. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING Sparkline Overview !
Sparkline !
What
is
What
is
What
is
What
is
What
could
be
What
could
be
What
could
be
New
bliss
(new
norm)
-‐
-‐
-‐
-‐
becoming
:
Bits
of
stories
that
create
another
sense
of
interest
and
rhythm,
so
that
you
do
not
overwhelm
people
with
informa4on.
The
last
step
is
to
give
your
audience
tools
that
can
help
them
to
understand
everything
you
just
said,
so
they
will
“become”,
pro-‐create,
and
share
your
idea
that
you
had
from
the
very
beginning.
11. Gimme Brand Story
THE BIG IDEA AND…!
1.PRE-PRODUCTION !
2. SPARKLINE !
3. RETROSPECTIVES!
12. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING The process !
Ask
yourself,
“What
are
we
trying
to
accomplish
by
making
this
presenta4on
for
our
audience?”
Remember,
we
want
to
move
people!
13. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING The process !
Knowing our primary audience!
Design
a
presenta4on
that
meets
their
needs
and
not
just
yours.
Create
a
buyer
persona
or
conduct
interviews,
if
possible.
14. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING The process !
2. SPARKLINE!
Once
you
have
your
big
idea
and
primary
audience
in
place,
you
can
start
your
Sparkline.
15. PERSUASIVE STORYTELLING The process !
3. RETROSPECTIVES: The art of getting better!
• Do them every time by scheduling ahead and
keeping it short"
• Have a predefined list of questions"
• Create a “To Do” list that can turn into a “To Done”
list. "
Story Arcs: episodic storytelling media seen in TV, comic books, films, video games. The purpose of story arc is to effect change. For ex, lonely man falls in love and marries or poor woman goes on an adventure and in the end makes a fortune for herself.
In monomyth, human begins in ordinary world, receives a call to enter the unknown world of strange powers/events, must face trials, survive severe challenge, and if he/she survives it may achieve a great gift then decide if it wants to return to ordinary world which will probably face more challenges on return journey. If he returns successfully, the boon or gift may be used to improve the world. Ex. Prometheus, Lord of the Rings.
The problem is that they’re both for narratives.
What does persuasion look like, it hasn’t really been visualized.
Duarte is a writer, speaker, and CEO of the Duarte Design, the largest design firm in Silicon Valley. Well-known for her three best selling books and works with TED Talks to improve the quality of the presentations at the events, and spoken at several herself.
Drew the shape out and realized it worked when she overlaid it over Steve Job’s iPhone launch in 2007 and contrasting with that, Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. It worked!
This is the basic shape. Basically, the length is time, and you can see that there’s several turning points, which I will walk through with you.
You start your speech or presentation stating what currently is, “You know, here are the facts. Here is what brought us to this point. Here is the historical events. Here is what you’ve been told, and here is what we all know is true.” And you basically lay that down.
Then what you do is you’re supposed to shock the audience with your perspective. Sort of what you call an inciting incident in the movies, where the audience is suddenly out of balance. Your idea so contrast with currently reality that they are stunned and have to contend with what you are telling them to do.
So you have to make sure this gap between what is and what could be is significant and meaningful and powerful. This is the most important part of the presentation because this is your big idea, and the rest of the presentation you have to move them and they want to see how you prove your point.
Call to adventure: create an imbalance by stating what could be juxtaposed to what is.
And so the middle of the presentation has to move back and forth. Here’s what is, but here is what it could be. Move back and forth between those two perspective and create interest. Tell them your perspective, tell them alternate perspectives, tell them whats happened in the past, whats going to happen in the future, and create this sense of rhythm. They should have beats. The last turning point should contain a “call to action”, it should summarize what is going on and what finish line the audience is to cross.
But don’t end with CTA, End your talk with explaining how the world is going to be with your idea adapted, or spread, with everyone believing how you believe. That can be very powerful. It can be poetic or dramatic as long as its real clear what the world is going to look like
Also, take into account that you cannot just overwhelm people with information, you have to insert little bits of stories. So that it creates another sense of interest and rhythm. In other words, contrast story and information.
After you leave them with something they will always remember, your audience is going to ask themselves if they agree with you or not and contend with what you left them with. So those little dashes signify what is “becoming”, give them tools that you can help them with to understand everything you just said, so they will “become” and pro-create and share your idea that you had from the very beginning.
Before we start with the process we have to figure out the big idea! Remember we want to move people. What are we trying to accomplish by making this video or presentation for our audience. Example: the world can save millions of gallons of water.
Try your audience like king! Design a presentation that meets there needs and not just yours. We have to pick one and go with it. Try to have a picture or description of that persona. Give the example of janitor client from GA assembly presentation (in your notebook). WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THEM. Obviously if we hire a video production agency or company, they will know these steps of techniques before they start rolling, but our responsibility is the audience and interviews if we need to do them.
Get the board! Use example of new hire that we did the day of the lunch n learn.