Q&A with a Story Guru: Karen N. Johnson, Part 1

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Somewhere along my storytelling journey, I started to notice people using storytelling in very unexpected ways in technical fields — areas like user experience design, agile software development, and software testing. I’m thrilled that Karen N. Johnson, who uses story in software testing, brought her wise observations to the Q&A series. This Q&A with her will appear over the next five days.

Bio: Karen N. Johnson is an independent software test consultant. She is the owner of Software Test Management, Inc. Karen has been involved in software testing for more than two decades.

Karen has extensive test management experience. Her work is often focused on strategic planning for testing on a variety of software projects. Throughout Karen’s career she has gained hands-on experience with many different types of software. For example, she’s worked with banking, manufacturing, and ecommerce software was well as content management systems, contact management systems, medical device software, and business intelligence initiatives.

Karen also teaches classes in software testing. Her classes include how to build a software test strategy and a SQL class for testers. She frequently teaches tutorials as software testing conferences.

Most recently, she has been focused on developing a sense of community for software testers working in the area of regulated software testing. She is the co-founder of the WREST workshop.

She is also currently writing a chapter for a book that will be coming out from O’Reilly publishers slated to be called Beautiful Testing, about testing and how it is beautiful. Beautiful Testing is a collection of chapter-length essays on testing written by a several well-known experts in the field of software testing. The book is expected to be released late in 2009.

Karen is an international keynote speaker. She speaks frequently on software test strategy. She also frequently speaks on storytelling and software testing. She has published numerous articles on software testing as well as recorded webcasts. She also regularly blogs about her practical experiences with software testing.

Q&A with Karen N. Johnson (Question 1):

Q: In your presentation titled “Learning How to Tell the Story Behind Your Test Results,” you state: “Our purpose is to find the meaning in test results and to be able to tell the story from our analysis in order to bring meaning to data.” How did you initially come across the idea of marrying the fields of software testing and storytelling? What attracted you to storytelling?

A: Have you ever experienced a pull in a certain direction? That’s how I feel about storytelling. It seemed to me like books about storytelling were finding their way into my hands at bookstores. The subject of storytelling kept popping up in front of me from multiple directions. When I first started investigating storytelling it wasn’t conscience, I just followed what interested me. After reading, The Story Factor, I began consciously seeking out information on the topic and was actively working on ways to apply the concept of using stories in my work.

I joined a local storyteller’s guild and started to attend storytelling events. When I met storytellers, especially those who use story combined with business, I began to ask them to tell me their stories about storytelling. One reason I enjoy asking tellers to tell me about using story as opposed to asking for a story is so I gain a deeper sense of how storytelling has integrated itself into who they are. I’m interested in having a discussion on the topic with them, as opposed to them being “on stage” and delivering a rehearsed story. It’s my experience and opinion that strong or perhaps naturally gifted tellers acquire the skill deeply. It becomes part of who they are.

And in fact, I see this same cross over with software testers. Software testers who truly love their work see everything as a testing possibility. If you analyze software all day, it’s nearly impossible to stop being analytical about well nearly everything. Testers gain strong observation skills, the ability to focus deeply and have developed a perpetual sense of curiosity about how things function. How do you turn that mindset off when you’ve been working as a tester for years? The answer might easily be you don’t. You might love what you do and can’t imagine taking anything at face value without wanting to know more.

I have plenty of times in my work that I’m piled deep with reams of information and I have to find ways to sort, compile, discern and then deliver information. I spend time looking for patterns, looking for evidence, always on the prowl as it were to solve issues and I find storytelling is a natural way for me to share my findings with other people.

Storytelling has a strong appeal to me. I love to read and become immersed in a story, to lose sense of time and place. It seems to me, we all pause when someone tells a story. In a technical field such as software testing, perhaps story gives us a chance to put the analytics aside and think about the information in a more reflective way, to take the time to ponder and muse.

Q&A with a Story Guru: Chris Benevich

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I was attracted to the work of Chris Benevich and her company Panache Writing because of her Compelling StorytellingSM technique. I’m excited to learn more about it and her.

