🚨What Stakeholders Need to Hear (But You're Not Saying)

The missing link between great design and leadership buy-in

Feb 15, 2025

👋 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:

VISION Framework:

Strategic Storytelling for aspiring UX Leaders

V - Vision of the Future

Start with a compelling picture of what could be
Connect it to current organizational challenges
Make it tangible through concrete examples

Example:
Instead of saying "We need better design systems,"
Paint a picture: "Imagine if every product team could ship new features 40% faster, with half the design debt we have today..."

I - Insights That Matter

Ground your story in research and data
Focus on unexpected findings
Connect dots others haven't seen

"But Actually" method:
"Everyone thinks our users abandon the workflow because it's confusing. But actually, our research shows they're hitting a trust barrier at step 3..."

S - Stakes and Scale

Clearly articulate what's at risk
Show the scale of the opportunity
Make it personal for stakeholders

Use the "If Only 1%" technique
"If we improve this flow by just 1%, it represents $2M in annual revenue. Now imagine what 10% could do..."

I - Impact Framework

Build a clear cause-and-effect chain
Show both short-term wins and long-term gains
Include multiple stakeholder perspectives

Structure it like this ↴

For users: [immediate benefit]

For the business: [measurable outcome]

For the organization: [strategic advantage]

O - Orchestrated Narrative

Layer your story across multiple touchpoints
Build momentum over time
Create memorable hooks and phrases

The 3-3-3 Rule:

→ 3️⃣ key messages

→ Repeated 3️⃣ different ways

→ Across 3️⃣ different contexts

N - Next Steps and Navigation

Make the path forward clear
Break big visions into digestible chunks
Give stakeholders clear roles

The "Bridge" Technique:

- Where we are now

- Where we need to go

- The first step we can take tomorrow

VISION = Vision of the Future + Insights that Matter + Stakes & Scale + Impact Framework + Orchestrated Narrative + Next Steps & Navigation = VISION

😩 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

🪤 The Technical Trap

❌ Don't: Dive deep into design details unless specifically asked

✅ Do: Focus on outcomes and implications

🪤 The Process Prison

❌ Don't: Get stuck explaining every step of your process

✅ Do: Highlight key insights and turning points

🪤 The Data Dump

❌ Don't: Overwhelm with numbers and statistics

✅ Do: Use data to support your narrative, not lead it

Making It Work…

Let me share how one of my mentees, used this framework to gain support for a major design system overhaul:

Before (Tactical Storytelling):
"Our current design system has inconsistencies and technical debt. We need to rebuild it using modern component architecture..."

After (Strategic Storytelling):
"Every month we delay modernizing our design system, we're losing 600 developer hours to maintenance and workarounds. But more importantly, we're missing the opportunity to be first to market with new features. Let me show you how 3 of our competitors have overtaken us in release velocity..."

As a result, she got executive sponsorship and a dedicated team for her initiative!

Your Challenge This Week

Pick 1 important initiative you're working on
Write 3 versions of your story using each storytelling level
Test them with a trusted colleague
Note which elements resonate most strongly

And remember that strategic storytelling is about crafting narratives that connect your UX work to the things that matter most to your organization.

The most influential UX leaders I know aren't necessarily the best designers or even the best presenters. They're the ones who can weave their work into the larger narrative of their organization's success.

See you next Saturday!

-Marina

P.S.

Here's a fun challenge:

Try explaining your current UX project to someone outside your industry using the VISION framework. If you can make it compelling for them, you're on the right track for your stakeholders!

📌 A few more ways I can help you ↴

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