How it started

I remember a time when my curiosity was far more whimsical than it was focused. It dabbled across topics at a surface level, only daring to dive deeper on the subjects, which spoke to my soul. Back then, things were different. I didn’t have the responsibilities, which I do today. Aside from hanging out with friends, playing video games, and reading comic books, I enjoyed visiting the UC Davis campus where my parents worked. After a quick hello, I’d grab a snack from the Memorial Union and head to the campus library. Long before the Internet, my curiosity had the…

Why storytelling?

Good design presentations require good storytelling. As designers, part of our success hinges on our ability to communicate an idea to an audience of our stakeholders and/or peers. We need to articulate our vision, describe the process taken thus far, and explain the rationale behind design decisions made along the way. I find storytelling is a powerful tool to accomplish this.

While each presentation will vary regarding the subject matter, I still have three goals I strive to achieve with my audience each time I present: Establish context, encourage user empathy, and up-level engagement.

1: Establish context

“For me context is the key…