The storyboard acts as a process and communications tool to visualize final products. As a process tool, it structurally lays out the final product from start to finish. As a communications tool, it brings a group of stakeholders together, including team members and often times clients, to display a final product and allow for re-sequencing as needed to establish buy in. By using a storyboard to visually display ideas, participants involved in the design process are able to brainstorm more broadly because they are involved in the physical mapping of an idea.
Booz Allen Hamilton’s Wargaming and Exercise Team uses storyboarding to outline and develop client products by breaking scenarios down into distinct parts and focusing on building a realistic narrative. Each part, when pieced together, produces a final story. At designated steps along the way, everyone is encouraged to provide their input which ensures that their vision is incorporated in the design process. In addition, the design team is strengthened by incorporating diverse perspectives when constructing the scenario. The use of storyboarding serves as a visual record of actions taken throughout the design process and provides a blueprint to show how results were reached in the end.
