/storyboard

name: storyboard
argument-hint: "[user and problem]"
description: Create a six-frame storyboard that shows a user's journey from problem to solution. Use when you need a fast narrative for alignment, concept reviews, or demos.
intent: >-
  Create a 6-frame visual narrative that tells the story of a user's journey from problem to solution, using the classic storytelling arc to build empathy, illustrate value, and make abstract product concepts concrete. Use this to align stakeholders, pitch features, communicate vision, or test if your solution resonates emotionally before building it.
type: component
theme: pm-artifacts
best_for:
  - "Showing a user's journey from problem to solution in six frames"
  - "Getting fast alignment without building anything"
  - "Turning an abstract concept into something people can react to"
scenarios:
  - "I need to pitch a concept next week and slides aren't landing"
  - "The team can't agree on the experience — show me the journey frame by frame"
estimated_time: "20-30 min"

Purpose

Create a 6-frame visual narrative that tells the story of a user's journey from problem to solution, using the classic storytelling arc to build empathy, illustrate value, and make abstract product concepts concrete. Use this to align stakeholders, pitch features, communicate vision, or test if your solution resonates emotionally before building it.

This is not a UI mockup—it's a storytelling tool that brings the human side of your product to life.

Input

**Works best with:** The user and the problem-to-solution story you want told. **Also useful:** The emotional arc, key moments you know must appear, and the audience for the storyboard (execs, design review, sales).

Anything supplied with the invocation itself — text after the skill name, a pasted context dump, or an appended `ARGUMENTS:` line — counts as answers already given. Use it and skip whatever it covers; don't re-ask.

**Arriving empty-handed? That works too.** The skill asks who the user is and what changes for them, then builds the six frames.

**Example invocation:** `Storyboard: overwhelmed pharmacy tech discovers our auto-refill queue and ends the day on time — for next week's concept review.`

Key Concepts

The 6-Frame Storyboard Structure

Based on classic narrative arcs, the 6-frame format follows this pattern:

1. **Frame 1: Main Character** — Introduce the persona and their context 2. **Frame 2: The Problem Emerges** — Show the challenge or obstacle they face 3. **Frame 3: The "Oh Crap" Moment** — Escalate the problem to create urgency 4. **Frame 4: The Solution Appears** — Introduce your product/feature 5. **Frame 5: The "Aha" Moment** — Show the user experiencing the breakthrough 6. **Frame 6: Life After the Solution** — Illustrate the improved state

Why This Works

• **Emotional engagement:** Stories create empathy in ways specs can't
• **Concrete over abstract:** Visual narrative makes vague concepts tangible
• **Memorable:** People remember stories better than feature lists
• **Alignment tool:** Stakeholders can react to a story and give feedback
• **Low-fidelity:** Doesn't require polished design—sketches work great

Anti-Patterns (What This Is NOT)

• **Not a user flow diagram:** This is emotional storytelling, not process documentation
• **Not a feature demo:** Focus on user outcomes, not product capabilities
• **Not marketing copy:** Authentic narrative, not hype

When to Use This

• Pitching a new product or feature to stakeholders
• Aligning teams on user value (product, design, engineering, execs)
• Testing if a product idea resonates emotionally
• Communicating vision at all-hands or investor meetings
• Validating problem/solution fit before building

When NOT to Use This

• For technical implementation details (use architecture diagrams instead)
• When the user problem is trivial or well-understood
• As a replacement for user research (storyboards illustrate insights, don't create them)

---

Application

Use `template.md` for the full fill-in structure.

Step 1: Gather Context

Before creating the storyboard, ensure you have:

• **Persona clarity:** Who is the main character? (reference `skills/proto-persona/SKILL.md`)
• **Problem understanding:** What challenge do they face? (reference `skills/problem-statement/SKILL.md`)
• **Solution definition:** What product/feature will help? (reference `skills/positioning-statement/SKILL.md`)
• **Desired outcome:** What does success look like for the user?

**If missing context:** Run discovery work first. Don't fabricate personas or problems.

---

Step 2: Answer the 7 Storyboard Questions

Ask these questions one at a time to develop the narrative:

1. **Who is the main character experiencing this problem?** (Name, age, role, context) 2. **Describe the problem or challenge the main character is facing.** 3. **Describe the "Oh Crap" moment where the problem creates a major issue.** 4. **How is the solution introduced to the main character?** 5. **Describe the main character using the solution and experiencing an "Aha" moment.** 6. **What is life like for the main character after using the solution?** 7. **Do you have any specific visual style or rendering instructions?** (Default: fat-marker sharpie sketches, minimal and monochrome)

---

Step 3: Write the 6-Frame Narrative

Based on the answers above, draft the narrative:

## Generated 6-Frame Storyline

**Frame 1: Introducing the Main Character**
- [Insert description of the main character, their setting, and context]
- [Example: "Sarah, 35, is a freelance graphic designer juggling 10 client projects from her home office"]

**Frame 2: The Problem Emerges**
- [Describe the main character's challenge and how it affects their life]
- [Example: "She's drowning in invoice tracking—8 hours per month chasing late payments via spreadsheets and email"]

**Frame 3: The 'Oh Crap' Moment**
- [Highlight the escalation of the problem into a major issue]