See Ardath’s bio, photo, and Part 1 of this Q&A.
Q&A with Ardath Albee (Question 3):
Q: The storytelling movement seems to be growing explosively. Why now? What is it about this moment in human history and culture that makes storytelling so resonant with so many people right now?
A: Well, that’s a great question. I think there are a number of influences, but mostly I think the reason is the control people are exercising over selecting what information they spend their time with. There are more choices than ever before, people are busier with limited time, so why would they choose to spend that time on things that don’t meet their needs?
The more personalized and relevant information is to the person presented with it, the more engagement is possible. Storytelling is in our genes. We tell ourselves stories every day to explain the world around us. We like to think we have control over our lives, our circumstances and our choices. The beauty of storytelling is that it allows us to put ourselves into the action. The more we can relate to a situation or character role, the more “real” that situation is to us, and so are the possibilities it offers.
Dry statistics, facts, product features, technical details, etc. don’t mean anything without context. Relevance directly correlates to the background information a person has available as recall. This is why change is so hard. If your audience can’t “picture” the new way, then it’s very hard to embrace. Businesses that can help people visualize the differences their products and solutions will make have a better chance at success.
To my way of thinking, visualization is storytelling.