Bio of Chris in her own words: In 2003, I launched my independent writing and communications consultancy. I have had the honor to serve a variety of companies around the country, including the Sun-Times Media Group, Ciao Italy Travel, Jones Lang LaSalle, Lannon Communications, ChronicBabe.com, United Scrap Metal, and WisdomTools. Clients receive a considerate, strategic approach, resulting in a piece written in the right style for the right portal.

In 2008, I noticed many companies have the same problem. They do not know how to differentiate in a good market, much less a challenging economy. Good writing affects your bottom line. I founded Panache Writing, Inc. to help companies, clients, consumers, and brands find each other through compelling storytelling. Panache Writing, Inc. helps your company find its voice among the competition.

I belong to Independent Writers of Chicago and Chicago Women in Publishing. I served over a year as a co-host for Jupitermedia Corporation’s mediabistro.com Chicago, connecting hundreds of Chicagoland’s communications and media professionals. I have spoken about and led panels on communications best practices for several organizations, including at the Community Media Workshop’s Making Media Connections Conference.

Q&A with Chris Benevich:

Q: If you could identify a person or organization who desperately needs to tell a better story, who or what would it be?

A: Wasn’t this the thrust of the Obama campaign, that our country needs to engage more people — both our neighbors next door and our friends overseas — in policy dialog and social-justice activity?

Q: What future trends or directions to do foresee for story/storytelling/narrative? What’s next for the discipline? What future aspirations do you personally have for your own story work?

A: As we see more people get comfortable with online tools, we’ll see more multimedia expressions of storytelling and more collaboration. Instead of one griot per community, we’ll have teams of them, from all different cultures, all piping in from around the globe. Personally, I’m fascinated by the nonlinear story and by stories that change based on the reader’s choices. I think multimedia platforms are perfect for this art form.

Q: If you could share just one piece of advice or wisdom about story/storytelling/narrative with readers, what would it be?

A: There’s a Zimbabwean proverb that goes something like, “If you can walk, you can dance; if you can talk, you can sing.” If you have a story to tell, don’t wait for formal training or to be appointed or for special inspiration. It’s your birthright to contribute to humanity’s fabric of shared experience and knowledge.

Q: Without give away all your secrets, can you discuss some components of a compelling branded story? Which story that you crafted for a client are you most proud of (if you don’t want to reveal the client’s identity, perhaps you can describe this story in general terms)?

A: Oh, there are no secrets! As a matter of fact, I’m offering a free teleseminar on Compelling StorytellingSM that anyone can sign up for and use. But, first, let’s back up a bit. Remember that stories are meant to engage, to involve, to literally get into someone’s head. So, say I’m networking at a local chamber of commerce meeting and get a lot of flat “hmm, that’s interesting” comments. I know that I’m not connecting. Anytime you, a business owner, talk with someone, think of it as instant market research! Listen, pay attention; what is this other human being needing that I, or someone in my network, can help with? Have different questions and replies swirling in your head that you can try out on the spot.

Now, let’s talk about how to adapt those replies in three quick ways. One, be specific, concrete. Don’t just give your title; tie yourself into an anecdote that will resonate and, ultimately, be memorable. Two, give clear benefits. Doesn’t every business owner want to help clients save time and money? Try explaining how you do this differently from your competitors. Three, be honest. Marketing and sales sometimes gets tagged as just bloating and sugarcoating your offerings, but people see right through this.

Fill Your Easter Basket with Web-based Storytelling Tools

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Storytelling tools continue to emerge on the Internet at a rapid pace. On this Easter day, I bring you a roundup of them:

    • whirrl has generated significant buzz in the blogosphere and twitterverse. This tool, currently in beta, is a “storytelling application for the web and mobile that lets people share and remember their real-world stories as they happen.” Whrrl’s Community Manager Erin Crabb writes: “Whrrl allows you to share what you’re doing, who you’re with and where you’re at, with rich content, as it’s happening.” You can find reviews at TechZulu and GPS Obsessed, as well as read an interview Jeff Holden, founder of Pelago, the company that created whrrl
    • Tumbarumba is an extension for the Firefox Web browser that “hides stories–twelve new stories by outstanding authors–where you least expect to find them, turning your everyday web browsing into a strange journey.” Hard to see how this tool is useful, but it’s intriguing.
    • MakeBeliefsComix is described as a “place for you to come to and have fun by creating your own world of comic strips.” Interestingly, creator Bill Zimmerman targets the site at diverse demographics: “those wanting a few minutes of fun; youngsters and their parents; students and teachers; business executives trying to unwind from the stress of work, and activities directors and social workers who try to help people express their deepest thoughts and feelings.” Zimmerman says his intent is “that you will regard this site as a safe place where you feel empowered to create and to test new ideas and ways to communicate through art and writing.”
    • Storybird is “Collaborative storytelling for families and friends,” but it hasn’t gone public yet and invites visitors to submit an e-mail address so they can be alerted when the site does go public.
    • MapSkip asserts that “places have stories” and describes itself as a site that “makes the world a canvas for our stories and photos.” Those who join the MapSkip community are told they can explore “the world through shared stories and pictures about all the places in our lives.” One cool (slightly stalker-ish) feature is that MapSkip knows the location from which you’re visiting the site. I was slightly unnerved to see a map of my city of DeLand, FL, on the MapSkip home page.
    • Also place-oriented is Datascape, “a social geographic storytelling platform that enables artists, researchers, community groups and others to narrate their communities and physical spaces through interactive virtual worlds that are laid on top of the physical world.” Says its creator, Eric Kabisch: “We are developing software and devices to create and explore these narrratives through a vehicle-based virtual periscope, a gallery-based installation, and mobile phone and web applications. Our research goals are to explore the opportunities for spatial narrative that can be offered by a system like Datascape, to understand the interactional consequences of different configurations and manifestations of the system, and to examine the range and use of community-authored narratives and how they can make legible digital/physical spaces.” Kabisch seeks brief expressions of interest outlining the issue, data, story or experience users would like to convey and asks for e-mails. I don’t grasp Datascape or how it is story-related, but maybe others can make more sense of Datascape’s documentation video than I can. It reminds me of futuristic films in which the starship’s computer has a (sort of) human voice:

  • Empressr is a “rich media presentation tool” with which user can “tell your story anyway you like. Add photos, music, video, and audio, and share it publicly or privately in an instant.” A significant aspect of Empressr is that it’s “a way for anyone to create rich media presentations without having to be a technology expert.” The result, the creators say, “is the first free online visual storytelling and presentation rich internet application.” I really like the way Empressr enables attractive, full-screen presentations stored and watchable on the Web. I’d love to test it to see if it’s as easy to use as the creators say.
  • LifeSnapz is LifeSnapz is “a free, easy and secure way for people to record and organize important events, milestones and memories in their lives,” says its site. “Users of LifeSnapz can contribute text, photos, and video to describe these events, share them with self-designated groups (like family members, colleagues, schoolmates or youth sports teams) and explore these events using dynamic timelines, maps, and lists.”
  • With bookr, users can create and share photobooks using flickr images. The site is short on documentation and has no About page (as well as a lot of type so tiny it’s illegible), so it’s hard to know exactly how to use bookr.
  • Despite its name, Storyblender isn’t especially story-oriented and is kind of goofy. The idea is to take a photo, record a voice to go with it, and superimpose an animated mouth so the photo appears to be talking. One really does wonder how people come up with these ideas. Some applications seem like the product of people with too much time on their hands.
  • Penzu, its creators say, was created out of a need “why isn’t there an easy way for me to keep my thoughts on the web?” They contend that “every journal or diary service is extremely confusing and complex: long sign-up processes, intertwined with blogging services, and most importantly it took a long time to get writing. All of these lackluster sites made it an obvious decision to start Penzu,” which they assert is “intuitive, fast, and accessible” for keeping a personal journal or diary.”
  • Finally, Smilebox blows my mind for a couple of reasons. It’s actually not Web-based but a downloadable application that, amazingly, is free and available for both Mac and PC. The product could best be described as digital scrapbook pages. “Smilebox makes it easy for … users to share photos, videos and music in minutes,” the site says. “Story” is not even mentioned on the site; yet, Smilebox strikes me as every bit the storytelling tool as others in this roundup, and it offers a vast variety of designs to get the user started. I’m interested in using it for the family-history Web sites I’m working on.

