Crafting Unforgettable User Journeys: Where Storytelling, Dramaturgy, and Unreasonable Hospitality Collide

Building exceptional user journeys isn’t just about functionality—it’s about creating emotional resonance. While storytelling and dramaturgy provide the scaffolding for memorable experiences, it’s unreasonable hospitality that transforms transactions into lasting connections.

Here’s how to weave these principles together:

Storytelling: The Narrative Backbone

Every user journey is a story waiting to unfold. Storytelling in UX design bridges the gap between data and humanity, turning pain points into plot twists and solutions into satisfying resolutions.

• User personas become protagonists with goals, fears, and motivations.
• Journey maps act as narrative arcs, guiding users from frustration (“I can’t find payment options”) to triumph (“Loan decided!”).
• Emotional highs and lows mirror classic storytelling structures, keeping users engaged and invested.

By framing journeys as stories, teams align around shared goals—like ensuring a “busy professional” finds flexible fitness classes effortlessly.

Dramaturgy: Designing the Stage

Dramaturgy—borrowed from theater—shifts the focus to audience-centric design. Just as a play’s director choreographs entrances and exits, UX designers orchestrate touchpoints to feel intuitive and purposeful.

Key tactics:

- Flow and rhythm: Eliminate friction during critical moments (e.g., speeding up checkout when users are impatient).

- Audience immersion: Use visual cues (like a champagne cart serving Budweiser) to surprise and delight.

- Backstage preparation: Empower teams to improvise, much like actors responding to live feedback.

Dramaturgy ensures every interaction feels intentional, whether users are browsing an app or navigating a physical space.

Unreasonable Hospitality: The Game Changer

Service meets expectations; hospitality exceeds them. Unreasonable hospitality is about relentless creativity to make users feel seen:

• Small gestures, big impact: A hotdog plated like fine dining, a free game sent to a struggling fan, or flowers after a pet’s passing cost little but forge loyalty.
• Empower frontline teams: Let employees surprise users without bureaucratic hurdles.
• Design for “one”: Tailor experiences to individual needs, like offering multiple Budweiser options for a nostalgic diner.

This ethos turns mundane interactions into stories users want to share.

Putting It All Together

To build journeys that resonate:

• Map the story: Identify emotional peaks (e.g., post-purchase confirmation) and valleys (e.g., payment friction).
• Choreograph moments: Use dramaturgy to smooth transitions and highlight key interactions.
• Inject hospitality: Surprise users at decisive moments—like a personalized thank-you note or unexpected upgrade.

Why “Unreasonable” Matters

Reasonable service is transactional; unreasonable hospitality is transformational. It’s the difference between a user completing a task and feeling valued. As Will Guidara, architect of Eleven Madison Park’s legendary service, puts it:

“Hospitality is making the choice to go further, to invest in relationships”.

Train teams to look for opportunities to break script—whether through micro-interactions or grand gestures. After all, the most unforgettable journeys are those that feel uniquely human.

By blending storytelling’s empathy, dramaturgy’s precision, and hospitality’s warmth, you don’t just build user journeys—you create advocates.

Now, go be unreasonable. ??