Setting a scene is about the view placement, considering background, props, lighting and so much more to tell a simple clear story. Cropping the image can let the viewer fill in the gaps and also and bring the action closer to the viewer. Comic books often say the “action is in the gutters” (gutters being the empty white space between the frames). This means to leave some interpretation to the viewer, let them participate in the story. Storytelling in visuals communicates in an intuitive and emotional way that text and data just can’t. Spending time to craft, model or prototype a story in visuals has communication value that saves time. Often teams assume everyone is “on the same page” and it is just not the case. Innovation is about sharing insight and building on shared knowledge. The better the communication the better the development process. It is the visual story that demands details in order to draw a scene, decisions need to be made, priorities set. Invest in the story, the human-centered, emotional, messy, and interesting part of the process…document the who, what, when, where and how first.