Is It Smart to Denigrate Blogging as Inferior Storytelling?

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An organization called JTA created a huge flap recently by denouncing the storytelling capabilities of bloggers.

JTA must be one of those acronyms whose letters once stood for words but now is just an acronym; in any case, I could not find out on its Web site what the letters JTA do or did stand for. But here’s how its Web site describes the organization:

JTA is the definitive, trusted global source of breaking news, investigative reporting, in-depth analysis, opinion and features on current events and issues of interest to the Jewish people.

The trouble arose when JTA made this pitch in an e-mailed fundraising letter:

Without a strong JTA, the storytelling will be left to bloggers, twitters, and non-professionals. Is this the best way for our future Jewish stories to be told and recorded?

Oops. As “Dan” on eJewish Philanthropy reported, some 1,500 participants had attended the First Annual International Jewish Bloggers Convention last year, and many were steamed at the JTA pitch.

In an entry headlined, “Jewish Bloggers Are Not the Enemies of Jewish Storytelling,” Esther Kustanowitz at My Urban Kvetch wrote: “Demonizing a group of people who are united only in one characteristic — the technology they use to ensure that their stories are heard — constructs unnecessary barriers between mainstream media and the communications wave of the present.”

“The business of media has changed. Media outlets that raise money by inciting fear of bloggers… these are not the outlets that are going to survive.” wrote the author of the blog Leah in Chicago/Accidentally Jewish.

Yup. Newspapers are dying, and even the president of the United States is calling on bloggers in news conferences. Blogging is not always flawless journalism, but bloggers surely have a significant role in telling the stories of our culture.

Right?

(It should be noted that JTA apologized for the letter. Dan Sieradski wrote: “The characterization of bloggers and Twitterers as ‘non-professional’ and unreliable was not only counterproductive but arguably false. Worse yet, by seemingly attacking the blogosphere and Twittersphere, JTA has turned itself into a straw man in the battle between old and new media.”)

Your Overachieving Host Plans to Semi-Slack for About Three Weeks

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My dear readers … March and April have whupped my posterior. Promoting one book while writing another. Several other writing projects and presentations. My usual Quint Careers duties. Something on the calendar nearly every day. And getting ready to depart for our summer residence, Kettle Falls, WA ….

Here’s what that means for you: Since I started my Q&A series last September, I have felt compelled to post a blog entry every day along with the Q&A entries (except for the first day of each Q&A, which I like to have stand in the spotlight on its own). My thinking was that some readers might not find as much value in the Q&As as others do, so I wanted to provide content for the non-Q&A-lovers. Added to my commitment to blog seven days a week — that’s a lot of blogging. I love it, but I need to recharge, fill up the coffers, and clean up some other projects.

So, for the next three weeks, content on A Storied Career will be mostly Q&As. You will still find entries every day, seven days a week. You’ll find non-Q&A content on the weekends, and probably a smattering of non-Q&A entries on other days as I feel an urgent need to blog. I will also definitely blog about the Golden Fleece portion of International Storytelling Weekend next weekend.

Fortunately, the upcoming Q&As are full of rich and fascinating insights. Hope you don’t miss the other content.

Q&A with a Story Guru: Sarah White, Part 5

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See a photo of Sarah, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

Q&A with Sarah White (Question 6):

Q: Undoubtedly many reasons exist for writing one’s personal history. What do you feel is the most compelling reason? Why should people consider hiring a Personal Historian to assist them in this endeavor?

A: My work in oral history has shifted in the last few years from the interview model to writing instruction. The emphasis remains on the first-person experience of “ordinary” people, but the method is more efficient and more empowering to individuals. I believe that small groups offer an ideal format for exploring autobiographical writing. I lead 12+ writing groups a year around Dane County. I’m expanding that to include online writing classes and a travel experience combining memoir and genealogy. Lots going on here!

