🚨What Stakeholders Need to Hear (But You're Not Saying)
The missing link between great design and leadership buy-in
👋 Happy Saturday, my dear UX friends, Marina here!
Today's newsletter comes from a question that I believe many of us could relate to. Here's what landed in my inbox this week ↴
"Hi! I'm leading design for a crucial product line. While my work speaks for itself in terms of quality, I'm struggling to build the kind of influence I know I need to drive bigger changes.
In our last 1:1, my director mentioned that I should work on my “strategic storytelling” to get more buy-in for my initiatives.
The thing is, I'm great at presenting my work and walking through my design decisions. I can explain my process clearly and showcase the user benefits. But somehow, it's not translating into the kind of strategic influence I need. Other designers, sometimes with less experienced than me, seem to have an easier time getting resources and support for their initiatives.
How do I lean into storytelling as a tool to build influence and recognition? What am I missing here?"
This highlights a crucial transition point in many UX careers – the shift from being a good presenter of design to becoming a strategic storyteller.
Let's unpack this challenge and explore how to master different types of storytelling for maximum impact.
3️⃣ Levels of UX Storytelling
Before we dive into specific techniques, let's understand the three distinct types of storytelling that every UX leader needs to master:
1. Tactical Storytelling → The Design Journey
This is what most of us start with – walking through our design process, explaining decisions, and showcasing solutions.
It's essential, but it's just the foundation.
2. Impact Storytelling → The Value Journey
This level connects design decisions to concrete business and user outcomes.
It's about painting a picture of measurable impact.
3. Strategic Storytelling → The Vision Journey
This is where many UX leaders struggle.
It's about crafting narratives that shape product strategy, influence organizational direction, and build long-term support for UX initiatives.
🌟 The Strategic Storytelling Framework
Let's focus on strategic storytelling, as it's often the missing piece in building influence.
Here's my proven framework, I call it VISION: