What are some of the key elements and principles of effective design storytelling and presentation?

An element that I have seen happen too often is that people's audience synopsis is "Oh, this is for everybody." You should absolutely have some idea of a core audience because every aspect of a person's life draws them to specific products and ideas. Do not make it "for everybody", make it for individuals.

As a designer I have always instigated the concept "your client is your new best friend"... When taking the brief for a project, we need to ask a lot of questions... many of them very intimate (yes, I need to know the amount of make up you own) so there needs to be a level of trust for them to open up. In my experience it is the only way to undersdtand deeply enough the client to create in your head an effective story which then you can weave through materials, furniture and fabrics...

And within defining your goal in creating a successful design story, I would add 'emotion'. What is the feeling you want to evoke by telling your story? Maya Angelou said it so beautifully: 'People may not remember exactly what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel." So be deliberate in designing for emotion when you are crafting your story.

I always head into a design presentation using the 'movie format' idea. First start introducing the bad guy. What do they do wrong, what is their influence on their surroundings. The next act, I would show my plan and ideas for combatting this 'bad guy'. Then in the final act, I would show my design and make sure it is applied to a few of the scenarios mentioned earlier in the presentation. Make your design the hero of the day.

Visual aid is major. As a creator there is always a million ideas in your head. It helps to know what your audience like to see visually and having examples and trends to reference from can take the load of wrong what can sometimes be an overwhelming process. It also shaves off valuable wasted time from the creative process. Visual aids allow you to get a clear picture of what you want your finished product to look like and how you want it to feel. They can guide you in the right direction and ground all of those beautiful thoughts and ideas into one or multiple amazing works. It helps to convey the ideas without diminishing them with explanation. This allows your finished work to speak for itself.

Call it an "elevator pitch". How would you get someone interested in your story with 30 seconds on the clock? Keep it concise and playfully intelligent. Are you trying to get them to laugh, or think? This will change your delivery.

Further more, you need to draw out the flaws in your content. You want people to bring forth any potential issues, wether they are valid or not. This will allow you to then rapidly disregard the irrelevant comments (comments that were clearly addressed, that a person might have not paid attention to.) While doing this exercise, do question wether your delivery of the information is clear. You are then left with the more complexe issues to resolve or to explain with a different approach.

Make sure you're in the correct mind-space for creative work. Oftentimes you can get lost in worries or daily trials and tribulations that can distract from the present moment. It's valuable to take a moment outside, gain your grounding back in the present; it allows you to maintain creative flow when you start and continue the task at hand. A calm mind allows for perfect execution.

Many overlook the power of brand strategy in effective design storytelling. To address this, brands should prioritize a comprehensive understanding of their target audience, craft a compelling brand narrative, and ensure visual consistency. Nike's "Just Do It" campaign exemplifies how a clear brand message can captivate and inspire audiences. #BrandStrategy #Branding

Explaining the functionality of the space. Give priority to space planning while designing before aesthetics and keep it simple as 'less is more'.