Leaving a legacy for grandchildren and beyond is typically the reason that compels people to begin preserving their personal history. But once people get started writing, they get hooked on so many more aspects of the work. “I am surprised at the effect this writing class has on me. It makes my life seem more real and valuable,” said one participant. “The class is filled with the most interesting people!” said another.

Writing down our life stories connects generations and communities. That’s compelling. As to why hire a personal historian — procrastination is the single biggest factor preventing people from completing their life stories. Hiring an individual to help is a great way to keep the project on track, no matter what form the collaboration takes — and the forms are infinite.

Q&A with a Story Guru: Sarah White, Part 4

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See a photo of Sarah, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&APart 2. and Part 3.

Q&A with Sarah White (Question 5):

Q: You write on your Web site: “The latest addition to my scope of interest is life story writing. When I learned about this field, I discovered my professional skills and my personal interests weaving together.” How did you learn about the field? What attracted you? You note that life-story writing is a growing field. What factors do you feel are contributing to its growth?

A: I discovered personal history — storytelling for individuals — through an introduction to a working professional, Anita Hecht. As soon as I saw what she was doing, the lightbulb went on for me. I was tired of working in advertising/marketing; I sought something that was more about the heart, and less about the wallet. I certainly found that. I think personal history is growing as people discover that the legacy they leave to their families is incomplete without some sense of their lives — what they learned from what they lived through, what they valued, and why. Another factor contributing to the growth of life-story writing is new technology, such as short-run printing, DVDs, and collaborative websites, that expand the possibilities for creating and distributing those memories. As a result, there is a growing business opportunity for professional services dedicated to preserving memories.

Storytelling Community Demonstrates Its Generosity Time and Again

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I’ve written here many times about how generous storytelling folks are. They are constantly giving away books, articles, podcasts, webinars, and more.

Yesterday I was alerted to an offer by the community that may just top all others.

Denise Lee, chair of the Golden Fleece portion of International Storytelling Weekend in Washington, DC, next weekend (April 18), wrote to paid registrants with this message:

As we are sensitive to the current financial climate, as you already know, we reduced the fee for the conference this year. We have decided to go one step further and ask you to invite any friend or colleague that may be unemployed at this time and unable to afford a networking event. One per paid registrant please. Lunch will be included for them as well.

I know this gesture is not because the conference is hurting for registrants because Steve Denning noted recently that Golden Fleece Day had only a few slots left. (The other two days of the conference are sold out.)

And please note, this offer is not a free-for-all in which any unemployed party can come to the conference; the person must be invited by a paid registrant. However, I’m a paid registrant, so if you’d like to attend as my guest, please contact me.

I post this information primarily as an illustration of the consistently generous spirit of the storytelling community. I am proud to be part of it.

Your Thoughts on These Videos Touted as Good Storytelling?

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Digital storytelling is an exploding phenomenon, especially in education. I’ve been collecting some examples of video praised in various corners of cyberspace for telling stories well.

I’ve watched at least part of all of these and, since I am no expert in digital storytelling, I’ve asked myself these questions in my attempt to evaluate them:

  • Do they truly embody storytelling?
  • Are the stories well told?
  • Are the videos of high quality (or does poor quality mar the videos’ ability to tell stories)?

What do you think of these? Remember that folks cited each of these as an example of good or even great storytelling. Some of them enjoyed significant buzz.

