Stories that Move Mountains: Storytelling and Visual Design for Persuasive Presentations

Traceability and Milestones

Traceability in the context of a visual story means that you can draw a line from “Why” something needs to be done to “What” to change and then forward to “How” you intend to accomplish it.

The value of traceability comes when filtering out the activities at this step. If you cannot show that your plan for a company Facebook page will address the need to be more proactive at resolving customer complaints, then perhaps you do not need the Facebook page. For most people, this example will seem fairly obvious; however, in many change programs, there are activities that seem obvious to the person proposing them that, on inspection, aren't actually required to make the change happen. Many times, activities are missing from the implementation plan that should be performed, but no one spotted them.

Inevitably, some activities will be difficult to do. Often, these get passed around because no one wants to be responsible for them. Worse, these activities could be left to the end of the project in the hope some magic will happen. Difficult challenges make better stories than easy activities. Your audience wants to hear how the characters will address the challenges, so ensure these difficult yet important activities are a core part of your story.

For project planners, all activities are scheduled and sequenced according to dependencies and resources. Sequencing is important. Just as a home builder erects walls only after the foundation is in place, a project ...