This document discusses the use of storytelling in product management. It explains that business stories are told to build trust and show mutual benefit between parties. Various structures for business stories are presented, including aspirational stories with a situation-action-result format and the hero's journey structure of introducing a hero and villain, a missing piece, transformation/triumph, and result. An example of an aspirational story is provided. The document concludes that great inspiring business stories should be authentic.

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Story telling in product
management
Sander Veraar
www.productcampsg.com
28 September 2013

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Introduction
Sander Veraar
Senior Product Manager
Contact
sg.linkedin.com/in/sanderveraar
twitter.com/sanderveraar
Verizon Enterprise Solutions
Premier partner for secure IT,
communications, networking and
mobility solutions delivered to large
and mid-size businesses and
government agencies globally.
Experience
16 years overall experience in IT
services of which 8 years in
Product Management.
Here today to meet great people, to share my experiences and to learn from yours

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• Establish connection with stranger
• Explain who you are as a person
• Show dreams/values/goals/accomplishments
• Essential to build trust
“Who am I?”

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• Stories are a powerful tool to convey a message. Business stories differ
from ‘regular stories’ told for entertainment in that you tell them with an
objective, goal or desired outcome in mind.
Why (business) story telling?

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• Build trust / show mutual benefit
• What’s in it for you?
• What’s in it for me?
• Useful when “selling” something (such as an idea), “negotiating” or
“asking for favors”
“Why am I here?”

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• In the scrum methodology of agile software development work is
expressed as a series of user stories.
• An example user story is the below template developed by Mike Cohn,
which identifies who the end user is, what the end user wants, and why in
a single sentence. It is most often written like this: “As a [end user role], I
want [the desire] so that [the rationale].
Story telling in product development
http://scrummethodology.com/scrum-user-stories/
http://scaledagileframework.com/stories/

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A show of hands…
http://burneylawfirm.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/show-of-hands.png

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Context
• Where and when the story takes place
• Who’s the main character?
• What does he or she want?
• Who, or what, is in the way?
Action
• What will the main character “do”?
• Which setbacks/failures/obstacles did he/she encounter along the way?
Result
• Main characters fate
• What should the audience have learned?
Structure

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• Aspirational story
– Situation – Action – Result
• Hero’s Journey
– Introduce the hero
– Introduce the villain
– The ‘missing’ piece
– Transformation/triumph
– Showcase result
“Vision Stories”

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• Welcome to the company retreat for businessstoryboardbuilder.com.sg.
As most of you know my name is Bob and I am speaking to you as the
(fictional) head of product management for our company.
• 2014 was a great year for us. We gained many new users and earlier this
month we celebrated our 10,0000 story board created via our website.
For 2015 we have set the ambitious goal to double that number.
• In order to achieve that goal Jean, our services product manager, has
proposed a new service offering which allows our users to submit
storyboards directly to a local printing company and have the result
delivered as A3 story boards anywhere in Singapore within 2 hours.
• This meets a nascent demand in the advertising sector and we believe
this will lead to a two-fold increase in repeat purchases in that area.
Aspirational story example

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• Can you tell me about your vision? / Five years from now, where will your
company be?
• How are you going to get there? / What opportunities do you see for your
business? What challenges do you face getting there?
• Can you help me understand how [opportunity/challenge] connects to
[vision/long term goal]?
• Can you describe to me what the future of your business would look like if
you were able to solve/eliminate [challlenge]
• Next embark on your hero’s journey
The hero Journey
in a business context

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Introducing…
http://thumb7.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/100254/100254,1301949862,1/stock-vector-cartoon-of-a-knight-running-from-a-fierce-dragon-isolated-on-white-74602573.jpg

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The missing piece
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/cartoon-illustration-boy-red-shield-18122434.jpg

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Transformation/Triumph
http://newyorkjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/9290106-cartoon-of-a-knight-facing-a-fierce-dragon-isolated-on-white.jpg

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The result
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cjMYSt-InL4/UDf9ETjwNHI/AAAAAAAADUI/PYT4hMKxrAI/s320/441832-Cartoon-Dragon-Using-A-Crutch-For-A-Lame-Leg-Poster-Art-Print.jpg

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• “I know what you are thinking”
– The elephant in the room
– Validate other people’s worries or concerns
– Paraphrase or summarize
– Helpful to reduce opposition
• “Value-in-action”
– Reinforce the values that you want your audience to demonstrate or think about
Other common story types

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• Business storytelling is the art of using stories to connect with employees,
customers, suppliers and anyone else involved with your organisation
• Great inspiring stories are authentic
Closing Remarks