  • Three student-produced videos appear on Flip The Media. They are from a multimedia storytelling class in the University of Washington’s Masters of Communications in Digital Media (MCDM) program. I felt only the first one really told a story, but one that was marred by loud, distracting background music. The other two, in my opinion, simply presented snippets of exposition. All are less than 3 minutes long.
  • Aligning with my interest in storytelling as a job-search technique are videos from a recent contest for the Best Job in the World. “Applicants were charged with creating a one-minute video as their application,” writes Dean Shareski in a blog entry about how video production is a 21st-century skill. He highlights his favorite (by Anny) from the contest. It’s well done. I might hire this young lady based on her exuberance and video skills. But her video resume is a bit too focused on what the job can do for her instead of what she can do for the employer. And it’s really not storytelling.
  • I enjoyed two long-ish fictional stories. Forever’s Not So Long by Shawn Morrison and Garrett Murray is an apocalyptic tale of almost 13 minutes about a city facing some sort of annihilation with no hope for survival. Against that backdrop, a young man somewhat nonchalantly ends one relationship and enters into another. The second, Gary (by “Gary”), is also about a relationship — this one between a young boy and a slightly older girl. The most interesting aspect of this 7-minute, 14-second animated fantasy is that it’s in French, but the story still comes across even if your two years of high-school French (like mine) are not up to the task of interpretation.
  • The site Civil Rights March to Sacramento site, formed to protest the gay marriage ban in California, has a number of videos, of which I saw “Sarah’s Story” touted as poignant. I’m sure it is, but I could not watch the full almost 7 minutes because the quality was so poor. Notably, the loud din of many people talking the background was too distracting.
  • Two videos illustrate the power of deploying stories in presentations. Both tell stories of people who transcended difficulties to rise to greatness. The first can’t even really be called a video. It consists of the slides of motivational speaker Tony Robbins telling the story of how Sylvester Stallone came to make Rocky. I didn’t think I’d want to keep watching this 9-minute-plus “video” consisting of still photos and Robbins’ voiceover, but Robbins sucked me into the story and compelled me want to keep listening. Great story. Not-so-great video. The second example is also not digital storytelling, but a video of a presenter telling a 2-minute, 40-second story, in this case, Sir Ken Robinson in one the excellent TED Talks telling the story of how dancer Gillian Lynne overcame a “disability” to achieve fame and success. This story, too, is well-told. It comes 15 minutes into a 19-minute presentation. I watched only the story, per the suggestion of blogger Matt Moore.
  • I found two collections of very short videos very interesting, if not really storytelling. One is 12seconds. Think of it as Facebook for non-typists; its status updates are 12-second videos. “It’s a super easy way to share what you’re doing with your friends and family using short video clips,” the site proclaims. I watched a few of them. I found them neither to tell stories nor come off as especially compelling. The other collection spotlights a digital storytelling initiative in Senegal, described this way on the site: “These 17 student-made videos are the product of a three-week digital storytelling initiative in rural Senegal.” These very short videos are nice, but only very loosely storytelling, in my opinion.
  • Probably the video story that has garnered the most buzz recently is Slagsmålsklubben by Tomas Nilsson, the result of a “school assignment to reinterpret the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood.” (The title apparently refers to the originators of the background music, a Swedish electro/pop group. Wikipedia says “the name Slagsmålsklubben is an almost literal Swedish translation of the title of the novel and film Fight Club” Not sure whether this Fight Club aspect relates to the video’s content or why Nilsson chose this name for the video). This 2-minute, 45-second animated video is a lot of fun, well done (using faux infographics), and definitely tells this familiar story effectively.
  • My favorite video story of the bunch is also the longest at more than 21 minutes. It’s the beautifully told, sad, poignant story of the demise of the Rocky Mountain News, which published its last edition on Feb. 27. Perfect background music and strong production values enhance this painful story. Clearly, this one resonates with me as I chronicle and commiserate over the long, slow death march of newspapers. But I think just about anyone would be moved by this powerful story, embedded below:

 

Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.

 

Q&A with a Story Guru: Sarah White, Part 3

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See a photo of Sarah, her bio, Part 1 of this Q&APart 2.

Q&A with Sarah White (Question 4):

Q: What’s your favorite story about a transformation that came about through a story or storytelling act?

A: In 2006 I was asked to help a community center preserve the stories of the people it serves. Not sure how to begin, I founded a “History Club” and began inviting people to join us for reminiscing about neighborhood history. Young homeowners came to learn the history of their houses and the streetscape around them. Older residents past and present reunited with childhood friends. The fun was contagious. We began capturing their stories and images of the mementos they brought — scrapbooks, old menus, high school trophies — you name it! In 2008 the community center agreed to fund a publication, and “An East Side Album” was the result — over 160 pages of stories, photos and recipes from over 100 contributors, of which I was the lead organizer and editor. Sales benefit the community center but the real story here isn’t about fundraising — it’s about “fun-raising.” We created a venue for a kind of socializing that hadn’t existed before.